Losing bottom end power and engine temp gauge crazies

So I was driving tonight and my celi was intermittently refusing to pull at low revs, bogging down if I put my foot down too far.
I can rev fine, it just won't pull in a high gear at low revs.
My temp gauge hasn't been working properly for a while either. I thought not much of it because I thought it was just the temp sender crapping itself.
When I start the car, it warms up properly, temp gauge works for a while, then once I start driving or revving a bit it drops to nothing.

Anyone know what could be going on? New thermostat required?

aaron.

 

Coolant level is fine, it hasn't gotten below full since I bought the car.

I have a spare temp sensor, but no spare thermostat. I'd have to drain the coolant to change the sensor and thermostat wouldn't I? I also have no spare coolant

I have a feeling the thermostat is seized open, the radiator hasn't been getting too hot to touch lately.

aaron.

 

I guess I should do that, I need this engine to stay running at least until I build a new one.

I didn't want to have to reuse the coolant, but it shouldn't have any negative effects, might as well clean out the pipes while I'm at it.

Actually, I'll swap in my auto radiator too. Get everything done at once :thumbsup:

aaron.

 

Going alright today, haven't had a chance to flush the system and change the thermostat yet. Had to take the missus to an appointment this morning so I just let it warm up for a while and drove like a grandma and it stayed at a decent temperature.

I think my radiator and system is full of sludge, so a good flush and a new thermostat and nice thick radiator should fix it up good.

I cleaned up the sender contacts a bit like eNtrax suggested, not sure if it made much difference.

Does anyone elses celi do weird things if you drive in the rain? My indicators don't tick sometimes in the wet.

aaron.

 

Worked out what it is, my piston rings are going bad.

THIS STUFF

fixed my problem for now. An hour long mostly motorway drive to my missus' parent's house, then on the way back I got my power back

No more waiting for sudden bursts of speed with my foot half way down lol

aaron.

 

I have no compression testing gear, and I was quoted $65 to get it done at Ultratune D:
The nerve of these people, charging more than an hour's labour for a 10 minute job!
I used to work as a marine mechanic, I know for a fact that it is one of the simplest things you can do to an engine and it does not take anywhere near an hour.

aaron.

 

I'll probably buy a gauge sometime next week.

Temp gauge problem was actually the connection, but my thermostat is stuck open I discovered when I flushed my cooling system and it went straight through the engine.

It gets up to temp just fine, but cools down a fair bit at high speeds.

Haven't had smoke for almost a year, it has been turning over a bit more before firing up lately but that oil additive seems to have fixed that up.

I've got 304k+ on the clock and it was a bogan hoon car before I bought it so I'm guessing it's never been rebuilt.

aaron.

 

I wish we had Harbour Freight in Australia, it seems like a useful store.
Is it cheap and nasty or just cheap because they buy in mega bulk?

aaron.