Water Temp

[sage2k]

I was going 60mph on the interstate and my car wasnt even getting to the N in NORMAL on my temp gauge...i drove for about an hour.
So the temp was pretty low.
But soon as I got off the interstate and idle'd at a red light it went to normal temp at half gauge.

What ya think?

 

[95COBRA241]

Never trust those stock dash gauges. My does the same thing daily. sometimes the temp is pegged all the way to the left. I know the engine is warm cause the hood is warm. Its probably a bad temp sensor.

 

[rgs]

because when you are cruising @ 60mph on the highway your engine like isnt working @ all. therefore it stays cooler. the same thing happens to me, when cruising at a consistent pace for a substantial amount of time your temperature will drop. and once you start stopping and going it will rise up into the normal range.

 

[sage2k]

well yeah but i mean it doesnt even get to the N in normal, but within 15 seconds of idling it goes half way on the gauge, how can i check the sensor or where is it located?

 

[rgs]

k well mine doesnt even get to N when on the highway, especially now since it's getting colder outside. but if you're telling the truth about it heating up after 15 seconds of idling, then i would say something is wrong. check your thermostat, might be time for a new one

 

[18mustangs]

I was going 60mph on the interstate and my car wasnt even getting to the N in NORMAL on my temp gauge...i drove for about an hour.
So the temp was pretty low.
But soon as I got off the interstate and idle'd at a red light it went to normal temp at half gauge.

What ya think?

That's perfectly normal as the car is cooled much more efficiently on the highway becauss you're at a higher speed with much more air running across your radiator for a longer time. Go in town and the temp will rise as it's stop and go and you're spending a lot less time with air continuously moving across the radiator. You didn't list where you are, but up north it's getting cooler so that makes a difference too. After I put my fluidyne and 180* t-stat in my car did like you described in the 100* Texas heat.
Tim

 

[dstanggt50]

I would think its a combination of not so accurate factory gauges, and the highway vs stop and go traffic. Mine will act similar, always cooler on the highway, but I usually in between the N and O of the guage on the highway, and closer to the middle in stop and go traffic. Might want to get a new ect to see if that helps.

 

[Starman]

Also check and make sure your fan is working. There was a recall a few years back where the fans would draw too much current and burn out

 

[95COBRA241]

well yeah but i mean it doesnt even get to the N in normal, but within 15 seconds of idling it goes half way on the gauge, how can i check the sensor or where is it located?

What was it doing before? There is no way that with a 180* or 195* thermostat that the needle on the temp h=gauge would not reach the N in N-O-R-M-A-L. Something is wrong with the gauge or the sensor, or least likely you running w/o a stat.

 

[sage2k]

well it used to be around the R-M in normal on the interstate sometimes higher close to A

im in louisiana, still hot but a cold front hit so it was slightly cooler, maybe in the mid 60s when i was driving, yea i understand temps should be lower in cooler weather but it seems excessively cooler and a short idle will bring temp to middle of the gauge. I was thinking of buying some new gauges like a temp and tach for better accuracy. Know any good deals on these tachs? preferable small ones i can mount in the clock gauge pod i see on ebay, i think 2 1/16th size