Temperature too hot?

[kevinm]

Fresh motor, turbo, and bored over .050... Thermostat is def. open as the lower hose is hot etc.. Only reason I’m asking is with my old NA with a 500k on it I would never really see a quarter on the gauge... This pic was taken up a slight hill and really doesn’t move much below this when cruising on a flat road.  I didn’t have the fan hooked up as I was just taking it for a small spin and didn’t anticipate any traffic. At the connection to the sensor off the head I also had to use some solder to re-connect one of the two wires. Could this change the resistance and affect the reading?

[Wayland]

Did your old engine have a properly functioning thermostat? Have you checked the temp at the upper rad hose with an infrared thermometer, or something similar? I don't put too much faith in the stock gauge unless I know what's actually going on with the engine.

[theman53]

I don't trust the stock gauge either, but if I did that is just fine. Mine ran at the next to last line all the time, and my autometer gauge said it was right about 190F almost all the time. My old rabbits all ran 2 lines from the red. Unless you have a gauge you trust then I don't think you can go off of this. Is this the same sender in both engines? That could be your deal.

[rodpaslow]

Ditto with stock guages. My gasser runs at 190° and shows just above the quarter mark, yet my diesel at crusing speed is more around 200° and shows at half way.  I have proper VDO temp gauges in both cars I use.  The OEM guages don't tell you much of actual temperatures.

I have an N/A diesel I run in the winter and it's usually just a tick over half way- If it were me what yours shows, wouldn't get me concerned.  If you've just started running it just make sure all the air is out of the cooling system and you should be fine.

[R.O.R-2.0]

i REALLY dont trust my stock gauge..

i had TROUBLE KEEPING IT WARM in the other car, then i took the WHOLE ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM and dropped it in my Jetta.. then that gauge says it runs QUITE HOT all the time basically.. EGTs are low, ran cool in the other car.. i dont get it.'

basically, dont trust stock gauges.. they are never accurate, but then there are cases like ours when they are WAY in-accurate..

[kevinm]

Thanks folks.. ill hit the top hose with an infrared thermometer and let you know what it reads.

[745 turbogreasel]

Hit the head and water outlet too, you want to know if coolant is not circulating.

[R.O.R-2.0]

just fixed my gauges. volt regulator was loose/not contacting the heat sink..

[8v-of-fury]

FYI, these gauges have a sweep of 70-110C. Middle to 3/4, if accurate, is perfectly alright.