operating temperature?

[Kneale Brownson]

I don't remember the gauge "shooting right up" in circumstances that made the
fan run.  I seem to recall it would rise up some, but not to the middle of the
gauge.  I used whatever thermostat The Parts Connection used to sell.  

Why not just feel the coolant lines to see if they're all equally hot?  Compare
the one off the back of the head that goes to the heater valve with the one at
the top of the radiator.  If they're both too hot to hold onto for any length
of time,  your gauge probably is getting a bad signal from the multifunction
temperature sensor either because these sensors are a very poor device or
because the wiring has issues.  Even better than feeling would be one of those
$30 heat sensor guns.  



At 11:02 PM 12/5/2006 -0500, CLAG500 at aol.com wrote: 
>
> I thought about checking the temp via the climate control head. Don't know
> how much more accurate this would be though. 
>  
>  Did your gauge come up when you got in to traffic or was it just stuck on
> the lower end? Mine shoots right up if I'm not cruising. Just kind of an
> annoying quirk at this point. I'm assuming the sensors are functioning OK due
> to the fluctuation of the gauge that corresponds to driving conditions.
>  
> I'm suspicious that the Whaler thermostats all function this way. Do you
> remember what brand of t-stat you have in your car?
>  
> This is the third Audi I've owned that ran cold when moving like this. The
> one that has the most stable temp is my 1994 avant with a cheapo parts store
> t-stat.
>