What should my engine temp at idle be? A few weeks ago my van overheated while idling in the driveway and I noticed that the fans were not running. So I replaced my fan switch. It just seems that while at idle my fans don¡¯t kick on until the dash gauge is very high. So I hooked it up to my computer to see at what engine temp the fans are kicking on. I let it idle for about an hour yesterday without it overheating on the dash gauge, but the slow speed fan kicks on when the engine is usually at 219 and went as high as 225 one time. I think my manual says the engine should be 185 at idle. The fan fluctuated between 210 and 217 mostly throughout the hour of idling. The dash gauge was pretty far to the right at this time.
Driving on the freeway the van cruises with the dash needle just to the left side of the red light, almost strait up and down. I am using the Volkswagen temp sensor in the engine for the dash gauge. No resistor.
Does anyone else expirience the gauge that high before the fans kick on, and idle temps this high? Thank you
This is a 2001 ej25 sohc out of a legacy outback installed in an 82 diesel vanagon.
