If you have the temp gun, check the engine temperature pointing at the head
or whereever you can get the hottest reading.  If that is 195 or less, it
isn't running hot and the temp gauge reads a little high.  But most likely
you are running just a little hot (maybe thermostat is going).  You can swap
out the fan switch in the radiator with a lower temp one and the fan will
kick on sooner and keep it cooler but that is more of a bandaid because with
the stock fan switch it should stay the proper temperature.  But no harm in
going to a cooler one.

Once you know where the needle is when the engine is 190-195, just keep that
in your mind as the new middle.

Normally fan's come on low sitting in traffic or idling for a while or
idling in hot weather.  The red flag is if the high speed fan comes on.
That is pretty unusual and is more usual on very hot days going up steep
grades.  If the fan's don't come on, that is a bigger red flag, but you said
your is.

Dave

>From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: How Hot is To Hott?
>Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 09:29:29 -0400
>
>I just tested it with a Temp gun. The pipe going to the radiator (in the
>engine bay) is reading a consistant 180-185* with the heaters on (and with
>the heaters off it didnt seem to change) yet the temp guage is still
>clearly
>"HOTTTT". The return water from the radiator is about 150* and the fan is
>working (at least on low).
>
>I recently replaced both temp sensors, could that be it? TEMP 1 is what
>works the guage isnt it?
>
>Any help is appreciated.
>
>-Craig
>'85GL

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