What is everyones temo usually at?

[Zero_chance]

Hey guys, just trying to get a few opinions on what everyones temp gauge reads when at normal operating temp. Both stock gauges and aftermarket. Trying to compare mine to a few others to see if I have to start digging into the cooling system. I have the stock gauges and ever since I did the head and lower intake gaskets, the temp settles at a higher spot than it did previously. Used to settle at about a quarter of the way up from the bottom. Now it sits around halfway.

 

[DMAN302]

stupid computer..

 

[DMAN302]

Stock gauge is a joke. I run autometer and with 180 Tstat and stock fan/rad..the car operated at aprox 185-190 with mild in city driving @ 70deg outside.

 

[tjm73]

The factory guage is about as usefull as a warning light. so anywhere between the lines is okey in general.

Aftermarket guages (even cheap ones) should read right around whatever temp thermostat you have.

My car for example is always in the middle of the stock "guage" (if you can call it that). Then you glance to the right and it's running 210 degrees on my mechanical water temp guage. 10 minutes later the dash shows the same thing and the real guage shows 195 or maybe 200. I run a 190 T-stat (stock temp).

Stock guage is there to make the average person think the car has real guages. I've seen as high as 230 in my mechanical water temp guage with the in dash guage showing a slight lean off straight up and down toward the "hot" side.

 

[flyinghi3]

tjm73- were do you have both you mechanical and stock gauge connected on the intake. i have my mechanical gauge plug into where the stock sensor is supposed to be, in the front of the intake, and the stock gauge is now moved to the back of the intake. the reason i'm asking is that my autometer gauge always reads 180 while the stock one reads the line right above 130* on the dash(i'm guessing that probably 150*). i know there is no flow of coolent to the back sensor, so its not that accurate.

 

[TomCat]

My stock one reads 150... I know it's lying.

 

[tjm73]

tjm73- were do you have both you mechanical and stock gauge connected on the intake. i have my mechanical gauge plug into where the stock sensor is supposed to be, in the front of the intake, and the stock gauge is now moved to the back of the intake. the reason i'm asking is that my autometer gauge always reads 180 while the stock one reads the line right above 130* on the dash(i'm guessing that probably 150*). i know there is no flow of coolent to the back sensor, so its not that accurate.

If memory serves, (and I haven't looked at the car in like almost 6 months - DAM WINTER!) on my intake there was an unused port in the manifold right behind the t-stat housing. I used that port for the mechanical guage and the stock guage is pluged into the stock place still.

 

[flyinghi3]

If memory serves, (and I haven't looked at the car in like almost 6 months - DAM WINTER!) on my intake there was an unused port in the manifold right behind the t-stat housing. I used that port for the mechanical guage and the stock guage is pluged into the stock place still.

isn't that unused port where the heater core pipe gets hooked up too? i dont recall a port behind the housing

 

[Zero_chance]

I guess this is as good a reason as any to get mechanical gauges.....

 

[tjm73]

isn't that unused port where the heater core pipe gets hooked up too? i dont recall a port behind the housing

I honestly don't recall very clearly. It was like 3 or 4 years ago when it was installed and I haven't looked at it much since.

 

[flyinghi3]

I honestly don't recall very clearly. It was like 3 or 4 years ago when it was installed and I haven't looked at it much since.

no big deal. i just looking for someone who move the stock sensor to the back of the intake like i did. i want to see what there gauge reads when mounted back there. the one reason i hooked up the stock gauge again was because my autometer gauge sticks at 0* sometimes when you start it up. it will not start to read, unitll a couple of miles down the road.

 

[jb89coupe]

My autometer gauge is tapped into the thermostat housing.. car runs around 170* while driving and around 180-190 while sitting. 180* thermo, electric fan, and no a/c condenser blocking the radiator.

 

[HISSIN50]

no big deal. i just looking for someone who move the stock sensor to the back of the intake like i did. i want to see what there gauge reads when mounted back there. the one reason i hooked up the stock gauge again was because my autometer gauge sticks at 0* sometimes when you start it up. it will not start to read, unitll a couple of miles down the road.

i run the same set up as you. when i am at around 180 on the aftermarket gauge, the stocker is 130-150ish. as you said, that rear port gets horrible flow, so that sender is heated and cooled more radiantly than anything else. inaccurate port for an inaccurate gauge.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

mine never goes past 185

 

[chobracobra]

my autometer never leaves 180 and will occanasly creep past 190 if its sitting for a while...this is in 80* weather with no condensor and mostly water in my system

 

[flyinghi3]

i run the same set up as you. when i am at around 180 on the aftermarket gauge, the stocker is 130-150ish. as you said, that rear port gets horrible flow, so that sender is heated and cooled more radiantly than anything else. inaccurate port for an inaccurate gauge.

thanks HISSIN50, thats what i was hoping that it was. the stock gauge is just a back up for when my autometer sticks.

 

[Boss 351]

Got a 180 (or 185) thermostat and the temp stays at 180ish no matter what the car is doing (traffic, highway, racing, etc..).

 

[mr.b]

mine usually runs about 155-160 on the stock guage. When i go out and shoot it with the infrared gun on the gooseneck it reads about 175-185.

 

[PonyBoy90]

My electrical autometre guage sits at a consistent 200 degrees be it highway or inner city driving. I'm running a 50/50 mix on a stock cooling system.