Engine temperature - What's normal?

Hi John,

Most toyo moters run some where obout 76deg c to 86c the norm being 80c,70c seems obout right considering the sensor does not have direct contact with coolant.



Cheers,

Tassie.

Ive just fitted one also, fitted the sensor under a thermostat cover bolt.My temps are the same as yours, 65-70 deg C.Surprised me too.

Hi John.
I have a TM2 fitted to my petrol 80series.
I can't tell you what the normal running engine temp should be on a diesle.
I fitted my sensor under one of the bolts to the thermostat housing, and set the alarm at 106 deg C.
and the specs from the gregorys manual thermostat opening temp 80/84 deg C.
fully open 94 deg C,
And at guess 120 deg C is getting close to boiling over, can't remember that one have to look it up.
And it is surprising the temperature variation you get from the factory gauge which is basicly useless. just goes to the middle and doesn't move until to late.
I get fluctuations in temp from 75 deg C to an average 80 to 90 deg C for general driving in all conditions hot cold weather aircon on or off.
Off road up some very steep rock climbing air con running
and soft sand driving with the sea breeze behind, eg, no cool air
An average of 95 deg C to 104 deg C.
If you know your cooling system is in good order
just rember the current temp value's you are getting from your TM2 as a refrence for so will have something to go by
when things get hot.

Rob.

Hi,
I have one fitted under the thermostat cover bolt on a 3 litre diesel Hilux. Cruising along the free way at 100k in 35 degree heat with the A/C on I get about 88 to 93 degrees. Travelling slower it is around the 85 degree mark.
Regards
Scooby

John and Val

I am in the process of testing a similar system for another manufacturer.

Today I installed the new radiator and then took the truck for a run on bitumen and gravel roads for around 30km. The engine block temp topped at 70°C. Outside temp was around 30°C.

My sender unit is located on the engine block at the front of the engine and it is protected from airflow of the fan behind a bracket.

Coming up Horrocks Pass and towing the trailer, a few weeks ago, when the outside temp was 49°C, the engine reached 106.7°C but soon cooled down again on the downhill run.


Cheers

Thank you everyone for your comments. Sounds like my 65-70 deg C is a bit low, but not out of court. Interesting to hear from so many who have fitted a temperature monitor. I reckon at the price they are very much cheaper than an engine!

I fitted mine to the block rather than the thermostat housing since if I lost coolant, the temperature at the thermostat wouldn't be right anyway. I understand that the Tojo temperature gauge is pretty meaningless if the coolant disappears too. Overheating cost me lots of $$s recently (see our blog for a blow by blow!) so now belatedly I've fitted the sensor.
Thank you everyone for your input.

John

I have one on a 80 series diesel located on the thermosat stud.
Runs at about 75 - 80 normally but on those 45 degree days we just had pulling a caravan up steep hills it went up to 92 degrees.

Interesting to see that the factory guage doen't move which can give false sense of security

My TM2 sensor is bolted to the rear of the engine block (89 Hilux diesel) and generally sits around 70 to 80. It's been on for about a year including three outback/interstate trips. Occasionally on a long climb or hot day, or both, it will climb to 105 or so. If I back off a little it will drop below 100. It'll go for hours at 100 degrees if I push the old girl a bit. I suspect there's probably a 10 or 20 degree difference between having the sensor near the thermostat somewhere and on the block. I've got my alarm set to 108. Interestingly when the block gets over 100 is about when the Toyota gauge just starts to move from the centre position.

Hi John
Thanks for submitting the post, I've also just fitted one to an 80 series diesel on the thermostat bolt, it runs around the 80 degrees mark. I was also wondering what reading other people were getting and was going to submit a post but you've saved me the trouble.

Regards Jon

John
Just installed a TM2 on my 2004 4.2 TDI Placed the sensor under the second from the back inlet side of the tappet cover and after 20kms test at 100km temp settled to 75C What surprised me was the standard gauge rose to center position after 400M of driving while the block temp was still at ambient 32C. OK so the water temp rises quickly but the motor temp took around 10kms to reach it's cruise temp
Cheers
engce2