Where does your coolant temperature gauge needle sit?

chrispitude · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:28 pm

Hi all,

I remember that our 2006 CRD always used to just about exactly one tick to the left of center. I know this is true because I noticed that this was true even when towing our 5000lb travel trailer (except when going up sustained grades).

This past summer we applied the Inmotion tune and removed the ORM to turn off the dash light, since there was now plenty of power with the tune. Since then, we have had our CRD in for service to have the factory CCV filter replaced for excessive oil in the intake. Not long after that, the turbocharger was replaced due to poor off-throttle power and funny noises. I suspect the vanes were stuck, as full power was unchanged once the boost built - the classic behavior of stuck vanes on a VNT/VGT. I believe the cause of the turbocharger failure was intake sludge formed by the combination of soot and oil. Since the turbocharger replacement, I have re-applied the ORM and added an EHM to prevent more intake sludge from building up.

Since we got the CRD back from the dealer with its new turbocharger, the coolant gauge needle now runs dead center all the time. This is a definite change in behavior from before, when it would always run one tick to the left of center. This was reliable behavior too - cold or hot weather, towing (on flat ground) or cruising along unloaded at 35mph... The normal operating temperature of the vehicle in motion was always one tick to the left of center. In addition, our highway mileage lately is just miserable. We recently completed a 1500 mile drive from PA to TX, and our all-highway mileage (literally running multiple tanks through on the highway) was a miserable 23mpg at 65mph. We used to get 27-28mpg on the highway. I am suspecting that if there was enough intake gunk to cause the turbocharger to fail, there could also be enough to clog the EGR valve and prevent it from fully closing.

Someone on another thread suggested that the change in normal gauge needle position could be due to a firmware flash. I doubt this because we were up to date on our flashes before the turbocharger replacement. When we get home, I will check with the dealer whether it was connected to their computer during the turbocharger replacement. I think there is a real cause behind this increase in operating temperature, and a stuck-open EGR valve would certainly fit the bill. I'd like to get a feel for how much variation in indicated operating temperature there is across vehicles before I contact the dealer again.

So I'd like to take a poll... Once your CRD is warmed up and you're in motion, where does your gauge needle normally sit? If everyone's sits to the left of center and mine doesn't, I will have reason to suspect something is not right. If there is a lot of variation across our CRDs collectively, then perhaps my fuel economy issue lies elsewhere.

My next plan is to purchase a Scangauge and check my intake and coolant temperatures with and without the ORM applied.

In your thread responses, please note anything interesting such as your model year, any turbocharger/EGR replacements, ORM/EHM/CCV modifications, Inmotion tune or not. Thanks all for your help,

- Chris

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:50 pm

Chris,

Mine has always been one tick to the left of center. Since I got my ScanGaugeII and started monitoring it for the actually temp it has stayed on 168 pretty solid after warm up. Since installing the Fia blanket a couple of weeks ago that has changed though and I see the temp bouncing around a lot in the range of 163 to 170 with occassional spikes to 172. By bouncing around I mean it is constantly changing from minute to minute. Still the OEM gauge is one tick to the left not responding to minute changes I see on the ScanGaugeII.

artickid · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:20 pm

sits just about dead center although I have all seven grille opening closed off with homemade inserts. Scanguage will be here next week, I then will be able to see real numbers instead of a needle pointing north.

Bill.Barg · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:38 pm

168 deg with the gauge one tick to the left.

This gauge is also non-linear. This summer i saw it go to 3/4 from half way once the temp got over 215 to 225

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

Mine has been dead center since the day I bought it once warmed up. Never been even slightly to the left once warmed up, and only went to the right once on a trip to Idaho where outside temps were above 107 or so and I was going through some hills.

Its a stock 06 Sport, no mods, no ORM, nothing.

Scott Langohr · **Posted:** Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:44 am

Mine has been 1 tick left of center since I have owned it. SEGR and FIA grill cover. Not done EHM but is my next task. Grill covered completely for about two weeks here in Indiana in temps ranging from 14 to 40 degrees. Needle does not move up or down once it has been brought up to temp.

Uffe · **Posted:** Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:06 am

I don't cover my grille and I've had temps around -5 to 8 C (which is about 24F to 46F).

Mine sits halfway between 1/4 and 1/2 (that would be 3/8 ) when it is cold and just a tick left of center when it was warmer about 10C (50F).

valoflyby · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:50 pm

Mine always sat @ 1 needle's width to the left. It still does 'til I pull uphill w/ the AC on.

From what I understand the flash was for the BCM (not the TCM or the ECM) to "fix" the incorrect calibration of the temp gauge. This isn't something that they do automagically. For instance, I am currently flashed up to F31, but they've never touched the BCM. When I handed them a copy of the TSB so that they'd do it... my Jeep/Kia/Subaru service manager said "looks like *someone* has been on the internet." Yeah.. and they didn't do the TSB.

Where does your coolant temperature gauge needle sit?

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