Scangauge/OBD reader owners, in here please

For those of you who own the ScanGauge or equivalent, what's the engine operating temperature that the gauge is showing and under what conditions? What's considered "normal" for the 1GR-FE engine?

 

Reason I ask is because right now the temps are showing 195*F-200*F after about 10 minutes of driving mixed highway and city, and as high as 215*F with AC on and extended idling. This is after I replaced the thermostat and coolant yesterday. Prior to that it was overheating during idle at traffic lights, traffic jams, etc (the temp needle starts to creep upwards at 224*F, btw). I know the thermostat the Tacoma uses is marked 82*C/180*F I'm really wondering as to why the temps still seem high.

It used to be a more constant 186-188*F before my truck was involved in a front end accident which required the radiator to be replaced; I'm not sure if that could have an impact on operating temps or if the water pump is going out. Truck has 99,000 miles on it currently.

 

Last night it was 96*F, when I took a drive this morning it was around 90*F.

That's why I'm so concerned about the engine temp; last year while driving around Nevada and Arizona, the I don't recall the temps ever going up past 190-193*F even when idling in traffic near Hoover Dam with ambient temps around 115*F.

 

This video was taken this morning after driving for about 20 minutes.

It's not supposed to be bubbling like this, right? Thermostat should be opening as I changed it just yesterday...

http://youtu.be/OiDS8BeRfZk

 

Is the t-stat in correctly?? <<just makin sure. My UG reads about 186.5* normally and thats the highest ive ever seen it. It's been between 95* and 105* in southern Louisiana.

Did you just change the coolant or flush the system?

 

when was the radiator cap changed last? if it isnt holding pressure it will boil

 

X2 on the cap

 

I had no idea the cap could be a reason. I'm going to buy one this afternoon then replace it after classes tonight.

 

consistant 186F here in sunny hot Florida

 

Pretty sure the thermostat was installer correctly.

It was just a drain/replace of the coolant.

 

between 184-190 in South Carolina. You might want to get that checked out before something gets messed up.

 

The coolant shouldn't boil till atleast 212F? Its more than just water so if it is boiling the temp gauge is probably off? The cap could be the issue too.

 

Mine usually runs 190 - 193* when warmed up. Got up to 197* this spring when cruising I20 in western Texas (air temp 99* and speed limit 80 mph for 4 hours) Cooled back down to 193* when the speed limit went down.

 

190-195F When city driving and constant stop/go, but it's usually 190, 195 if I'm sitting at a light for a while.

186-188F on the Highway, 60-65MPH in hot hot SW Houston, Sugar Land area.

 

I live in Houston and we have been seeing the same ambients temps you have been experiencing. I have never been over 190F. Normal operation is 186F.

 

Took my scangauge with me on a trip across town tonight after reading this, I was between 180-186ish the whole time. Outside temperature being reported by the truck as 83.

 

Installing a new radiator cap didn't help much, if at all. Still going up to around 200*F and above sitting at red lights tonight. Ambient temps were around 90 degrees while I was driving around tonight.

 

Does it idle at normal temps? Does it only creep up when under load? There are a number of things that can affect running temp of a truck.

Try popping your hood starting you car and have some one rev the engine hard and release the gas a few times in a row and watch your hoses, see if they look like they are collapsing under load. While your in there, watch the fan and see if it is spinning stright or moving/wobbling at all. you might even take of the drive belt and see if there is any play in the water pump. Could even be a failing cat converter. But with the temp climbing, you truck will start to lose power. you could even have an air bubble in the system from when you filled it back up.

 

Are you sure there are no air bubbles? That will cause it to over heat too.

 

Your pump could be the culprit. did your radiator push up against your fan from the accident. If you have some play in the pump shaft it could not be circulating coolant sufficiently. Is there a grinding sound from your water pump, bad bearings could mean loose shaft and not pumping enough. Try running your truck from cold for 10 minutes, then feel if your upper radiator hose is getting hot that means it's flowing. Or just remove the cap and you should be able to see the coolant moving. Was there a lot of crud when you changed out the coolant, if so you could have a plugged passage in the block.