I think my car is overheating, firstly the coolant gauge dial is below half way so it's not noticeable looking at that. I only noticed when my radiator fans started kicking in a lot at idle after I had replaced my thermostat so I checked my coolant temperature using an OBD blue tooth adapter. The app said it was running at 98C which is roughly 210F after about 20 minutes of driving in normal whether. This worries me, I heard the car decreases power past 200F to protect the engine and I don't want to blow/damage the head gasket with the coolant being too hot. Also I'm pretty sure there is no air in the system, I've opened the bleeder valve several times and no air comes out, only coolant. Is it possible that their isn't enough coolant in the engine/radiator to cool the car down? I've been filling my radiator through the overflow tank but I do have a Lisle with me.

 

Is your heater blowing hot?

 

Yeah and air conditioning works

 

Heater blowing hot at idle as well as at cruising speeds? Low coolant will affect hot air at idle long before cruising speeds. You could swap out thermostat for something lower temp rated.

 

When there is air in the system the heat gauge fluctuates radically as the air pocket moves. I don't know the operating temp of the VQ but I'd guess that's still in the normal range. I'd hose off the radiator and condenser, running the a/c low speed driving etc will cause the car to run hotter and thus cycle the fans more, but so long as they still cycling off then it's doing it's job.

 

210 is normal in the summer it does not derate at 200