SRT Temp Fluctuates

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:33 pm

SRT-4. The needle moves a tiny bit. I will go to barely above half way mark, then drop to a little below half way mark. Just slowly moves around like that every couples minutes almost like it has air in it.

Guy says it's normal on them and it's done it since stock. I've never really payed attention. Do any of them do it?

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:53 pm

Either put a 180* T-stat in it, or maybe the rad is going bad. Just my guess.

EDIT: I searched... these clowns say the engine was designed to run at 205*-210* and a 180* T-stat is overkill. Prob needs a new radiator then if anything.

viewtopic.php?t=30770

GunmetalNeon · Post by **GunmetalNeon** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:29 pm

This sounds like a total obvious question but is the coolant low? My grey car did that for a while and it was like slightly low and it moved around like that

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:45 pm

If the coolant level is ok, it is the t'stat opening and closing. Be glad the sender is responsive enough to show it. If they didn't put a sluggish gauge in, all temp gauges would swing with the t'stat operation. They don't exactly just open to a set point and keep the temp at one constant setting. The fan cycling on and off with A/C will also cause fluctuations. Put a mechanical temp gauge in, and you will find the temp moves around more than the factory gauge will show.

Keeps the general public from freaking out and swamping the dealer because their new car is overheating.

I put a more sensitive sender in the GF's car, because the factory sender never went above the 1/4 mark. She kept bitching it wasn't warming up in the winter. I put a mechanical gauge in, drove it, and it was at 195ºF. With the new sender it will go to 3/4 gauge and swing down to half, and back to 3/4. She doesn't complain about beig cold anymore.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:28 am

From everything I just read on SRT forums it is perfectly fine.

The sensor on the SRT is supposed to have a very quick refresh rate, so the temperature is shown in real time.

Fuzzyneon · Post by **Fuzzyneon** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:21 pm

heydockyle wrote:From everything I just read on SRT forums it is perfectly fine.

The sensor on the SRT is supposed to have a very quick refresh rate, so the temperature is shown in real time.

worste case drive around with a odb2 reader with temp guage on it and monitor it thats how i found out my temp guage is off randomly should be fine i know 1gns fan kicks on at 215

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:24 pm

sidepipe87 wrote:Either put a 180* T-stat in it, or maybe the rad is going bad. Just my guess.

EDIT: I searched... these clowns say the engine was designed to run at 205*-210* and a 180* T-stat is overkill. Prob needs a new radiator then if anything.

viewtopic.php?t=30770

We is smurt.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:44 pm

racer12306 wrote:
sidepipe87 wrote:Either put a 180* T-stat in it, or maybe the rad is going bad. Just my guess.

EDIT: I searched... these clowns say the engine was designed to run at 205*-210* and a 180* T-stat is overkill. Prob needs a new radiator then if anything.

viewtopic.php?t=30770
We is smurt.

g_force58 · Post by **g_force58** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 3:35 pm

My 2000 ES did this for a while before I installed a new t-stat. It would get warm then get cold again as indicated by the guage. Changed the stat and now it slowly swings but stays warm. Needle baselines just above the second mark winter or summer.

LowNSlow · Post by **LowNSlow** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:30 pm

It's normal.