Are these Normal Operating Temps for an 85 FJ60 2F? (4 Viewers)

[Larossa9]

Hello All!

Been a big cruiser nut for a while now and just picked up an 1985 FJ60 that had been sitting more or less for the past 10 years or so. (less than 1k miles in 9 years)

The PO mentioned the temp gauge sat up in the high range occasionally sneaking into the Red but would always seem to settle after a little while even on longer day trips. After purchasing I made the 50 mile trek home (timidly) with the temp gauge up high. It seemed to fluctuate like a functioning gauge where if it sat in traffic it jumped up, or if you kicked the AC on it would also rise but it would never come back down to the middle of the temp range, at best it sat at 3/4. It seems to at least be semi functional but maybe just calibrated incorrectly?

Yesterday I took it out on a 20 minute stroll around town to get it up to temp and shoot some readings with my infrared gun and below are the results I saw after a short trip (accompanying factory temp gauge photo below). The coolant reservoir seems to fill about 1/3-1/3 after some around town driving. Heat works well, it's unfortunately hot here in Utah right now and I'm scared to drive it in fear of causing excess damage. My first thought is to take the thermostat out and check that it's not stuck shut? and then fan clutch to make sure it's engaging. I also believe adding a secondary numeric temp gauge would be a "hot" idea, any recs of gauges to run or things to try I'm all ears.

All of these photos were after a 20 minute drive around, town. it really only touches red when it's sitting and idling but while driving immediately after i took these photos it sits at 3/4 or a smidge higher. Any input would be greatly appreciated and I'll owe you a beer! (if you're attending cruiser fest next weekend, i'll bring you one!)

Thanks!!

-Ed

 

[LazarusTaxa]

What's the top of your radiator and thermostat housing measure? I just redid my cooling hoses and have been checking my temps with an IR thermometer.. I'm getting 180-190 on the top of the radiator and thermostat housing. So, yours seem normal, but I'm not an expert.

Interestingly, while your gauge is very high, mine never goes above 1/3

 

[Larossa9]

I'll have to do that! I should have grabbed a dang reading from the T stat housing, i'll grab one of the hose too!

I appreciate the input Lazurus, I love that brown 60!

 

[Larossa9]

Anybody else have any experience as to what temps their 60 is runnin?

 

[DFXR]

Anybody else have any experience as to what temps their 60 is runnin?

For reference - CA-smogged 2F with aluminum radiator and relatively new Toyota water pump and fan clutch, and a very new 190* thermostat.

I get my temp numbers off an in-line Koso gauge that has its sender installed in the coolant line that normally runs up and over from the manifold to the heater valve on the firewall. For this gauge to be accurate you either need your heater valve open, or in my case, your entire heater core bypassed, with constant flow past the Koso sending unit.

Here's what my gauge shows:

Around town in mild 70s-80s Bay Area weather - 180
Hard highway driving (~3K rpms) in hot 100s Valley weather - 190-195
Mellow highway driving (~2K rpms) in hot 100s Valley weather - 185

My stock temp sender is pretty new but the dash gauge hangs at 1/8 of the way up from the bottom at all these temps, so 10-15 degree swings are hard to read.

 

[Michael Hanson]

It’s caused by the fuel gauge going out,esp when tank is full.

 

[BlackCat]

Don’t trust your factory gauge. When I lived in Arizona, I could see 220° idling in the driveway with the A/C on when it was 115° out. Here in Wisconsin, I don’t see over 200. Cooling system is 100% new, approx 1,000mi on it all, maybe a little more.

FWIW, I have a coolant temp sensor in the factory block drain port for a Holley Sniper.

 

[LazarusTaxa]

It’s caused by the fuel gauge going out,esp when tank is full.

Interesting.. What do you mean by that? The resistors are wearing out or something (I have no idea how they work)?

As I said above, mine stays at 1/4 up from cold regardless of what engine temp is. Though mine does seem to stay pretty constant between 180-190 as measured by IR thermometer pointed at top of radiator and the thermostat housing.

My tranny ranges a lot tho... 150-190 depending on around town or highway driving. That normal?

 

[FJ60Seth]

There are a lot of variables…

Stock-ish US spec FJ60, fully smogged, 134a conversion, 190F thermometer, CSF radiator, h55f, and a Speedhut guage cluster. Currently 100F in the shade. With AC blowing cold: freeway speeds 190, stop & go 200, sitting in traffic 220.

 

[77CruiserDog]

I thought that mine was overheating but after using an infrared temp gun it just turned out that my gauge was incredibly sensitive.

These were taken with the temperature gauge in a similar position to where yours is in that first picture. I was worried at first but soon found that the factory gauge was being overly sensitive.

 

[Beehanger]

Don’t trust your factory gauge. When I lived in Arizona, I could see 220° idling in the driveway with the A/C on when it was 115° out. Here in Wisconsin, I don’t see over 200. Cooling system is 100% new, approx 1,000mi on it all, maybe a little more.

FWIW, I have a coolant temp sensor in the factory block drain port for a Holley Sniper.

View attachment 3107145

If you replaced the factory cluster and the union gut+sensor can you trust factory gauge? Just got brand new on all of it for my rebuilt engine

 

[Mark W]

Hello All!

Been a big cruiser nut for a while now and just picked up an 1985 FJ60 that had been sitting more or less for the past 10 years or so. (less than 1k miles in 9 years)

The PO mentioned the temp gauge sat up in the high range occasionally sneaking into the Red but would always seem to settle after a little while even on longer day trips. After purchasing I made the 50 mile trek home (timidly) with the temp gauge up high. It seemed to fluctuate like a functioning gauge where if it sat in traffic it jumped up, or if you kicked the AC on it would also rise but it would never come back down to the middle of the temp range, at best it sat at 3/4. It seems to at least be semi functional but maybe just calibrated incorrectly?

Yesterday I took it out on a 20 minute stroll around town to get it up to temp and shoot some readings with my infrared gun and below are the results I saw after a short trip (accompanying factory temp gauge photo below). The coolant reservoir seems to fill about 1/3-1/3 after some around town driving. Heat works well, it's unfortunately hot here in Utah right now and I'm scared to drive it in fear of causing excess damage. My first thought is to take the thermostat out and check that it's not stuck shut? and then fan clutch to make sure it's engaging. I also believe adding a secondary numeric temp gauge would be a "hot" idea, any recs of gauges to run or things to try I'm all ears.

All of these photos were after a 20 minute drive around, town. it really only touches red when it's sitting and idling but while driving immediately after i took these photos it sits at 3/4 or a smidge higher. Any input would be greatly appreciated and I'll owe you a beer! (if you're attending cruiser fest next weekend, i'll bring you one!)

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Thanks!!

-Ed

Your gauge is lying to you. Your temp gun is showing that your engine is at normal nominal temps. (Dontr be afraid to reach in close and get a variety of readings from smaller, more precisely selected areas too.)

Mark...

 

[Beehanger]

Your gauge is lying to you. Your temp gun is showing that your engine is at normal nominal temps. (Dontr be afraid to reach in close and get a variety of readings from smaller, more precisely selected areas too.)

Mark...

I’m not the OP. My gun is showing 180-190 on the block with the gauge where it’s at halfway on the reading. Was resurrecting this thread

 

[Mark W]

I’m not the OP. My gun is showing 180-190 on the block with the gauge where it’s at halfway on the reading. Was resurrecting this thread

I'm not sure what you're asking. It seems like you are asking... if you put a new sending unit and a new gauge in can you trust them?

If that is the case, it's kind of like asking, if I put brand new tires on my truck are they safe to drive? If I change the oil on my truck, will it work the way it's supposed to?

If I fix anything, is it fixed?

As near as I can tell looking at your blurry glare filled picture of your gauge, it is reading what I'd expected to see when it's running on the thermostat. Like it is supposed to. 180 to 190 low in the block should be about right. It will be higher in some parts of the head.

Your gauge tells you it is happy. Your temperature gun tells you it is happy. It is happy.

Be happy too. Relax. Go drive the damn thing.


Mark...