What part exactly of the cooling system would a rock bouncing up break and cause such a failure?

I know you have no clue what a wrench is so you probably have never had your car apart. But FYI, there are plenty of ways your oiling system could be compromised by road debri and I have seen it a couple of times, especially on rust belt cars.

Stay on topic please.
I believe there IS an oil level warning light.
Yes?
So that's irrelevant.

9k, I've always trusted and respected your advice.

To try to compare a cat delete suggestion to defeating a warning light that could possibly save someone from ruining their engine is absurd.

You're just being obstinate now.
I can't beat this dead horse with you anymore.

I will continue to tell new members to not unplug their coolant lights, do what you want.

No one is beating a dead horse, it's just opinions. Like I said, if you need a light to get you to check your cooling system then that is fine. But it's really not a big deal to not have it, millions don't.

Guy guys! Cmon! Do we really need to fight over a coolant light? To each his own. I don't know if the light can save you or not, and because I've never experienced it, I am not going to comment on it, but it's the owners choice to rely on it or not. If they want to unplug it, they can. If they want to rely on it, they can do that as well. Both of you guys have said what you think is right. It's up to them to decide, so let's let them decide without arguing and messing up our friendship :)

:lol: There is no love lost, it's just good discussion as far as I am concerned. Noobs are noob regardless.

That's good to hear man :) We are a happy community :ylsuper:

Thank you sir:).:ylsuper: Shit breaks even though you needs them shits.

I had my Temp gauge move to the hot side once and immediately pulled over and turned off my car.
Just so happens that I didn't damage anything. Cracked Radiator nipple was the cause of coolant leak. Since then, I've been using blutooth OBDII reader and App on my Phone to monitor temps.

Just recently replaced radiator with CSF all aluminum rad. Glad I checked this site first as I would have gotten the Mishimoto Rad that isn't a direct fit.

I now run in 185 F while moving and up 200 F when idle for extended time. This is in Texas

What a BS post, seriously.

The sensor fails because the surface of the float detoriates, absorbs liquid aka coolant and sinks to the bottom.

https://cdn.partsfinder.bilsteingrou.../INF149_GB.PDF

I don't know the details, maybe you can dry the bottle and the float, and it might float for another week to a decade, noone knows. Just replace the bottle if you want the sensor to work, but most cars don't have a coolant sensor like the Mazda 3 in some generations. I drive for 3 years without the sensor. Just check the coolant level anytime before you start driving like once a quarter and you should be fine. Or just replace the bottle if it's worth 200 bucks to you.

And no, the damage is not done when the light comes on. It is there to warn you before it is too late. My Mazda 323F BA 1994 has barely liquid in the reservoir because it's cracked and we drove like that for 5 years until we sold it. The light should come on when it falls below minimum, which is like 50% of the capacity of the entire bottle, whereas 70% or whatever is the full level.

It's the same with the oil light. When it comes on, the dipstick is on 20% between MIN and MAX.

Stop spewing total BS and actually invest some time to research how and when these sensor function. I'm telling this to you and to members in general. You might actually learn a fact or two instead of myths.

Really? 4 years later we have the final word on cooling system maintenance on a 323?

I hope whoever designed the coolant sensor reads this thread one day. Just so he understands what he has done.

Piston engines in general have a lot more tolerance to high temperature. Their nature means all parts tend to stay cooler more easily(one combustion per 2 revs versus every rev in a Wankel). That's also considering a 323 makes, what, 100ish horsepower versus RX-8's 200+.

Also, consider that the worst that will happen to a piston engine if you overheat is most likely a head gasket, which isn't hard or expensive to replace. Cracking the block is possible, but that means you really have to overheat the engine. A Wankel overheat can possibly result in needing a new engine.

So which one is better, a new coolant bottle or a reman engine+all the labour involved?

The critical piece is the operating pressure of the coolant to prevent boiling. The rotary has limits and that pressure needs to be maintained to allow the coolant to maximize heat transfer and temperature prior to boiling. Unfortunately any leaks (inclufing a leaky cap) will result in a tendency to overheat under the right conditions.