Normal Operating ECT for ej25

[Legback]

What is an expected temp range for the ej25? Mine seems to linger in the 180's 190F. Is an 6 0r 8 degree swing fairly normal?

[johnceggleston]

i don't know the actual temp but i have read that the stock temp gauges have a fairly wide range of normal operating temp. may 40? degrees. so the gauge is only slightly better than an idiot light. once it starts moving towards hot it is almost too late to do anything except shut the engine off.

 

so an 8* swing is ok.

 

how do you know the actual temp? do you have a scangage?

[bulwnkl]

The cap on the expansion tank on top of the engine (kinda forward & between turbo & I/C) usually shows me in the 180s - 190s, according to the IR gun when it's fully warm. EJ-255.

[idosubaru]

if that's what it's doing then yes that's fine. i don't know what my auto trans fluid temps are but whatever they are i'd expect that's what they're supposed to be because it's running fine.

 

why would you think what it is doing is *not* what it's supposed to do?

[nipper]

170-180 in BITTER cold as the heater core is enough to cool the engine (10 degrees) Normally 180-210. I have had it as high as 218 which is fine, at 100 degrees outside and AC on in traffic.

 

Transmission temp is normally 100 degrees over ambiant temp.

[Fairtax4me]

Normal running temp is in the 190 - 210°F range. Depending on conditions and driving situation.

 

The expansion tank is not ideal for an accurate measurement of coolant temperature. Get your temp gun under the intake manifold and check temperature of the crossover pipe. This is where the ECT sensor is mounted, and being aluminum it should show a number closer to the actual internal coolant temp on a warm engine.

 

Of course the most accurate way is to check ECT with a scanner or gauge with a sensor attached to the engine so that it can measure coolant temp rather than external temp of engine components.

[Legback]

how do you know the actual temp? do you have a scangage?

 

 

Yes. Innova 3140.

[Legback]

why would you think what it is doing is *not* what it's supposed to do?

 

As another emotional consolation, I got an OBDII scanner to closely monitor engine goings on. Trying to figure out what it *IS* suppposed to do. I think it needs to be watched because an amateur -ME- changed the head gaskets and made mistakes along the way.

[Legback]

Of course the most accurate way is to check ECT with a scanner or gauge with a sensor attached to the engine so that it can measure coolant temp rather than external temp of engine components.

 

I'm usin a scanna.

[idosubaru]

I think it needs to be watched because an amateur -ME- changed the head gaskets and made mistakes along the way.

ha ha scanners are great, they're so cheap now too. the engine won't be shy in telling you if there's issues. it won't run a few degrees hotter or hint, you'll have obvious issues like leaking or overheating.

[Fairtax4me]

HG change mistakes will rear their ugly little bastard heads in a couple of ways, none of which will be subtle. If it isn't acting up now, only time will tell if they sealed well enough to last.

[bulwnkl]

FWIW, my IR readings off the metal expansion tank cap are within ~5F (can't recall exact readings from last year) of what the ECU reports.

[vasy]

What is an expected temp range for the ej25? Mine seems to linger in the 180's 190F. Is an 6 0r 8 degree swing fairly normal?

I use Scangauge II on my 96 DOHC 2.5. I set the temp to Centigrade. 84-86 C when cruising on highway, AC on or off makes no/little difference on highway. During stop-and-go traffic (especially in the winter) is when the temp goes higher. If sitting on a red light for 3 minutes, it'll get to 93-95 C fairly quickly. As soon as it hits 95, both radiator fans kick in and bring the temp down to about 91. After engine shutdown, for a brief period of time, the temp will keep going higher by a few degrees (because there is no coolant circulation). I don't drive my car hard and have never seen temp higher than 98 C. 180 - 190 F is certainly normal in my opinion.

 

I keep my cooling system well maintained. Flushing/changing the coolant every 2-3 years since 1996. Never had any overheating or HG issue. So if one wonders about 'normal temp', it's reasonable to use my data as a reference.

[nipper]

Dash gauges have been made less sensitve then when electric cooling fans first came out. I had a datsun and a honda where you could watch the temp gaughe go up and down with the fans. People thought there was something wrong and driving dealers nuts ( iworked for a VW dealer at the time and got tired of telling owners them it was normal)

OE (all of them) made the "normal" less senative to 175-215 swings (normal range). to save time and costs on customers complaining. Below t and above those temps they are close enough for the driver (if they even look at the dash) to let them know something is wrong.

[Fairtax4me]

Dash gauges have been made less sensitve then when electric cooling fans first came out. I had a datsun and a honda where you could watch the temp gaughe go up and down with the fans. People thought there was something wrong and driving dealers nuts ( iworked for a VW dealer at the time and got tired of telling owners them it was normal)

OE (all of them) made the "normal" less senative to 175-215 swings (normal range). to save time and costs on customers complaining. Below t and above those temps they are close enough for the driver (if they even look at the dash) to let them know something is wrong.

 

That's also part of the reason alot of makers got rid of temp gauges entirely. They have this type of circuitry on gas gauges too. People complain because the needle moves.

IM OUT OF GAS!!! Haul around the corner to get to the gas station. "Oh nvm I got a half tank." Sputter cough die.

Tow it to dealer. "Its out of gas". "But it said I had a half tank!"

[nipper]

That's also part of the reason alot of makers got rid of temp gauges entirely. They have this type of circuitry on gas gauges too. People complain because the needle moves.

IM OUT OF GAS!!! Haul around the corner to get to the gas station. "Oh nvm I got a half tank." Sputter cough die.

Tow it to dealer. "Its out of gas". "But it said I had a half tank!"

 

With the gas gauge they used to drop the gauge

volatges to 6 volts to minimize this. I can see my gas gauge move if I am below a (honest not gauge) 1/4 tank and I am on a long steep hill. I think they changed this due to costs and the gauge cluster has gotten far more sophisticated. They really cant run 6 volts from the sneder back due to managiing the voltage drops, the terminals, and the ECU may over/under process the signal.

 

The nice thing about the fuel gauge is that the mostly aty now when the car is off.

 

Iunderstand the temp light, a throw back to 1960's GMs. My uncles small chevy (not tiny but smaller then an impalla) had a cold light and a hot light. People tend to notice lights on the dash then a guage (which is not saying much). Also real-estate has gotten really tight on the gauge cluster. Maybe as everything switches to multiplexing they will get that realestate back, The lights are also much cheaper. Digital readout is useless as the avg driver has no idea what those numbers mean.

 

I dont like them.

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It was about 42-45F today so driving with the heat on I was around 183-185.. on a day when it's like 8 F it was lower.. summer I've seen 195-202 F.. my program I run to monitor the temps I have a alarm set to go off if it starts going over 208 F that's about the time the temp gauge starts to climb.