Coolant temperature gauge issue

[Shonky]

I don't think this has been clarified. In the second pic in the first post it shows the ignition off with the guage near the first dot. If this is dead cold then the cluster must be broken or the needle is misaligned.

[Circa Surviven]

Coolant=29C = 84F and ambient = 79F. Wonder if 5 degrees diff is due to sensors or engine still warm even resting overnight.

The pics show the gauge is bad.

Yea sorry, I should have put 79f to not make it confusing. Is the gauge controlled by the temp sensor under the manifold or the lower radiator hose? I've read that a bad temp sensor would cause fueling issues because the computer will think the temperature is off. Does the car have an actual overheating message/light, or an ecu code that would pop up?

[sapote]

Once started it jumped to 1/4 at 29 degrees. Rose to 65 in 3 minutes. After about 5 minutes it was up to 81. This was all in 79 ambient outside temperature.

Coolant=29C = 84F and ambient = 79F. Wonder if 5 degrees diff is due to sensors or engine still warm even resting overnight.

The pics show the gauge is bad.

[yhp2009]

I assume the numbers are Celcius. Converted it to Fahrenheit and it makes sense 85C = 185F which seems reasonable. I'd say the gauge needs fix
And please get a second opinion. Engine cooling issues are not trivial

[Circa Surviven]

Tried that method. With car off it was a little under 1/4th mark. Once started it jumped to 1/4 at 29 degrees. Rose to 65 in 3 minutes. After about 5 minutes it was up to 81. This was all in 79 ambient outside temperature. I went on a drive and it never went above 86 on a couple of hard pulls. It's not the heat of the day in Texas today though, it's usually 90+ degrees outside here.

[jbfrancis3]

Is it normal for the upper radiator hose to get extremely hot in less than 10 minutes after starting? I'm just concerned it may actually be overheating and I'm going to toast the motor. After running for a bit the engine cover, expansion tank and upper hoses are too hot to touch.

Extremely hot is relative. This vehicle gets up to operating temp in less than 10 mins. Yes normal coolant temps are too hot to comfortably touch.

[Obioban]

[yhp2009]

Is there a way to get the coolant temp reading straight from the computer so you can compare it to the gauge? Then you'd know for sure which needs fixing

[ZiMMie]

your cluster is broken.

[Circa Surviven]

I dont think he is saying its at the 1/4 mark turned off, hes saying when he starts the car, the gauge jumps up to the 1/4 mark. My car does the same sometimes, but i just figured thats because its warm enough in my garage. Maybe im wrong as im chasing a cooling gremlin as well of 3/4 heat in 96 degree high humidity weather with the A/c on. Only happened once and i havent been able to replicate it again.

I'm going to verify it does it again today with the car cold overnight. It was actually staying at 1/4 with the car turned off.

I think it was close to 1/4 starting it overnight yesterday though. After trying to bleed the air yesterday just to try the simplest cause, the gauge started hitting the red. (Car was not jacked up in the front during bleeding). OBD2 temperature never went over 87c though.

[Kevin2772]

I dont think he is saying its at the 1/4 mark turned off, hes saying when he starts the car, the gauge jumps up to the 1/4 mark. My car does the same sometimes, but i just figured thats because its warm enough in my garage. Maybe im wrong as im chasing a cooling gremlin as well of 3/4 heat in 96 degree high humidity weather with the A/c on. Only happened once and i havent been able to replicate it again.

[Obioban]

Pretty sure this is a gauge issue, with it being at 1/4 with the engine off. It should always be a the beginning (?) of the gauge with the engine off.

[jet_dogg]

Start with lower rad hose first and if that doesn't work do the second.

[Circa Surviven]

I would change the sensor before I did anything else.

The sensor in the lower radiator hose or under the manifold?

[Circa Surviven]

Totally agree. With ignition off (like you have in 2nd pic) the needle should be full-left (like the fuel gauge). Seems the issue is confined to the instrument cluster.

Is it normal for the upper radiator hose to get extremely hot in less than 10 minutes after starting? I'm just concerned it may actually be overheating and I'm going to toast the motor. After running for a bit the engine cover, expansion tank and upper hoses are too hot to touch.