Hey guys,

I took the TJ Magna for a road test and in my opinion, the engine temperature is too high. I showed my dad and he said it should be ok, but I want other opinions.

This is a photo of where it sits at idle, but when cruising, it sits on the next white line above where the needle is in the photo (so even hotter).

So what do you think, normal or is there a problem with the cooling system? Coolant looks nice and clean, water pump bearings felt good when I done the timing belt as well.

Thanks.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n619/superchargedvs6/IMG_1194_zps40064d8e.jpg

Well I am no expert but for comparison my TJ sit just under half and my TS sits at just over half (after warm up obviously). If it gets even higher than that when cruising something is wrong. Dodgy thermostat not opening properly?

Mine is the same if it sits for too long with no air flow. Jason(EGO) and Rodney(Apricot) said i need to check my thermo and flush the radiator and see if that helps.
I haven't done it yet. Both their cars sit under halfway which I am jealous of.
Even Jason's with his extreme heat sits lower than mine :\
So i suggest doing what they said and see if it helps, since yes that is too high.

Well I am no expert but for comparison my TJ sit just under half and my TS sits at just over half (after warm up obviously). If it gets even higher than that when cruising something is wrong. Dodgy thermostat not opening properly?

Yeah I have never owned a V6 Magna before so I wasn't sure when it should sit. I have driven them at work before but never got one up to operating temperature.

Might try a thermostat. Is it located in the housing that the bottom radiator hose is connected too. Housing for the top hose looks too small to have a thermostat in it.

Mine is the same if it sits for too long with no air flow. Jason(EGO) and Rodney(Apricot) said i need to check my thermo and flush the radiator and see if that helps.
I haven't done it yet. Both their cars sit under halfway which I am jealous of.
Even Jason's with his extreme heat sits lower than mine :\
So i suggest doing what they said and see if it helps, since yes that is too high.

Both the thermo fans work, the passenger side one stays on once the temperature goes over half, the other comes on when I turn the A/C on. I was going to replace the coolant, may as well do that with the thermostat.

If it's sitting there with both fans running I'd get the system checked.

mine never gets above horizontal....

Yeah I had a feeling that something wasn't right. I just hope it doesn't let me down tomorrow. The car has been booked in for over a week to get the exhaust system done 9am tomorrow morning. It's about a 35min drive one way.

Way too high, check actual temp but my money is on thermostat

I replaced the thermostat in my TF a few months ago and genuine Mitsu was much cheaper than Repco & Auto-One plus the Mitsu thermo is built much better than aftermarket. The genuine thermo includes the rubber gasket ring whereas aftermarket does not.

mine never gets above horizontal....

Mine neither - and that noted on a 35C day at 110 kph with A/C going. So far our new (to us) TJ is going great - but I really want that old oil out this weekend. :kb:

Steve

Mine neither - and that noted on a 35C day at 110 kph with A/C going.

if it stays below horizontal on a 35c + day & ur in stand still or start stop traffic then you know its working well! :)

if it stays below horizontal on a 35c + day & ur in stand still or start stop traffic then you know its working well! :)

42 degrees C, a/c flat out, needle doesn't budge on my TL or TJ. Well designed cooling system, thank you Mitsu. If that needle moves at all you know there is a problem.

42 degrees C, a/c flat out, needle doesn't budge on my TL or TJ. Well designed cooling system, thank you Mitsu. If that needle moves at all you know there is a problem.

Same as my KF 3.5L. It sits on the notch directly below half and NEVER moves... I've never been happier with a car than I have been with my Verada.

Despite the reliability of the cooling systems in the Mitsus, I always check to see how long (distance wise) it takes for the needle to go up to it's normal warm position, and at what gauge reading the fans start to cycle. This gives a real good indication of impending problems such as the thermostat getting lazy or being stuck, or temp sensors acting up.

Well my Magna didn't let me down, it made it to the exhaust shop and back without overheating. I picked up a thermostat on the way home and will be fitting it this weekend. Any other car probably would have overheated and I would have had to call a tow truck haha.

+1 for way too high, mine sits two marks below that and never budges in any of my vehicles. As MadMagna said, sounds like a classic thermostat issue.
Also worth checking:
* Front of the radiator for blockages (bug / debris build-up, or core fins flattened.. this restricts airflow)
* Coolant level and condition (a flush with quality coolant and water never hurts)

Definitely recommend avoiding driving too far until the problem has been rectified, to avoid pricey consequences.

Madmax, the speed an engine takes to warm up is not necessarily a good indicator of how a thermostat is working. It depends partially on the age of the design of the vehicle. As emission standards get more challenging engine designers want the engine to get to operating temperature as fast as possible. They can do this by reducing the cooling liquid volume in the engine meaning smaller liquid cooling galleries. This means always change your cooling liquid regularly as they can clogg up quicker. My newest car gets to operating temperature in a few eye blinks whereas my oldest car is slow because it isn't even fitted with a thermostat as standard.

Madmax, the speed an engine takes to warm up is not necessarily a good indicator of how a thermostat is working. It depends partially on the age of the design of the vehicle. As emission standards get more challenging engine designers want the engine to get to operating temperature as fast as possible. They can do this by reducing the colling liquid volume in the engine meaning smaller liquid cooling galleries. This means always change your cooling liquid regularly as they can clogg up quicker. My newest car gets to operating temperature in a few eye blinks whereas my oldest car is slow because it isn't even fitted with a thermostat as standard.

True. I'm looking for a CHANGE in the behaviour of the temp gauge when the car warms up to warn me of a possible problem.

You want to replace that sooner rather than later. Cracked or warped heads can result from the car always running hot. Replace that thermostat and replace the coolant with some high quality long life gear from Nulon or the similar. It always pays to have a well serviced cooling system.

After work today I replaced the thermostat, got the engine to operating temperature, took it for a 15 minute drive and the temperature gauge didn't go above half. So thanks for the help guys, thermostat was definitely faulty.

This is where the gauge now sits when at operating temperature:

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n619/superchargedvs6/IMG_1203_zps15f5878c.jpg

Perfecto. Exactly where mine sits.

How much is a thermostat from mitsubishi? Is it hard to change?
Mine is playing up too.

Mine was $40. Purchased yesterday. comes with seal. There is a DIY with pictures on the forms. Just type thermostat in search.

5 minute job to replace the thermo. They are $40 from Mitsu but I bought 3 from a dealership (one for my brother and 1 for me + spare) for $26~ each.

Very easy to install, I removed the front part of the air box to make it easier. Only thing is, you should probably drain the coolant first or else when you take the hose and housing off, all the coolant sits on top of the transmission.

Awesome. Will have to go get one from mits. The service centres have spare parts don't they? Like Paul wakeling should have a parts centre?

They sure do. Parts are a bit of a seperate operation to servicing though.

After reading this thread, mine sits at the exact same postion the whole ownership of the car,and i had a new radiator installed with the engine

Should i replace the thermostat?

mine did this once, i pulled out the thermostat. opened it manually, it seamed a little sticky. then put it back in. no problems so far and ive been sitting in traffic in 40deg heat and no probs

After work today I replaced the thermostat, got the engine to operating temperature, took it for a 15 minute drive and the temperature gauge didn't go above half. So thanks for the help guys, thermostat was definitely faulty.

This is where the gauge now sits when at operating temperature:

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n619/superchargedvs6/IMG_1203_zps15f5878c.jpg

Just thought i would quote this picture.
When the car is warming up from cold, how long should it take roughly?
Also how long should it hold that temperature reading?

I think there is something seriously wrong with my car..
I just replaced the thermostat, the old one didn't even look much older than the new one I bought, put new fluid in. I let it warm up, Took it around the block.
Came back and sat it idling. Went from maybe just under halfway on the gauge to around just under the 3rd highest white line, then when the fan kicks in it lowers to half way.
Am in dire need of help. Running ac is only way to keep my gauge the "normal" position.

Sounds like the Radiator needs a good flush, mine acts the same way and that is the diagnoses.

Sounds like the Radiator needs a good flush, mine acts the same way and that is the diagnoses.

Draining it isn't good enough?
also found out my old thermostat opened at around 100 degrees so my fans were the only things saving my car..

In summer it should warm up to the middle of the gauge in approx 2-3km or a few minutes tops.. the system is designed to reach operating temp fairly quickly.

You might just have air in the system.. when engine is cold take the radiator cap off and start the car and let idle until the thermostat kicks in, keep topping it up if it requires it and make sure there is enough in the reservoir.
If it still goes above half without the a/c on, check the new thermostat works correctly. Otherwise, there could be a blockage somewhere in the radiator.

In summer it should warm up to the middle of the gauge in approx 2-3km or a few minutes tops.. the system is designed to reach operating temp fairly quickly.

You might just have air in the system.. when engine is cold take the radiator cap off and start the car and let idle until the thermostat kicks in, keep topping it up if it requires it and make sure there is enough in the reservoir.
If it still goes above half without the a/c on, check the new thermostat works correctly. Otherwise, there could be a blockage somewhere in the radiator.
Cause when I let it just idle, it will easily reach the 3rd highest white mark, then the fan will make the temperature drop.

Draining it isn't good enough?
also found out my old thermostat opened at around 100 degrees so my fans were the only things saving my car..

Draining and refilling with decent coolant helps but eventually the radiator will need a good clean.

could be the coolant temperature sensor. its located on top of the thermostat housing, there is 2, a small sensor for the gauge, and a large sensor for the coolant, essentially that sensor tells the fans when to kick in from memory

"could be the coolant temperature sensor. its located on top of the thermostat housing"

Unlikely becasue the gauge returns to "normal" ie midway when the fans cut in. Either there is too much heat getting in to the system, or the system cannot remove that amount of heat (radiator blocked)