1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main 9000 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Re: Temp Guage Fluctuation Question Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Tue, 23 Apr 2002 08:42:44
In Reply to: Temp Guage Fluctuation Question, z, Mon, 22 Apr 2002 16:42:27 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
When the engine is cold, the thermostat is closed. The engine temperature rises until the thermostat opens, which dumps in a bunch of cool coolant from the radiator - the engine temp drops (gauge goes down), and the thermostat closes. This cycle repeats until the radiator and engine temperatures equalize. This effect is a lot more noticeable in cool/cold weather, because the coolant in the radiator is that much colder than the engine.
So it's normal to see some 'bobbing' up and down of the temperature gauge when the car first warms up. I see this happen a lot with new thermostats, and then it seems to go away in a few days.
You can see the needle move up and down - It should move up slowly, and drop quicker - drop about as fast as a second hand on a clock moves. Maybe take 30 seconds or a minute to creep up, 5 or 8 seconds to drop down. If it rattles up and down very fast, like once a second or faster, then think about a loose wire.
There is another factor at work - the temperature sensor goes through the EDU on the way to the gauge. I'm pretty sure the temperature gauge is not linear. It's more sensitive - i.e. it moves more with a degree of temperature - at the low end than in the middle or the high end. If you're running a lower temperature thermostat, the gauge will be running in the lower part of the gauge, where minor temperature variations show up as bigger needle swings.
If the needle swings a bit on warm-up, but ends up pretty steady a little bit below about half-way after the car is fully warmed up, I wouldn't worry about it.
posted by 140.157.4...
, Tue, 23 Apr 2002 08:42:44 <-- Viewing This Message
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
