Coolant Temp Indicator Position (2 Viewers)

[DeepBarney]

This is where my coolant temp indicator sits when it finally starts to read (which takes it a while) and am driving on the highway:

And this is where it sits when I've slowed down and I'm in traffic or parked:

Both seem a little low to me, but my only frame of reference is other vehicles, none of which are Toyota's of this era. Can anyone confirm if these are normal indicated temperatures warmed up motor at high and low air flow across the radiator?

 

[2mbb]

It does look low. Mine runs around the next line higher up the scale. Do you have a way to measure temperature like an infrared gun?

Running cold could be something as simple as a missing thermostat or associated gasket.

 

[DeepBarney]

It does look low. Mine runs around the next line higher up the scale. Do you have a way to measure temperature like an infrared gun?

Running cold could be something as simple as a missing thermostat or associated gasket.

Yeah I have an infrared temp recorder, I'll grab some readings with it and see what I come up with.

 

[OSS]

Temperature sender ‘could be’ faulty.
Thermostat ‘could be’ leaking.

I’d replace both. Easy.

 

[OSS]

This photo shows normal operating temperature FJ62

 

[mdw83fj60]

I had the same problem on my 83 FJ 60 and it was the gasket that fits between the thermostat and the top piece of the thermostat housing. Mine was hard and broken. Now runs at operating temp perfectly.

 

[g-man]

Mine was like that and it was the top gasket on the t-stat. I could tell by the marks/groove in the rubber gasket that it that it slipped out of position during installation.

 

[Skniper]

How well does the heater work? If the air doesn’t get hot you prob have a t stat that’s not closing all the way or a messed up or missing t stat gasket as already mentioned.

If heat is good, you have a gauge that just reads low (sender).

 

[DeepBarney]

How well does the heater work? If the air doesn’t get hot you prob have a t stat that’s not closing all the way or a messed up or missing t stat gasket as already mentioned.

If heat is good, you have a gauge that just reads low (sender).

Haven't tried it yet so no idea. It's very well hot enough in the cab of this thing as it is. But I'll check that as well.

 

[DeepBarney]

At the end of the 15min drive into work this morning the temp gauge was barely reading above the lowest line (the Cold indicator line). Measured temp on top of the radiator it with an IR reader and got 170°F give or take depending on where I measured. Passenger side of the engine block was 180°. Need to drive it around some more and check it when the gauge is at the positions I posted earlier.

 

[OSS]

My guess- thermostat isn’t working correctly. Either the actual thermostat valve sticks and doesn’t close all the way or as others said- the gasket above it is not there or messed up.

My FJ60 ran very cool for years- and I eventually examined the thermostat. It was jammed open a bit. Couldn’t close all the way.

 

[Rgill]

Looks and acts just like mine. No change after new t-stat and gaskets. Trips over 30 minutes at freeway speeds it creeps up right to the line. Radiator temp is 185-195. Heater blows hot. May add a mechanical gauge that reads in degrees so I know when or if it ever gets above normal.

 

[Rgill]

Now if I could just get the fuel gauge to stay above the 1/2 way point.

 

[Spook50]

This photo shows normal operating temperature FJ62
View attachment 3349866

If that's the case than boy howdy am I running warm. Mine typically parks itself right between the upper two white lines (and creeps barely up to the red on a long highway run in the summer). Now I am due for a cooling system flush, new water pump (for preventative maintenance; don't think that's affecting my temp) and fresh coolant. Hopefully I can get that done sooner rather than later....

 

[Rgill]

Mine was like that and it was the top gasket on the t-stat. I could tell by the marks/groove in the rubber gasket that it that it slipped out of position during installation.

Where does your gauge read after replacing the gasket?

 

[toy_tek]

If that's the case than boy howdy am I running warm. Mine typically parks itself right between the upper two white lines (and creeps barely up to the red on a long highway run in the summer). Now I am due for a cooling system flush, new water pump (for preventative maintenance; don't think that's affecting my temp) and fresh coolant. Hopefully I can get that done sooner rather than later....

Seems a bit high consider the H55 and desmog. Mine is still auto with smog intact (both of which clearly don't help in the cooling department), and runs about there in the summer, but I'm in Phoenix. In winter my stock gauge is about middle like OSS posted. I also have an aux temp gauge that shows numbers so I can monitor it a little better. I see you have an electric fan... I've never run one but I would assume that isn't pulling the amount of air the stock fan does. Perhaps that's a contributor?

 

[Spook50]

Seems a bit high consider the H55 and desmog. Mine is still auto with smog intact (both of which clearly don't help in the cooling department), and runs about there in the summer, but I'm in Phoenix. In winter my stock gauge is about middle like OSS posted. I also have an aux temp gauge that shows numbers so I can monitor it a little better. I see you have an electric fan... I've never run one but I would assume that isn't pulling the amount of air the stock fan does. Perhaps that's a contributor?

Up until last summer and this one it's run right on par with how it ran before the tranny swap. Always just a little high, BUT, I haven't put an actual gauge on to read real temperature and compare to the gauge. In working on my fuel/gauge regulator in still trying to find a good reference for setting the output voltage that end users can go by that won't have either gauge reading way out of whack. So I guess to clarify, between my gauge possibly reading higher than it should in addition to maintenance being needed on the cooling system, I'm getting a way higher reading than is typical, so the first step to getting it squared away is ensuring my cooling system is in proper running order.

 

[g-man]

Where does your gauge read after replacing the gasket?

The indicator is in the middle of the gauge now.

 

[g-man]

Some people don't know that there is supposed to be two gaskets, one goes under the t'stat and is shaped like the flat surface of the housing with holes for the 4 screws that sandwich the top to the bottom. The other is a round or ring shaped rubber gasket like a garden hose gasket but much bigger that goes on top of the t-stat.