needle in radiator!?!?!?

[Jon Klein]

hey guys...I have a 93' ATX and I just replaced the original radiator with a new modine unit because the drivers side tank had a 4 inch split in it. Anyway, I was really bored last night so I decided to rip apart the old radiator and chech out the inside of the side tanks. Sitting inside of the drivers side tank (side by intake box) was a piece of metal that looked like a sewing needle, but 3 times as thick, with the non-pointed side theaded and a square piece of metal threaded onto it....WHAT IS THIS THING?...BTW...if the car is off, and I turn the lights on my temp gauge goes up to the red...and it never goes above the "A" while running....

thanks in advance

Jon Klein

 

[Jon Klein]

guess this isn't normal?

 

[rendyx]

I'll bet that needle thing broke off of something, but I'm not positive. With my old 89, the temp gauge would also shoot to red sometimes when I turned the engine off. I suspect it is just how it happens to work, and the lack of electricity avilable to run it after the engine stops. As long asa it is okay when you are driving, and nothing appears physically too hot after shutting down.