It seems my gauge is reading low. Difficult to see in the pics attached. First, it was almost overheating during the winter when I had the heat on so I replaced the thermostat with a Toyota dual stage. Now, it is reading low.
This is a 1994 and I noticed the radiator is plastic compared to the 1992 (I used to have a 1992) which is metal. The 1992 temp gauge was about a quarter but the 1994 isn't quite there. Should I be worried the ECU is not getting the correct temp? Maybe running in open loop?

 

Went to the gas station and back. Let the truck idle for about 10 minutes. Looks good on the temp gun but still reading low on dash.
I do have heat coming out in the cab if put to heat.
And I already tried burping the radiator with heat on high, while on an incline...just in case.
1994...22re

 

The temp gauge reads off voltage fluctuations from the temp sender. If it's staying in the same spot during normal operation and not fluctuating up and down, I wouldn't worry to much about it, especially if all the other systems seem normal. If the sending unit has been replaced it may be sending a slightly different signal to the gauge.
The plastic radiator isn't original. I replaced mine in my 93 maybe 7 years ago and the replacement was plastic. It's always worked just as well though.

 

The display reading is like mine at normal operating temp and conditions. Goes up to half when AC is on and driving uphill and outside temp is in the 90's.
Thermometer reading on mine is 190-degrees +/- 5 under normal operating conditions. Just monitor yours.
I had running hot issue even after I burped, while reading on t-stat housing remained same whether displaying hot or displaying normal, so I narrowed it down to the sender. replaced with OEM. Not "reading hot" anymore.
I replaced my radiator that had seen better days with brass/copper CSF 2306. CSF 2314 core is not as tall as the 2306 and did not fit my stock shroud, although mounting holes are same.

 

Thanks for your information/replies. I had a feeling it was running rich so I replaced the oxygen sensor with Denso..234-4072. I only have one O2 sensor before the cat. Non California emission. I never did get a code but it seems to be a lot more responsive now. Still looks like low temp on dash gauge though.
BTW, I think the plastic radiator might actually be stock for a 1994...? Anybody else have a 94 with a plastic radiator?
This truck has low miles...about 92,000. Still has the original fender splash shields! Everything seems untouched except a possible timing chain replacement (without removing the head, I suspect) ...It is definitely not perfect.

 

my 94' has a plastic radiator, original one.

 

Check the connection at the temp sender. I had mine going all over the place including nothing recently because of a bad connection. I cleaned it up and it's normal again.

 

My 92 22RE temp gauge is just barely above where your gauge is at. I have an aftermarket Spectra Premium that replaced the original metal radiator. Called a couple local radiator shops, and they just wanted way too much money to do a re-core.

After your engine gets good and warm, run it hard through the gears to see if the temp gauge goes up. I can run say first through third with high revs, and the temp will come up to slightly less than half way, and then the temp comes right back down.

Driving normally my gauge hangs out around the 1/4 mark. 37 months ago I did timing chain set, new complete bolt on cylinder head, new Denso water pump, and a new Denso fan clutch. It's still going!

 

I personally wouldn't trust the factory gauges. I installed a water temperature gauge on my 3vze and haven't looked back

 

Hmm, must be a difference in years, difference in engines, or both. I figured it would be the same as my 93...

 

You've owned this from the day it rolled off the lot?

 

Potential Location for after-market temp sender with with temp reading display.
I wanna do this. Couple of questions...
1)Did you replace the sender with the gage kit you got, or
2) Is the display compatible with stock OEM sender?
3) Or did you install new sender elsewhere? Port below, originally shared by Chefyota4x4, looks good. I believe it would always be in contact with the coolant.
Tnx!

 

Image doesn't load here. If it's on the intake yeah it sees engine coolant always.

You could always paint lines and numbers on the factory dash based on the temp/resistance chart ;-)

 

Why not? I've owned my 93 for 14 years, 365000 on the clock and the gauges work fine.
Just curious why you don't trust them.

 

Uploaded photo on post above.
Sucks that Google Photos do not work well with Yotatech. On the other hand, when I upload my pics to Yotatech albums for easier organization they disappear.

Like me, an engineer, MaK92-4RnR probably wants actual numerical display, instead of plain Cold, Hot, Too Hot.

 

Oh the block drain, that makes my thermocouple line plenty long enough to use.. I have a three guage setup mounted to (OK it's not really mounted, it just flopps around on the console..) At the base of the dash. The supplied line for water temperature is just to short, to make it reach the radiator the guage would have to be outside on the hood or maybe on top of the dash and a hole drilled in the firewall.

The operation range on the digital dash water temp guage is one dash below, one dash above, or right on centerline. That's much tighter than the sr5 guage.

I'm kind of just rambling out loud because where I'm most concerned about the coolant temp is the turbo water outlet since it joins the radiator directly above the outlet to the engine so doesn't get a lot of time to cool.

..
Your images are still in the gallery they just drop off the attachment menu, atleast mine are all there I THINK, you have to go into your gallery "my posts" I think is the album and dig them out the harder way in a separate browser tab..

 

I've owned my 4runner for 7-8 years and 250k miles on the clock and the gauges work but i never said the gauges don't "work". They're just not accurate. My new water temperature sensor is fantastic. It tells me the exact water temperature at any given time and even flashes red when it gets over 210.

My 4Runner blew it's headgasket at 207k and it gave zero signs prior to that. The gauge didn't even move until the top of the radiator blew off and steam billowed out from underneath the hood. Benefit of doubt? It was winter and raining but the stock temperature gauge can literally go + or - 20 degrees and it wont even move on your dash.

 

See my response above. lol

 

That doesn't seem right. I'll try to remember to bring home my old cluster when I'm out at the farm this weekend, I've probably got the bits to rig it up on the bench.

I seem to recall its somewhere in the 60-80° range between the white marks.

 

Correct. The gauge has the ability to move + or - 20 degrees and it would never show. Operating at 220 degrees on a 3vze is dangerous.