Temperature Gauge a dummy gauge?

[bambbrose]

For those who have taken delivery, can you tell if the temperature gauge is a dummy gauge just like most cars on the road now, or does it move with the coolant temp?

Does it warm up quickly and then sit at the same spot always?

[WRXGuy1]

Who said it was a dummy gauge? It sits in the middle, but I don't see why it wouldn't be functional.

[Draco-REX]

I've never seen a dummy coolant gauge. Every one I've owned moved with the coolant temperature.

The one in the BRZ is no exception. It warms as it should and fluctuates slightly depending on driving conditions. But you have to keep in mind that modern cooling systems are very efficient. They do a good job of keeping the coolant at a steady temperature so you won't see large fluctuations in the coolant needle.

[Hawaiian]

A dummy gauge sounds like a huge potential lawsuit against the manufacture to me.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

I've never seen a dummy coolant gauge. Every one I've owned moved with the coolant temperature.

The one in the BRZ is no exception. It warms as it should and fluctuates slightly depending on driving conditions. But you have to keep in mind that modern cooling systems are very efficient. They do a good job of keeping the coolant at a steady temperature so you won't see large fluctuations in the coolant needle.

I agree. Even my 2000 Chevy Astro with 250K+ miles on it was steady as a rock (no pun intended) on temperature. I could always tell when something was going on with the engine because it would fluctuate just ever so slightly when something was wrong but most of the time it sat dead on one temperature.

[bambbrose]

Perhaps I should have been more clear.

Almost all, as in 95%+, modern cars use dummy coolant gauges. Your Astro is no exception as GM has been doing this for a long time, since 99 I believe.


From another website:

The unique patented design Composite Thermistor contains 2 NTC and 1 PTC thermistors and has a resistance temperature characteristic similar to a single NTC but with a region of constant resistance.

Designed for driving automotive coolant temperature gauges, the composite sensor resistance is virtually constant over a specified range, which results in a steady centre dial gauge reading during normal engine operation. Hot and cold zone sensitivity are retained, so that motorists are warned of abnormal conditions. With careful selection of the plateau region, the same type of device can be used in a wide variety of operation systems, so that the production economics are compatible with the requirements of our automotive customers.

Essentially, the gauge stays cold until ~160 degrees (adj), and then quickly moves to the middle area as you reach operating temperature. From there, it stays put unless you go significantly above or below the standard range. The gauge is not linear as you might think.

I'm sure the BRZ is no exception to this standard, I was just hoping that some of you could confirm what you have seen your own gauges do.

I ask because most of these dummy gauges are inadequate for track events, as they only warn you at 230+, usually after you are getting too hot for your cooling system.

[Jeff Lange]

I wasn't really paying attention, but I expect it probably works within a similar range to most other cars, which is as you described. The gauge in most cars does not really much from center unless the engine's temperature is outside normal operating range. As I said, I expect the BRZ/FR-S to be the same.

Jeff

[NRGBalanced]

I've noticed that the BRZ takes significantly longer to reach nominal operating temperature as compared to my Altima. The Altima would warm up in just a couple minutes at 25-30 mph. Maybe the FA20 runs cooler than the VQ35?

[bimmerboy]

I would be more concerned with oil-temps than coolant, as it takes a bit longer for oil to get up to its normal operating temperature.

[chulooz]

I think you concerned some people when you called it a "dummy" gauge, haha... But yes, it is an idiot proof gauge, only moving when it passes a certain threshold just like the types you are thinking of.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by bambbrose

Perhaps I should have been more clear.

Almost all, as in 95%+, modern cars use dummy coolant gauges. Your Astro is no exception as GM has been doing this for a long time, since 99 I believe.


From another website:

Essentially, the gauge stays cold until ~160 degrees (adj), and then quickly moves to the middle area as you reach operating temperature. From there, it stays put unless you go significantly above or below the standard range. The gauge is not linear as you might think.

I'm sure the BRZ is no exception to this standard, I was just hoping that some of you could confirm what you have seen your own gauges do.

I ask because most of these dummy gauges are inadequate for track events, as they only warn you at 230+, usually after you are getting too hot for your cooling system.

Learn something new every day. Thanks.

Surprised it isn't more linear than that because the one in my Astro would vary "slightly" in its later years as the temp outside increased, depending on the coolant level in it at the time.

[SkullWorks]

the resistance vs temp looks like a reverse supra Dyno,

The OEM's did this intentionally because the costs of dealing with in warranty cars where the owners were freaking out because the needle moved all over the place. so they defined safety zones and let the ignorance of the consumer drive the whole market...status Quo I think these days.

for track use you can always get an OBD II reader that feeds info from the ECU sensors (much higher accuracy than the "dummy" sender) and displays them in a gauge type format,

ARK makes the nicest ones http://arkdesign-us.com/products/ele...unction-dash-2

but a quick OBDII gauge search on Google will reveal some less baller but probably still fine for pure data examples aswell.

[Draco-REX]

If you mean a simplified gauge, then yes, it has one. But they still move a little within the "ok" zone. The trick is ignoring any idea of linearity and using it as behavioral monitor.

However, because today's cooling systems are so good, you're not going to see a problem via coolant temperature until the temp swings wide enough for a "dummy" gauge to report anyways.

[viper_driver]

Dummy gauge, I like it. That's exactly what consumers want. Same as a fuel gauge that stays on Full for a really long time when the tank's not really full so people think the car is getting great mileage, regardless of what is actually happening. That's what consumers want. Car manufacturers will build anything we want to buy.