[V6-12v] Temp. gage reading low, trouble code 2312

[Clive Young]

FYI

When I did my pump and stat I changed to the new pink coolant ( I think it
is called G12 or something, cost me 48.00 CAD from the stealer for two jugs
but it is suppose to last the service life of the engine. A real pain
getting the old stuff out though, flushed it many times and drained it
through the block drain at the rear of the engine. May not be worth doing
but thought I would mention it . I could have put one of those prestone
flush kits on the heater hose but I am a bit of a purist that way.I do not
like cutting into lines and adding stuff.

Clive
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Christiansen" <tomchr at ee.washington.edu>
To: "Clive Young" <cyoung1661 at rogers.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: [V6-12v] Temp. gage reading low, trouble code 2312


> On Wed, 2004-01-14 at 13:26, Clive Young wrote:
> > Tom
> >
> > Sounds like item number three fits the bill... goes to show that if you
> > theorize long enough you can make any facts fit your own personal theory
> > ;-)..
>
> Yep and if you keep repeating your conclusions over and over, eventually
> they'll become the truth... :-))
>
> Tom
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Tom Christiansen" <tomchr at ee.washington.edu>
> > To: "Clive Young" <cyoung1661 at rogers.com>
> > Cc: "Scott Thompson" <n3xgc at yahoo.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:33 PM
> > Subject: Re: [V6-12v] Temp. gage reading low, trouble code 2312
> >
> >
> > > Guys,
> > >
> > > I remember reading somewhere that the 2312 code is set if:
> > >
> > > 1) The ECT sensor is faulty.
> > > 2) The wiring to the ECT is faulty.
> > > 3) The ECT hasn't reported a temperature of at least 70 deg C after
the
> > > first 18 (afair) minutes of driving and the starting temp was above 20
> > > C.
> > >
> > > I suppose 3) will be the case if the thermostat is stuck open.
> > >
> > > I've had the MIL come on only to turn itself off moments later.
> > > Something that NEVER happened when I had a faulty EGR. With the EGR,
the
> > > MIL would stay on until the engine was turned off.
> > >
> > > Tom
> > >
> > > On Wed, 2004-01-14 at 13:03, Clive Young wrote:
> > > > Scott
> > > >
> > > > In your situation was there a trouble code set ? After reading Tom's
> > email
> > > > my initial reaction was the same as yours but now after reading more
> > info I
> > > > am not 100% certain. It is still the most likely but none of the
info
> > for
> > > > this code indicates an actaul problem with the cooling system. It is
> > almost
> > > > like the sensor is failing a basline test somewhere. If you DID get
the
> > code
> > > > , fair enough, but if you didn't , more thought may be required
before
> > > > wrestling with that tstat housing under the timing belt
> > > >
> > > > Clive
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > From: "Scott Thompson" <n3xgc at yahoo.com>
> > > > To: "Tom Christiansen" <tomchr at ee.washington.edu>; "V6-12v List"
> > > > <v6-12v at audifans.com>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:34 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: [V6-12v] Temp. gage reading low, trouble code 2312
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Tom,
> > > > >
> > > > > I'd say it's very likely that it's the thermostat. This exact
> > situation
> > > > > happened on both my wifes and my Dad's 96 A4s.
> > > > > The thermostat is not easy to get to.  You need to remove or at
the
> > least
> > > > > wrestle with the timing belt (check the archive over the last
month,
> > there
> > > > > were some posts on this).  I was able to buy a thermostat from a
local
> > > > parts
> > > > > store, but once finding that I needed to fiddle with the timing
belt,
> > I
> > > > just
> > > > > had the TB and waterpump done too (It was due in 8k miles anyway),
and
> > > > > returned the thermostat.
> > > > >
> > > > > -Scott
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > > From: "Tom Christiansen" <tomchr at ee.washington.edu>
> > > > > To: "V6-12v List" <v6-12v at audifans.com>
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:20 PM
> > > > > Subject: [V6-12v] Temp. gage reading low, trouble code 2312
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Folks,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The temp gage in my 1994 90S reads very low. On short drives
(<15
> > min)
> > > > > > in the current 45-50 degree (F) weather the needle on the gage
> > barely
> > > > > > makes it up to the minimum mark. Even after riding in
stop-and-go
> > > > > > traffic for maybe 10-15 minutes followed by a short ride on the
> > freeway
> > > > > > it usually doesn't make it higher than slightly below the second
fat
> > > > > > mark at about 11 o'clock on the gage. On longer drives (one hour
or
> > so)
> > > > > > on the freeway the gage typically sits around or slightly above
the
> > > > > > second small dot from the bottom. I have also been getting the
2312
> > > > > > trouble code indicating trouble with the Engine Coolant
Temperature
> > > > > > sensor G62. I'm not 100% certain of the code number, but I am
110%
> > sure
> > > > > > it was the ECT error code. The heat comes on before the needle
> > reaches
> > > > > > the lower dot below the minimum mark on the gage.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I changed the ECT sensor. The sensor which was in the car
(suspected
> > > > > > faulty) had an amber or brownish-orange 2-pin connector. The
> > replacement
> > > > > > had a white connector. Don't know if there is a difference
between
> > the
> > > > > > two. I've thrown the old ECT away... While changing the thing, I
> > cleaned
> > > > > > the connector.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I have paged through Bentley for procedures on how to test the
ECT
> > > > > > sensor and the gage. I remember testing the new ECT sensor
before I
> > > > > > installed it and it performed roughly like it should (the manual
> > > > > > mentions approximate values of resistance vs temperature, but I
> > didn't
> > > > > > have a thermometer available to verify the ambient temp. I just
> > > > > > guessed...).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > For testing the gage, Bentley recommends messing around with ECT
> > thermal
> > > > > > switch F76, which should be a 4-pin device located in the
coolant
> > line
> > > > > > behind the passenger's side cylinder head. I remember looking
for
> > this
> > > > > > without finding it at different time. Is Bentley on crack
(wouldn't
> > be
> > > > > > the first time!!) or have I just not looked hard enough? The
only
> > other
> > > > > > coolant temp. device I recall seeing is the huge thing in the
bottom
> > of
> > > > > > the radiator controlling the fan.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Any suggestions on how to drive this gremlin away? Is this an
> > obvious
> > > > > > case of stuck open thermostat? Or is it more likely to be an
> > electrical
> > > > > > issue?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If it turns out to be a thermostat issue, I suppose I'll need a
new
> > > > > > thermostat and an o-ring (+ coolant). Are these dealer-only
items or
> > > > > > should I shop around a bit? Any advantage/disadvantage of a
non-OEM
> > > > > > thermostat?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Tom
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > >
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> > >
>