engine watchdog.

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 at 21:14
ThreadID: 100949 Views:2615 Replies:5 FollowUps:9
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hello people, i have a engine watchdog gauge, fitted to a gu patrol 3lt diesel, senser is attatched to thermostat housing. have set gauge to 95dec C. when working really hard ,snowy mountains with 2 ton van , hot day. gauge activates occasionly .water temp on a seperate scan gauge shows 97deg... question.. what would be a reasonable setting for the watchdog... bill
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Reply By: Luckyphil wa - Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 at 23:34

Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 at 23:34
Hey Bill an oil level watchdog not a bad idea either.i blew my Toyota engine a couple of weeks ado driving across oz due to a faulty oil filter seal..Before I knew what was happening all the oil pushed out and buggered the engine.A lousy $20 oil filter cost me 8 grand and an unplanned week in Adelaide.
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Follow Up By: Nutta - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 23:01

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 23:01
Insurance may have covered it, I've seen them cover similar mechanical failures.
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Reply By: Member - rory - Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 at 23:39

Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 at 23:39
Hi Bill, I would bump up the setting 5 deg to 100deg and see how that goes. Mine is set on 105 and when it goes off I monitor the temp gauge closely and it has always come down again within a minute or so and the original gauge is still in the normal range. I am not sure what temp is needed to make the original gauge move off the normal temp, maybe 120 I guess. Rory.
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 05:45

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 05:45
That doesn't sound very lucky, Phil! Michael
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Reply By: olcoolone - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 08:31

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 08:31
I would keep it at 95..... seeing it only alarms occasionally when under extreme load it would be a more safer figure.

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Follow Up By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 08:37

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 08:37
Given the history of these motors I would agree with 95 deg.
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Reply By: garrycol - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 12:00

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 12:00
The instructions for these specifically state they are NOT to be connected to thermostat housing as the water temp will influence the temp on the sender and the system is designed to measure the temp of the metal in the engine not the water temp. Also the actual temp shown is not relevant to the actual temp of the engine. In setting up the engine is brought to operating temperature and the temp on the watchdog noted - that will then be the "normal' watchdog temp for your engine and you set the alarm about 15 degrees hotter.

I have a watchdog on my V8 - initially the bolted to an inner rocker cover bolt at the front of the engine - and I found the sensor was being influenced by air from the fan and fluctuating a lot. I moved the sensor further into the valley bolted to a rocker cover bolt where the temp was more consistent.

For my vehicle, the temp on the watch dog sits on 73 degrees and only rises a little when stopped in hot weather or when the engine has stopped for a while. My alarm is set at 90 and only goes off on a hot day after the engine has been turned off for 5 minutes and the heat soak from the engine builds up. When driving, depending on outside temp and load, water temp may go all over the place from 85 to just under 100 on a long climb on a very hot day but the watchdog temp stays right on 73-74 reflecting the temp in the actual engine. This reflects a system working as it should - the thermostat opening and closing and the coolant getting hotter and colder taking heat away from the engine and keeping its core temp steady.

I would move your sensor away from the thermostat onto a bolt head on the block or head that is not going to be influenced by the outside environment eg fan air, exhaust heat, coolant. Take the car for a long drive to get it all up to operating temp and note the temp on the watchdog - set the alarm about 15 degrees hotter and you will be set up.

If when you are driving and you note the temp getting a lot hotter than your noted temp than you know you have an issue even if the alarm has not gone off.

Cheers

Garry
AnswerID: 506333

Follow Up By: member - mazcan - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 14:06

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 14:06
hi bill
i aree with gary
i have my engine watch dog bolted to the rear of the engine block opposite side to turbo
this puts the heat sensor in a zone where you get an instant heat build up and is away from the airflow and fan at the the front
if the cooling system fan/hoses/belts fail on my diesel bravo this is the area that gets hotter first with solid heat build-up
if there is a cooling problem rather than on the thermostat housing or in the air flow where it fluctuates constantly at the front of the motor as gary has also said
and i also found on one accasion that it saved me
was that despite the watchdog alarm going off the engine temp gauge didnt instantly register the sudden heat increase from a broken fan belt untill the engine was boiling its head off after i pulled up because of the watchdogs alarm going off
my bravo runs at normal temp of 83 so i have my watchdog set at 95 this has proved itself
cheers
barry
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Follow Up By: member - mazcan - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 14:08

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 14:08
sorry should read i agree with gary
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Follow Up By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:17

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:17
Good explanation and correct.
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Follow Up By: Member - Longtooth (SA) - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:30

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:30
Garrycol,
I connected mine to the thermostat housing as detailed in the instructions. Haven't had any problems. The below is a copy of the instructions from their website tonight.

The TM2 uses the advanced electronic 'EASY FIT' heat sensor. The sensor fits like a washer under any convenient bolt on the engine that is near the heat source, such as a thermostat housing bolt, tappet cover bolt or similar. There is no need to break into the cooling system in any way. By precisely monitoring the engines metal temperature instead of coolant temperature, the TM2 can detect engine overheating caused by low coolant, engine coolant leaks, radiator blockages, faulty thermostats, water pump failure and restricted air flow caused by grass and seeds blocking the radiator.

What is the source of your information.

Longtooth
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Follow Up By: garrycol - Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:51

Friday, Mar 08, 2013 at 22:51
The instructions that came with my system and then speaking with the seller. This was some time ago so maybe things have changed.

While I certainly accept that what you say now appears in the current instructions I still have concerns mounting the sensor on the thermostat housing. In most cars it sits out the front of the engine and gets most of its heat from the coolant. If there a catastrophic coolant loss there would be a good chance that like a normal temp gauge it would continue to read "normal" or even decrease even without coolant as it would take sometime for the heat from the engine to start heating a remote thermostat - however if the thermostat is embedded in the head then that is different.

I have the combo version so also have a low coolant alarm if I loose all coolant.

Garry
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Saturday, Mar 09, 2013 at 10:42

Saturday, Mar 09, 2013 at 10:42
We always fit them to the bolt of the thermostat housing and the temp will vary when the thermostat opens and closes but the overall high temp should be the same.

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Follow Up By: bill - Sunday, Mar 10, 2013 at 12:31

Sunday, Mar 10, 2013 at 12:31
many thanks, for your responces, as stated the instruction sheet, did suggest the thermostat housing. but can see other view.. tend to watch water temp on scan gauge. but need audiable alarm. only in extreem conditions does temp reach 95c and soon return to normal. thanks again for all help.....................bill
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