Green Digi Dash poll: what temp level do you typically see?

[daeron]

When I got my Subaru, for the longest time I never saw the digital temp gauge go above the third tick mark.

 

Then I had the gamut of cooling problems, first a sticking t-stat, leading to a couple of hoses, a water pump, and eventually a head gasket job. (shocker!)

 

Now, once again, I *almost* never see it above the third tick mark, but sometimes (highway driving, or AC on) it climbs up to the fourth mark. Typically, when I get off the highway, or turn off the AC, it "cools back down" to what I am assuming is normal...I want to clarify that I am interested in the info for purely academic purposes; I have no worries about my car in particular right now. (It's just nice to finally have it 100% normal again )

 

Which leads me to my point. Lets get a poll together of what my fellow green digi dash owners normally see. Please make a note of whether your car is Manual transmission or Automatic, since the Autos DO have an additional heat load on the rad, and indicate whether your "norm" is street driving versus highway, AC on or off, typical environment, etc. Turbo or non would be nice to see, too. (EA82 kinda goes without saying)

 

Mine is an auto, 2wd, and as I said.. its on mark number 3 unless I am driving fast on a highway or have the AC on. I live in humid, fairly hot south Florida, so low elevation (I dont know how much that matters, but hey, its different from alot of you guys)

 

This information, even though it is based on GODAWFUL unreliable gauges, should be of some assistance to someone... right?

 

The more the merrier.

[Sister7]

My 88 GL-10 sedan usually ran at 3 bars in the winter and 4 bars in the summer. It's a turbo manual no AC. It did go to 5 bars once when it blew the coolant hose under the turbo, otherwise it has never gone above 4 bars. I think the owner's manual says 4-7 is "normal" but I would be frightened if it got above 4, just because I know the car.

[rllywgn]

3 to 4 bars typically.. 4 when running with a/c

 

Although for peice of mind i installed a mechanical and plumbed it in the same location as the factory sensor.. otherwise 192 all day long

[nipper]

Mine was 3-5 bars (NYC traffic with the ac on). I knew whne it climbed more then that i had an electrical problem. They are sort of dual purpose gauges that way. one time it was a bad fan motor drawing way too much current, another it was a bad alt.

 

 

nipper

[Gloyale]

My amber DigiDash used to only ever hit 1 or 2 bars. And sometimes it would just diasappear. I could never trust it. But as long as I checked my coolant religiously it never overheated. (I did long trips up to northern Wis and MI UP)

Sold it to a friend who never checked the coolant. Somewhere along the way a heater hose started to leak and now I have a parts car again.(he's not mechanical, I gave him the same $50 the J-Yard would have, and now I get all my good parts I put into it back!)

[daeron]

bump for more replies!

 

thx

[baccaruda]

My 86 turbowagons usually ran at 4 bars, 3 when cooler.

[mr_whirly]

My 1988 MT Turbowagon usually runs at 3-4 bars. I've seen it go to 5 sitting in traffic in the summer. I have a dual core radiator installed; AC (but not working.)