I'm pretty upset

[sebagolake19]

I've been working on fixing a temp problem with my boat. My boat is a closed cooled system that runs really well but the temp gauge reads low. The gauge was reading 110 degrees the first time I took the boat out this year. I removed the t-stat and replaced it with a new one then ran the boat on the flusher ears. The boat ran about 130 degrees when it was fully warmed up. I know this because the hose below the t-stat was warm indicating the t-stat was open. I took the old t-stat and tested it by placing it in some water and heating it up. The old t-stat opened right up. So I took the wire off the temp sender and grounded it to the motor. That pinned my temp gauge as far to the right as it could go so I know the gauge works. I ordered and put in a new temp sender. Started the boat again on the flusher ears. Let it warm up for a while and guess what.... The temp gauge only read 130 degrees. The hose below the t-stat was very warm so I know it was reaching 160 degrees at least. Is there something I'm missing???????

 

[Coors]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Test that "160" hose with an infrared sensor. Gauges can get off-scale.

 

[JustJason]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

so are you saying "very warm" is equal to 160 degrees?
What would "luke warm" be??? 130?
How about "somewhat hot".... is that like 190?
If 190 is "somewhat hot"..... then what is 230?
I guess 230 would be "wicked freakin hot"

1. do you have an ir gun?
2. Who cares what it does on the muffs... the motor is just spinning and not doing any work. Put it in the water and then check everything... with an ir gun.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Me thinks your gauge is kaput. Shorting it out will peg it to high temp, but that doesn't mean it's reading accurate. Put the boat under load and try an engine mounted gauge or an Infra red gun.

 

[Don S]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

What engine ya got?

 

[sebagolake19]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

What engine ya got?

I have the 3.7L 165HP. I'm going to put it in the lake this weekend but I have a feeling it's going to reach 130 and stay there.

 

[Don S]

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

Re: I'm pretty pissed off

As mentioned, get a temp gun and be sure to check right where the sender is. It should be the same as your temp gauge at the helm.

 

[wvit1001]

Re: I'm pretty upset

140 degrees will be very hot to the touch but you can keep your hand on it without actually being burned. Anything over 140 will burn your skin if you touch it and you won't be able to keep your hand on it for more than a couple of seconds. However your just touching the hose and not the actual water, the hose will be a little cooler but not much. If you can keep your hand on it for more than a few seconds it's somewhere less than 140.

I worked for a food processing company one summer while in college and got pretty good at estimating the temperature of the equipment from just touching it.

 

[sebagolake19]

Re: I'm pretty upset

Thanks guys for all your help. I had a pretty good comeback to CaptJason's post but thought better than to post it.

I got my hands on a IR temp gun for the weekend. I will confirm if the engine reaches normal temp and if the temp gauge is actually working.

 

[Coors]

Re: I'm pretty upset

Thanks guys for all your help. I had a pretty good comeback to CaptJason's post but thought better than to post it.

I got my hands on a IR temp gun for the weekend. I will confirm if the engine reaches normal temp and if the temp gauge is actually working.

C'mon, spit it out.

 

[sebagolake19]

Re: I'm pretty upset

Well I got home from work and fired the boat up. With the IR gun in hand I let the motor warm up and this is the numbers I got. These numbers are from a 3.7L idling on flusher ears.

The Hose going from the motor into the exhaust elbow read 150 degrees.

The exhaust elbow read 146 degrees

The temp sender really confused me. I keep reading it at least 20 times. I aimed the gun at one side of the six sided larged nut and it read 130 degrees. I then moved the gun to the next side of the sender and it red 160 degrees. These numbers were consistant over and over. I read the bottom of the sender and it read 157 degrees.

I then read the hose directly under the t-stat and it read 152 degrees.

I messured the same hose down by the heat exchange tube and it read 132 degrees.

From these numbers I can clearly see that anti-freeze sneaks by the t-stat when it's not open. I guess that's the norm but my temp gauge still read 130 degrees???????

I am going to take it out on Sunday with the gun I will list those numbers also.

 

[JustJason]

Re: I'm pretty upset

antifreeze does leak by a little. When you put the boat inthe water and actually put it under a load, those are the numbers ya want to me reading. The muffs don't mean much...
And i'd love to hear your comeback!!!! If it's to racy just pm it me... then i'll post it on the board so you don't get in trouble

 

[Coors]

Re: I'm pretty upset

Capt, you will share the comeback?