td4 temperature gauge?????

hiya all!!

has anyone else experienced this, lately my '02 td4's temperature gauge doesnt always go to the half way line, its decided it wants to sit just below!!, if i go up a hill it will gently just creep to half way and then when i level out again it will slowly creep back to just under half way, its almost as if the needles gettin lazy or somat???, the cars pulls/ runs fine, heaters work fine, waters circulating round the engine, im wondering if there is a sender/ temperature sensor for the needle thats either braking down or got a dirty connection????

anyone shed any light?????

your symptoms suggest a faulty thermostat.

i did think of the thermas****, but i also thought that if it was the thermasprat wouldnt it either a, not warm up atall???, or b, overheat?????

no guarantee of course. but i think it's showing early signs of failure.

as the engine temp builds up from cold the temp under the stat eventually causes it to open but then as circulation begins the stat should close again slightly to regulate temperature. it doesn't sound like yours is closing until the temp is much cooler, maybe even after switch off.

Your temp gauge is reading temperature changes due to engine load as i would expect of an engine that is over cooled.

if it isn't the stat then go for a new coolant temperature sensor.

ok mate, got to admit theres theory in what your saying!, so for the temp. sensor i know that, that is a inlet manifold job off apparently, but the thermastat, is that a water pump off job do you know?????

If my old memory serves me right I think having read something in the past about the set-up of the temperature meter installation. As far as I can remember it's controlled by a little print that always shows the middle of the meter, variations in temperature are not given through to the meter as it seems as some (on the old and gone by since US forum) owners had problems (mainly with KV6) with the watertemperature going up skyhigh but nothing shown on the meter, that gave still the perfect middle of the meter position. For what it's worth of course.

so are you saying that the gauge is only programmed for the needle to read half way????, and any slight variation in temperature wouldnt affect the needle on the gauge because it doesnt recognise it?????, but obviously if the engine gets too hot, then it would move??????

I'm sure it does read engine coolant temperature, be very pointless having a gauge otherwise. Also, from cold, mine (04 TD4) shows the coolant as cold, then as it warms up it slowly rises to a bit below half way where it stays, unless I'm in slow traffic when it will go to exactly half way for a bit then drop to it's previous position a few mins later, thus showing it's working correctly. I've not tried going up long hills and checking, but I guess the engine is working harder so getting hotter so the guage may read a bit higher?

not sure on the TD4 - but on the K and KV6 the sensor reads the return temperature from the radiator, not the engine outlet temperature - that is one of the reasons that HGF on either of those is not always accompanied by an increase in temperature reading.

crap system!

Alan C said:

I'm sure it does read engine coolant temperature, be very pointless having a gauge otherwise. Also, from cold, mine (04 TD4) shows the coolant as cold, then as it warms up it slowly rises to a bit below half way where it stays, unless I'm in slow traffic when it will go to exactly half way for a bit then drop to it's previous position a few mins later, thus showing it's working correctly. I've not tried going up long hills and checking, but I guess the engine is working harder so getting hotter so the guage may read a bit higher?

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yeah, thats exactly wot mine does alan, so maybe thats the way it is?????

as for the temperature sensor thats in the front of the block apparently under the inlet manifold, so i would imagine that it measures the temperature of the coolant in the block???

If your gauge is only moving very slightly you may not have a problem at all.
Once the gauge reading is in it normal zone it only takes a degree or so of temperature change to move it.
Its not a linear scale, it takes 50 or so degrees to get moving, about 90 to normal but only another 10 degrees to hot.

So only if there's considerable fluctuation in the gauge should you worry about the stat sticking.

willo said:

If my old memory serves me right I think having read something in the past about the set-up of the temperature meter installation. As far as I can remember it's controlled by a little print that always shows the middle of the meter, variations in temperature are not given through to the meter as it seems as some (on the old and gone by since US forum) owners had problems (mainly with KV6) with the watertemperature going up skyhigh but nothing shown on the meter, that gave still the perfect middle of the meter position. For what it's worth of course.

Click to expand...

caravan doctor said:

so are you saying that the gauge is only programmed for the needle to read half way????, and any slight variation in temperature wouldnt affect the needle on the gauge because it doesnt recognise it?????, but obviously if the engine gets too hot, then it would move??????

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The Mad Hat Man said:

not sure on the TD4 - but on the K and KV6 the sensor reads the return temperature from the radiator, not the engine outlet temperature - that is one of the reasons that HGF on either of those is not always accompanied by an increase in temperature reading.

crap system!

Click to expand...

As on the old US forum the guys only spoke about the 2.5l KV6 it confirms what the MHM says about the temperature sensor being mounted on the return from the radiator and not the one of the engine. That's probably why these guys said that the meter was still in the middle while their engine was cooking.... (And also the idea which was spread around that the print only showed the middle on the meter and no other temperatures, never seen mention that the sensor was on the radiator outlet, at least not on the previous US forum....)

I had the same proble, you need to replace the cooland temperature sensor part RV-PCJ500010 located under the coolant bottle. if you need the drawings, just send me your email, and i'll send you temp. The part costs about 12 euro and is easy to install.

Greets,
J.

Econofresh said:

I had the same proble, you need to replace the cooland temperature sensor part RV-PCJ500010 located under the coolant bottle. if you need the drawings, just send me your email, and i'll send you temp. The part costs about 12 euro and is easy to install.

Greets,
J.

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Nice one mate, my email is: [email protected]

I have a 2001 V6 and temp guage sits at half-way all the time once operating temp is reached. I read somewhere on the net that it stays there even when engine is cooking, too late for the driver to take preventative action to save the engine. Is it possible to fit an alternative temp guage that showws the actual temp at all times, not sitting there useless at the half-way mark?

gidgegary said:

I have a 2001 V6 and temp guage sits at half-way all the time once operating temp is reached. I read somewhere on the net that it stays there even when engine is cooking, too late for the driver to take preventative action to save the engine. Is it possible to fit an alternative temp guage that showws the actual temp at all times, not sitting there useless at the half-way mark?

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TD5 ones are similar. I've never seen mine get past the halfway mark.

caravan doctor said:

Nice one mate, my email is: ************

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fink you might wanna take your email address out of the post and send the guy a pm instead, unless you like loads of spam.

the Temp on modern motors are digital [not analog] so the temp sensor is a switch and set at a pre set temp [warning] if no signal to phooter [alls well] then phooter says slowly rise to half way mark ,if its a hot day un yer stuck in traffic temp sensor on rad ,says oiy phooter i'm hot, phooter says ok ****e head i'll switch on the fans and rise the temp gauge a bit, when yer moving again [colder air is flowing through rad grill] rad sensor oiy phooter i'm better now, phooter says ,FFS i'll switch orft the feckin fan un lower the gauge er bit if engine sensor detects a hot temp [above its pre set] it say's oiy phooter we have a real problem , phooter says ok dunt panick. . . . .i will rise up gauge and track this over a time period , if after phooters time has elapsed and still sensor is over its limit a warning light will be deployed . . . . .yer rad safety will explode un steam un ****e will happen time to call fer help. . . . .oh un yer doors will fall orft