Temp Gauge

99FalconS · 05-10-2006, 08:18 PM

Where does your temp gauge sit when the engine is warm?

Mine sits low just touching the NORM part on the guage is this right?

When i put the aircon on it does sit higher.

Fairlane · 05-10-2006, 08:33 PM

On the O in normal

NeishaXR8_347 · 05-10-2006, 08:48 PM

on the line just before the N, i put a 160 thermostat in and it keeps the tune more stable.

AUIII XR8 MAN · 05-10-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairlane

On the O in normal

I'm the same.

Baboon_AU · 05-10-2006, 10:05 PM

all engines should be run with the standard thermostats. if not, the engine wont be running as efficiently as it could be.. if it runs cold then fuel sticks to the cylinder walls causing more fuel usuage.. it should be sitting on the O

NeishaXR8_347 · 05-10-2006, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baboon_AU

all engines should be run with the standard thermostats. if not, the engine wont be running as efficiently as it could be.. if it runs cold then fuel sticks to the cylinder walls causing more fuel usuage.. it should be sitting on the O

Been tuned to suit and picked up a few ponies, this is why they sell the power thermostat for the bosses and others, it basically just keeps it in the better operating range for the tune. And its better on fuel.

Shaun.

99FalconS · 05-10-2006, 11:07 PM

I think i need a new thermostate then because my only gets to the O with the aircon on without it on it sits at the bottom of the NORM.

TwistedEL · 05-10-2006, 11:11 PM

If it's running too cold the ecu could still be in warm up mode and that will burn a lot of fuel

Also as it heats the engine expands so if it is still cold the clearances will be too small which will cause premature wear

NeishaXR8_347 · 07-10-2006, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwistedEL

If it's running too cold the ecu could still be in warm up mode and that will burn a lot of fuel

Also as it heats the engine expands so if it is still cold the clearances will be too small which will cause premature wear

Exactly i wouldnt suggest running it to cool and with the 160 themostat it still reaches 82deg which is far hot enough, running it cooler stops alot of heat soak and keeps the intake and fuel system cooler, we all know what cooler intake temps do right they increase hp and become more efficient to run and save fuel. The normal I6 runs at over 95deg to start with now dont forget the coolant will boil at around 115 or more dep on coolants, now i would rather be safer.

bodes-sh · 07-10-2006, 12:52 PM

well mine most of the time around town doesn't even make it to the N on normal, it's lucky if it even gets past the notch 3rd from the left ie the two notches and then where the box starts being the third one

99FalconS · 07-10-2006, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bodes-sh

well mine most of the time around town doesn't even make it to the N on normal, it's lucky if it even gets past the notch 3rd from the left ie the two notches and then where the box starts being the third one

Thats the same as mine i think i am just going to put a new thermostate in i think it is running too cool.

The Monty · 08-10-2006, 06:07 AM

Mine sits on the lower half of the N. But just remember people, there are two different types of temp gauges is there not? Mine is the Fairmont one, it is a lot tighter than the Forte one. When I was on the skid pan, it got to the O and thats about as hot as its been.

bodes-sh · 08-10-2006, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99FalconS

Thats the same as mine i think i am just going to put a new thermostate in i think it is running too cool.

i think mine is more due to cruising around town @ 60 in 4th (auto) doing about 1200-1400 rpm, it doesn't really put too much strain on the engine, travelling on the highway it sits somewhere around the O normally but thats at about 120 (NT) doing something like 2200 rpm

99FalconS · 09-10-2006, 12:20 AM

Driving today on the freeway and it was sitting around the N so i am still unsure if it is normal to be sitting lower somtimes. I just want to make sure that it is running right. Its not the cost of a new as they dont cost a fortune but i dont see the point in touching it if it is ok.

JC · 09-10-2006, 01:03 AM

My XR8 sits on N all day every day (has reached L while towing up the Clyde Mountain). The I6 wagon sits between N and O. If it doesn't reach the N at all, then I reckon your thermostat might be stuck open, which is better than it being stuck shut, but in either case it should be replaced. When I did the wagon's thermostat, the new one comes with a small hole in it which actually slightly reduced where it sat on the gauge - it used to be smack on the O. The small hole thing was a running change by Ford to help the engine warm up more evenly or something.

blackers10 · 09-10-2006, 01:48 AM

my 99 S1 I6 fairlane sits on the left side of N and after a hard run sits on the right of the N .. thats about it..

SA-AUII-MAX · 10-10-2006, 04:17 PM

Hi there, got a 2002 AUII Fairmont with the same problems.
With the aircon off it runs "cooler" just before the N.
Noticed that the first stage of the fan kicks in earlier than with the aircon on.
Performing a test with the computer it gives a error P01471 what stands for Fan#1 or circuit. I did replace the temperature sensor, termostat and relays without a better result. Still running "cooler" with the aircon off. Sometimes after running with the aircon on and switching the aircon off it seems to run normal on the O. After been complety cooled down it starts all over again. I suspect the PCM now but before I'm going to change it like the check on the wiring.

JeffAU1 · 10-10-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bodes-sh

well mine most of the time around town doesn't even make it to the N on normal, it's lucky if it even gets past the notch 3rd from the left ie the two notches and then where the box starts being the third one

Yeah mines that same as yours

**Mechan1k** · 11-10-2006, 08:16 AM

Also you need to take into account different clusters for different models ... and what the temp gauges show at different temps.

On a base model cluster in an I6 EGAS ute ... normal operating temperature is on the right hand side of the "O" ... (still touching the "O") ... and from what I have found with the diagnostics it is dead on 94 deg C (petrol versions might be different).

schuldiner · 19-10-2008, 07:59 PM

i know this is a bit of thread mining, but i am wondering if it is easy/safe enough to change my thermostat to run just a little bit cooler? my temp gauge sits just to the right of the O(being an egas) and i have heard some of the BA boys run a a different thermostat or something to keep the engine temp a little cooler.

RG · 19-10-2008, 08:19 PM

Nearly 2 years to the day, that is good mining.

Mine runs a cooler thermostat, buggered if I know where it came from or a part number though. Mine is tuned for it too though and I would imagine that if it wasn't the computer would think it was still cold and would add fuel to the mixture making it run rich as it does on start up until it gets up to temp.

Mr Hardware · 19-10-2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

On the O in normal

sames.

bodes-sh · 19-10-2008, 08:51 PM

you could run a slightly cooler one. egas wouldn't mine running a bit cooler. just an update on my post above, i have since replaced the thermostat and it now runs right in the middle of the n and o which, according to diagnostics mode is 92ºc

schuldiner · 19-10-2008, 09:06 PM

2 years and 2 weeks, pretty good effort i reckon lol. so the egas would like to run a tad cooler? and it seems its only acouple of degrees anyway does anyone know if the egas thermostat is different? maybe if i replace mine with a petrol one it will drop the temp a little but hopefully not enough to be in "warm up" mode. russel what temp does yours run at? and mechan1k have you had any drama's with your egas runing at about 85?

RG · 19-10-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schuldiner

2 years and 2 weeks, pretty good effort i reckon lol. so the egas would like to run a tad cooler? and it seems its only acouple of degrees anyway does anyone know if the egas thermostat is different? maybe if i replace mine with a petrol one it will drop the temp a little but hopefully not enough to be in "warm up" mode. russel what temp does yours run at? and mechan1k have you had any drama's with your egas runing at about 85?

Mine runs at the N, even at 40 degrees in heavy traffic it won't budge. Got to be happy with that.

**Mechan1k** · 22-10-2008, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schuldiner

2 years and 2 weeks, pretty good effort i reckon lol. so the egas would like to run a tad cooler? and it seems its only acouple of degrees anyway does anyone know if the egas thermostat is different? maybe if i replace mine with a petrol one it will drop the temp a little but hopefully not enough to be in "warm up" mode. russel what temp does yours run at? and mechan1k have you had any drama's with your egas runing at about 85?

Mine ran on the right side of the "O" all of the time when at correct running temperature ... that's what the AUII EGAS engine is meant to run at.

What dropped my temps though was when i put my twin core ADRAD radiator in ... on highways it would bring it back to just below the "N" ... probably just a bit too low for normal running temps ... the EGAS model do run better at higher temps.

There was an article in Street Ford ages ago when they dyno tested an EGAS ... and the warmer it got ... the more power it made.

schuldiner · 26-10-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Mine ran on the right side of the "O" all of the time when at correct running temperature ... that's what the AUII EGAS engine is meant to run at.

What dropped my temps though was when i put my twin core ADRAD radiator in ... on highways it would bring it back to just below the "N" ... probably just a bit too low for normal running temps ... the EGAS model do run better at higher temps.

There was an article in Street Ford ages ago when they dyno tested an EGAS ... and the warmer it got ... the more power it made.

hmm interesting, i know gas is supposed to burn a little hotter didnt realise it kept making more power the hotter it got. what did you notice with the drop in running temp, yours was a fair decrease so it should, by rights, be more noticible than only acouple of degrees. it just feels like the ute goes better before it reaches operating temp, maybe this is because richer fuel mixture i dont know. or maybe it has something to do with under bonnet temps and heat soak. or maybe its just all in my head. might head down to repco nd purchase one of those 92 degree thermostats(or whatever temp it is thats one step cooler than the egas) and justsee how it goes. the thermo fans run a lot of the time, iwonder how changing the thermostat will affect it. wonder if they will go crazy.

schuldiner · 26-10-2008, 06:24 PM

well there is only one repco listing for AU thermostat which is 91 degrees. i pulled my thermostat housing off and had look and un the underside of both thermostats it said 92. according to the pack there is one of same dia but has a temp of 89 degrees, the same one from the ford couriers it seems. i am going to take it back to repco tomorrow and swap it over see if that will drop the temp at all.

5.0 ED · 26-10-2008, 08:07 PM

different gauges will sit at different spots on the gauge, mine sits at below the N at the line, with a 92 thermostat and a new ECT sensor.

AU's don't have a cold state mode like earlier models, they just have a very small amount of pre tuned temp compensation, at which is over written by the adaptive learning anyway. After the car has started and ran for 1 minute, hego takes over control, and tune's it to 14.64. so that next time the engine is at that temp it tunes to 14.64, there is a delay of the number of switch times before it writes to the adaptive table, but basically if your running an 81 or 92 thermostate the ecu will tune to it, and it tunes the entire operating ranges including full throttle, it does this by using the changes at light throttle and using the difference to compensate for full throttle.

As for power vs coolant temp that depends on nearly everything inside the engine, a lower coolant temp increases friction and wear on the rings/cylinder bore's and therefore increases friction. But it can help decrease intake air temps which on some engines will help them increase in power.

I think you'd find that on an engine like the AU 6, whereby the intake temps are pretty cold it wouldn't increase power, but on a windsor where the intake manifold gets very hot to engine temps it will help increase power.

schuldiner · 26-10-2008, 09:30 PM

well i dunno about the au running pretty cool, i mean i dont have any experience with 5 litres but i know everything underbonnet gets hot, intake piping included. i wouldn't be running it at 81 degrees i'm going to try this other thermostat tomorrow which should only drop it a couple of degrees. to about 90-92. no idea how to do the diagnostic but i'll suss that out. i know the ecu relearns itself to a degree i dont know how much the ecu will make adifference on the egas as i know the egas don't run as much off the ecu as the petrol motors.