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Subaru conversion temperature gauge reading
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:40 pm    Post subject: Subaru conversion temperature gauge reading Reply with quote

Where does your temp gauge now read with a Subaru engine in it?

I have a new stock VW sending unit in the coolant manifold right next to the stock Subaru sender.

I have the following cooling system:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=445880&highlight=subaru+gauge

I have a new radiator, water pump, aluminum coolant lines, etc...all new.

How about you????

NOTE: The search was not strong with me and I found no reference to this sort of question other than my blinky light is wacky, or my gauge is broke, but no where does your gauge read in a converted van.
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thummmper
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

90 2.2 in 90 gl
needle hangs on the bottom edge of the red led
it only goes up when I cruise through campgrounds
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine also stays at the bottom edge of the LED, but temps go up and down quicker with in town driving then the wbx did, I would say my temps are the same during normal operating temps (post rebuilting my wbx) I have the same radiator that came with it....temps are even on the rad, so ill wait till it explodes.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gauge needle is at the top of the LED at normal temps (184-190). I have a scan gauge mounted on the top of the instrument cover to monitor exact temps. Don't like the ambiguity of the stock gauge.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Walt,

Glad you're up and running. Mine almost always hangs out just below the LED. Heavy stop and go traffic will make it creep up to the middle, or high side of the LED. My temp gauge normally reads about 170.

The only time I have seen significant fluctuation was a couple weeks ago when I went camping up at White Mountain/Bristle Cone Pine trees. There is a 4000 feet climb from Bishop, and for the first time since I did the conversion the temp climbed to over 200 degrees. The radiator fan didn't seem like it wanted to kick in, but once it "remembered" it had a job to do it worked normally. It's also the first time I had ever heard the high speed fan kick in. I was getting pretty nervous, but the blinky light never came on.
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edgood1
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mine is a 97 EJ22. temps stay on the upper half of the LED and register 185-200F on the scangauge.
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thummmper wrote:
90 2.2 in 90 gl
needle hangs on the bottom edge of the red led
it only goes up when I cruise through campgrounds



Same for me,new radiator too.
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ranchero
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2001 EJ25. New rad, stainless lines, etc. Consistent 175 on the scangage unless going up a long grade at speed - then 180-190.
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GrindGarage
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm right below the LED as well.

Been wondering the same.

Gotta get out the scanner and see what the ECU sees temp wise.

If I let it idle for over .5 hour the needle will go into the LED and the fan will kick in.
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Escorial Syncro
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1983.5 full camper with 1992 EJ22 with non-reversed old school cooling design. I have a bypass "t" into the cooling hoses, and a bleeder on the main return hose so it should be self bleeding. Original radiator. Embarassed Brand new water pump and thermostat. I tapped the original VW sender into the cooling manifold. Gauge needle rides right on the leading edge of LED in normal driving conditions, IR thermo says 185 degrees on block. Fan cycles when needle gets just over the right hand side of LED. First test drive today, love it, runs like bat out of hell.
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Joel
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GrindGarage wrote:


If I let it idle for over .5 hour the needle will go into the LED and the fan will kick in.


Are you running a genuine Subaru thermostat?
It shouldn;t take that long for the fan to come on.
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molson88
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

88 Westalia with 1990 Subaru 2.2L...

After the conversion, the temp gauge needle was always right near the bottom of the LED.

After removing the rear heater core and the tees in the heater lines, the needle now always sits just above the LED.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My needle hovers around the bottom and top of the LED.

I have yet to figure out what it means because even if I coast down hill a long time it never changes from where it lands.

The other day with a full load of kids and heavy traffic it got above the LED. BUT, BUT, BUT, driving again for a long time on the freeway, it just stayed there. When I restarted after an hour stop, it again hovered around the LED. It was hotter outside then.

I just don't get it.....
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timbo
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

my needle sits just at the top of the LED and travels up about a needle's width when doing a good steep climb. Just had the van loaded up for 2 weeks full of gear for 6 and all the mountain passes it went up but never enough to turn on the fan,,,,except in 1 or 2 traffic waits. I wired a 28 ohm resistor in line when converted, before that the needle sat quite high. Genuine Subie temp sender. 4 1/2 years since converting, and occasional checking wiht the IR laser gun on the coolant manifold outlet and the stainless coolant piping always gives a reading in the 180-195 range.

IMO ?? Get an IR gun, check your temp after a good highway run, that way you can guage what temp yer at in comparison to where the needle sits.

Needle really high but reads 185 ? Maybe wire a resister in-line to drop it to the(comfort zone)LED or below.

Cheers!!

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Rhinoculips
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In my '89 Westy with '91 EJ22, the needle is half on, half off the top side of the LED. Can go up as much as half way between LED and top of gauge during long uphill climbs. Normal temps hover between 192* and 196*, during long 15+ mile climbs over mountain passes it can get near 198*-200* Temps will drop when using the heater. All temps measured with B10 scan tool. Radiator is new and rear heater core removed.
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Farfrumwork
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

same as most here. just under the LED most all the time. creeps up in heavy traffic or crawly down slow roads (G or 1st gear), but come back quick with rad fan (manually turned on with AC switch)

EJ22/reversed manifold/newish radiator/no rear heater(capped lines)


WAY LESS movement than with the 1.9l
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r39o
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Farfrumwork wrote:
WAY LESS movement than with the 1.9l

I have noticed that too.

Today after a long crawl in traffic surrounding my kids school I heard the fan come on. I looked and the needle was pointing a tad higher than the LED. Then the fan went off after less than a minute. The needle pointing to the top the LED.

Later today while cruising at high warp factors on the freeway the needle was pointing to the bottom of the LED.

That's it.

The needle hovers just plus or minus the top and bottom of the LED.

That's all folks.....
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ftp2leta
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What engine? Years?

Most engine including the VW Boxer should run when fully hot at around 187-190F on highway.
Anything below or above is not right. 175 is way to low and 195 to hot.

About 192-194 in moving traffic or/andslow road.

In heavy traffic or on idle on a warm day the fan should kick in at 200-203 MAX, the engine should then go down as low as 187F. The thermo coupler low speed (????) is design to kick in at about 200F

The infrared gun will give you a slightly lower reading over the heads.

If you are OBD you can check that out with any scanner and it's more precise than most infrared temp gun.

As for the front VW cluster gage... who knows! I never rely on them, NEVER.

Ben
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Rhinoculips
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ftp2leta wrote:
What engine? Years?

Most engine including the VW Boxer should run when fully hot at around 187-190F on highway.
Anything below or above is not right. 175 is way to low and 195 to hot.

About 192-194 in moving traffic or/andslow road.

In heavy traffic or on idle on a warm day the fan should kick in at 200-203 MAX, the engine should then go down as low as 187F. The thermo coupler low speed (????) is design to kick in at about 200F

The infrared gun will give you a slightly lower reading over the heads.

If you are OBD you can check that out with any scanner and it's more precise than most infrared temp gun.

As for the front VW cluster gage... who knows! I never rely on them, NEVER.

Ben


Ben, what temps do you think is normal for long 10+ mile steep uphill/downhill climbs over 12,000 foot mountain passes? My temps seem to be between 192 and 203 going 55mph uphill and 176 to 181 going downhill. Idling at 700rpm the temps are between 187 and 194(when the low speed fan kicks in) and drops back to 187. My highway temps seem to fall into your recommended range of 187 to 190.

FYI- '91 EJ22 in an '89 westy with just installed stainless steel yesterday and Tom Shiels concept 4 coolant layout.
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Last edited by Rhinoculips on Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Volksaholic
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My VW gauge usually runs just below or at the LED and the ScanGauge reads from about 180° to 190°. That's about the same Summer and Winter. When driving relatively slow up the canyons on a hot summer day the ScanGauge will read above 200°, sometimes as high as 215° and the VW gauge is anywhere from above the LED to halfway between the LED and top of the gauge.

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