Hey guys,

I just drove my 87 4runner from the SF Bay Area to Portland OR and back a couple weeks ago. Ran great, though was pretty embarassed on the passes coming down I-5 (we were loaded with camping gear).

Anyway....I installed a SportComp set of gauages at Christmas, including coolant. I have the sender mounted to the top radiator hose with an adapter from Glowshift. I also have the SR5 gauges, so my coolant level was reading the "middle" the whole trip.

I'm neurotic about my cooling system, as I had a close call last spring that I've since fixed (fingers crossed)...been running fine since.

Around town and with my 35 mile each way commute, the temp stays around 180, sometimes creeping up to 195 - but never higher.

On this trip, it stayed at 195, and moved up to 210 (but never over that - I checked every couple minutes....).

Is this normal to run this hot? Is there a reason it's just now running hot on a long road trip, versus my usual daily use?

Anything to be worried about, as long as it stays at 210 or lower?

Thanks

 

Subscribed for when I put my real gauges in. You would think by now I would know what temps but...... all I know is 1/8, 1/4 1/2 etc etc. hahaha.

 

I did the swap as well... But I have a 4 cyl. and my cluster is from a 6 cyl. I too noticed the temp going to the middle. I also noticed that when I started pushing it one day, the temp started going up, as expected. Thus I feel that the temp sensor on the cluster is good. Did you show different reading from the different gauges? Did you swap with a 4cy or 6 cyl. cluster? Is your truck 4 or 6?

 

haha thats how i do it too!

 

Since i installed an electric fan with an adjustable controller I have been spot testing on hot days with an infrared thermometer and the temp seems pretty constant. My gage reads at ether zero or 1/2 and I would like to have a more accurate gage, but it would probably just make me neurotic/nervous if I was getting reading like you are.

 

To be clear, my truck is an sr5, so it came stock with sr5 gauges. I got the after market gauges so I could keep a closer eye on actual temps.

 

Yup and your the one using that trick sandwich adapter for your oil pressure gauges. IIRC

 

Going up a mountain pass with a load of gear, I'd expect it to heat up!

Most folks don't realize that extended highway driving generates a LOT of heat in an engine; that's not necessarily bad as it burns off things that shouldn't hang around in an engine. That's why highways miles aren't as debilitating on an engine as around town miles. That sounds like about the right road temp. Do you have an oil temp gauge?

 

Thanks Rabbit.

I don't have oil temp, just pressure, which seemed to start in normal tame as before.

This is good to hear....was getting a little worried

 

here is a stupid question, where to put temp sensor, going into or coming out of radiator. I would think coming out of radiator. Location would certainly affect what would be normal at the gauge reading as well.

 

for what its worth, my 86 22rte reads the exact same as you and I just did a 300 mile road trip

Autometer gauge

 

Xxxtreme: I thought I was savvy but finally had to look up WTF IIRC means.

Yes, in running the trick in-hose sender adapter, but am always on the lookout for a 22ReT T stat housing so I can rtin two senders in it. have a new hose and everything

 

JeetS: is it 210 ALL the time or just on long trips?

 

Some really anal folks have 3 temp sensors; one in block, one at the entrance to the radiator, and one at the exit from the radiator. I think standard stock sensors get an in-block or in-head reading.

 

yeah the oem sender is located in the intake manifold near the thermostat (which IIRC is technically before the radiator).

 

Stock sender is on the T stat housing, where the top radiator hose attaches, next to intake manifold. Turbo once has two bungs so I can set up both my oem and autometer senders...WANT!

 

yeah a little different then my 22r. Which might mean I might be able use the 22re thermo housing. Not sure if it will work or not though. lol.

 

That's funny because in my BMW, water temp is 210 dead on all the time when it gets to temp (highway, street etc), but my oil temp will fluctuate a good bit. Oil temp takes a long time to heat up to 180, like 15 mins highway or 10 on a straight hill pull. Around town it eventually will hit 210 which is ideal and when it goes 210+ I turn on the fan.

On a road trip to yosemite last weekend my oil temp sits around 160 on the freeway 200 on the mountain hill climb. Water temp never budged from 210.

 

As for gauge placement, you want to take oil pressure from a line, not the block because the vibrations will destroy the sender. Ask me how I know hehe

 

Oh lastly, prosport gauges because they're decent for the price. Good customer service and the backglow is red and matches the interior red lights