I just finished putting in an Autometer coolant temp gauge in my car. The engine is a stock 97 spec ITR, I used a Blox hose adapter and put the sensor in the top radiator hose. My fan is kicking on at 212 according to the new gauge, and driving around temps are about 200-205. Sound normal? Thanks.

 

My Defi reads in *C and under normal city driving i'm seeing about 90* when warmed up. On track, i've hit up to just over 100*C. I do have a Koyo rad, Mugen thermostat and fan switch if that helps.

 

Mine will run a bit hotter since I am turbo'd. I get anywhere from 82c to 90c normal conditions and 100c and above on the track

 

If I remember right the Helms manual says your fan should kick on at about 205F. Might seam hot if you gave the sensor in the return hose, I'm not sure if the top hose is the return hose.

 

The upper radiator hose is the return hose (in most if not all cars) which passes the coolant from the engine side to the radiator. The bottom hose is the wrong place to install the sensor since you'd be measuring the colder coolant coming out of the radiator, unless you're trying to calculate its efficiency or something.

And OP, the gauge may not be very accurate, and I'd definitely doubt it's accurate to 1F. Have you tried datalogging via the ECU by any chance?

 

^^+1. A datalog should show more accurate temperatures.

However, my fans start up at 200 degrees, but that's just what I have it set at.

 

Thanks for the input from all of you. I am sure the gauge is a little off, but everything seems normal and the factory temp gauge reads normal at these temps.

 

I've been wondering this myself, I have a tunerview 2 connected to the ecu and a turbo'd lsvtec, I see coolant temps of up to 208f after a pull, I don't know what is too hot either. I've never seen the stock temp needle move above normal operating temps but 208 just seems like its getting up there. What temp do they consider "overheating"?

 

I know is a Chevy V8, 240-260F is getting pretty hot. I would say 200+/-25 degrees is normal operating range for Honda's

 

220 degrees F on track is not uncommon. Fans should come on around between 200-215 normal street driving. Around 240 and you're nearing the danger zone.