Ive recently had a ScanGaugeII in my truck for about a month, and noticed right away a very high water temp reading. It varies, somewhere between 240-260*, although I have seen it in the 270*s at one point. I drained the radiator, and topped it off, (not an entire flush, just drain and fill) to see if that helped drop the numbers, it seemed, to help a little bit, but not what I would assume to be normal operating temps. The gauge on the instrument cluster has never moved past half way, and works well and operates while warming up (meaning its not stuck in one position). Never had any codes, or anything that would make me believe the truck is running hot. I wouldn't have any idea if it wasn't for the scan gauge itself.

Ive been doing some reading as best I can across the board, reading that our temp. sender is in the head of the engine, and that's why it's reading so hot. Isn't that even so, still too hot for the head? So I went to X-Gauge, and configured my scan gauge to read my CHT (cylinder head temp) After doing so, I viewed the gauges and it shows that the CHT is a few degrees higher than what the water temperature is said to be. Because these aren't the same numbers, can we rule out the idea that the water temp the scan gauge reads by default is reading from the head?

Kinda has me worried about the condition of everything, although when I bring it up with anyone else, they say that I would get a code or the gauge would peg hot, even if it was a dummy gauge so I shouldn't be alarmed.

I was hoping to see what fellow duratecr's were pulling for water temps, so I can see how far off I am. I live in WA, and the temps have been around the 60-70's nothing insane.

I believe the fans are working just fine..

anyone have any numbers to throw my way?? What are your temps?

 

I logged mine quite some time ago and I am getting the same results 260ish. The sensor must be inside the cylinder head, or the pinout is actually reading the CHT.

I would not worry as I saw this almost exact post one time before.

 

Same with ultragauge and 2003 2.3L.

Truck temp gauge was in the middle, no idiot light, and truck definitely didn't smell, seem, or drive hot. Ultragauge read ~260F