Temp Guage - What is Normal?
 

I own an 76K+ 85 GSL that is bone stock. It sat most of the winter and recently had the clutch replaced. I noticed the car's tempurature appears to be a function of the outdoor temp. On cool mornings it runs cool, and on a hot afternoon it runs warm, but never goes into that danger zone before "H." Around town it runs right in the middle of the gauge. Again, not hot but maybe a bit too warm for my paranoia. My oil pressure is in good shape (65+ on highway) and I use 20/50 Havoline.

I am flushing the radiator, installing a new thermostat/gasket and new hoses tomorrow as it probably needs the preventive maintenance. But I am interested:

1. What is a "normal" reading for the tempurature gauge?
2. If this PM work doesn't reduce the tempurature (again I may be just paranoid) should I look to the fan clutch or water pump?
3. How can you tell if one or the other is defective?

Thanks for your time.

Now to get the electric windows adjusted!!!

on my se i replaced the waterpump and now it runs in the middle all the time. even in really hot weather in the hills going 80. is your oil cooler the beehive type? if so, change it with the newer kind. wait yours is an 85.. hmm i guess its the same as mine. yes run the flush.. and new coolant and everything should be fine.

I was told by many people that the temp should not be half way that it is to hot I guess half way means its at 200F-210F or something like that. I still trying to figure out why this car has the biggest mood strings with temp issues.
The temp is only suppose to rise 1/4 im guessing a quarter up. If thats not true then someone correct me cause my car hits half way and ill start getting worried.

i have a beehive cooler..and mine is now consistant at 1/4 way up...i changed my radiator..and now its consistantly cool..may want to also check..that you have an under pan and also fan shroud..also keeps everything cool..

My Se runs between 3/8 and 1/2 depending on the outside temperature. Never had an issue with overheating.

1/3 here. Missing the underpan tray though. Electric fan.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...4/100_0837.jpg
that's where mine stays all the time, unless something is wrong with the cooling system :P.....i am worried about the oil pressure, i know it's got enough oil, but i need to get an aftermarket sometime soon it only comes on when it wants to:icon_no2:

if your temp gauge sits that low all the time i would say you viscus fan is shot and always running, it can be just as bad to not let your engine get warm

Mark

I am not so sure about that one. My 79 has always been at the quarter level, EXCEPT when I was in 100 degree weather with the throttle punched doing 120 then it started to climb to about 3/8ths and stayed there. If your temp gauge is going up and down depending on weather or other factors then you cooling system doesn't have the capacity to cool your motor and it is relying on the environment to assist it in maintaining the temp. Think about it like having your oven door open while trying to preheat it. It cannot get to the right temp in the oven because it cannot heat the whole room to that temp. You may want to (for safety) upgrade your oil cooler and oil cooler lines. This will increase oil pressure a little bit (3-6 psi) and allow the extra heat load to be removed by the cooler. You can do this by getting a second cooler from a junk yard for cheap (~40.00) and run the return line from the first cooler to the second cooler and run that back to the motor. Racers do it all the time. I wouldn't worry about the radiator unless it's super old.

Hopefully your oil pressure fluctuates from time to time. You want to get a little oil to the engine, at least every once in a while. :eek:

hahaha no, the oil is running fine, everything's working is just the shitty oil gage that doesn't work, i've tried tightening all the wires, and what not and it'll work for a bit then it'll fuck up again lol.

and mpk490p my cooling works great, it's steady all the time, if i give it pure hell the temperature will rise, but for normal driving it stays there.

wow that is a COOL car. Mine sits about half to a little more than half. That is more "normal" no?

When I was running the S3 12A in my S2 the temp gauge would go to like 1/4. With the nitrided R5 13B it sits even lower, less than 1/8. Both engines had 180 degree thermostats. I'd like to experiment with different temperature senders and resistors to see if I can get it to read higher. Or maybe I'll just get a mechanical gauge.

The oil pressure gauges in these cars suck. I've yet to see one that reads correctly.

there is a reason that thermos are made to open at 180 degrees (emmisions) thats the temp that most sensors operate. so it should not go past the third line from left to right once that line is reached it should go back and forth as normal use.
just replaced my fan clutch (went electric) it used to hang most of the time on the second line since clutch was faulty (set to direct).

now when you place the sensor is all about location if u place it near lower hose it will constantly b on so it should be somewhere in the middle.

as far as oil pressure gauge goes I think is just for show(barely correct.

Here is my average temp. My temperature "mods" are just an E-Fan.

http://i33.tinypic.com/2qitgt0.jpg

If it is on or off at highway speeds, it does not make a noticable difference (the only accurate gauge is an electrical oil temp gauge, if you do not count the stock engine temp guage).

wow mine is halfway up...maybe its time to get an fmoc and efan...

When you replace the therm. ad a product called "Watter Wetter" it's like the color of Bubble Gum! will drop your operating temps by 20 degrees and adds lub to your water pump and internals.

Is it just me, or do oil pressure guages NOT work on any rx?

My temp gauge hath failed- I'm *hoping* it's running where I want it. I try to avoid long periods of idling. At least until I get an aftermarket gauge.

Jeesus- Mine is always at about the same place as yours. On days that is is above 90 it will some times go to about 1/3 but that is as high as it goes.

TheRX7Project- I had problems with all my gages so what I did (as was told to me on here) I redid the soder on all the electric gages. It worked great now they all read good. also you may just need a new sending unit.

My engine does not have a pressure sensor :)

this is normal for me :)

(cell phone pic)

http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...b79cb74036d5ef

mine sits about the same as black death, if it reaches about 1/4" away from that line my electric fan kicks on. I'm hoping that with better ducking it would never go past that line. I do use just filtered water, along with some purple ice.

I have heard of Purple Ice and Water Wetter... what is your opinion on it? Does it really make a noticable difference? I would like to pick up some Purple Ice (Royal Purple fanboy here).

lol I notied that to, both of them who posted pics their oil gauge is at 0, lol my rx7 sits 30 at idle and 60-65 traveling 60-70 mph