What's the normal temp gauge reading fo v6

[8thLS6]

Just really started driving my car since I bought it last week since it had been awaiting some minor repairs. Well got on it a couple times and notice the temp gauge reading higher than midway..it was about a little under a quarter of the way from the hot zone (red). Car drove fine. Is this normal or am I facing slight over heating? I've never had a galant lol..but in my last car had a definite overheating problem, it would go up to the hot zone and fill up the resevoir to the point of over flowing. This didn't happen in my galant though..the resevoir was still at the level the shop topped it off at before giving it back to me. I just notice today...its v6 btw if it makes a difference

[beam514]

IMO you should never really go above the halfway point

[8thLS6]

That's what I thought. Ill keeo an eye on it. Thanks

[danno]

My opinon that is pretty well within normal range, especially stop and go traffic. If you just got the car you really need to flush and fill the coolants anyway just to be on the safe side.

But being slightly under 3/4 of the gauges range is probably safe. But yeah keep an eye on it.

[tamim13]

Ok, let me tell you my experience with the same problem on the i4.

My temps were always around the halfway mark, in stop and go traffic, highway cruising, heavy acceleration, etc.

I always did regular maintenance on my car, coolant flushes, regular thermostat changes, timing belt, water pump, etc. I have replaced my radiator cap and upper radiator hose, and radiator itself after about 130K. Always used Mitsubishi coolant and distilled water with 50:50 ratio.

So after about 160K, my car started having this issue of going to about 3/4 on the temp gauge when I am in bumper to bumper traffic or if I slow down after cruising on the highway for about 20 miles. It also started happening when I do hard acceleration. There are quite a few threads, with various members giving various suggestions to handle similar issues, so I started trying them out.

1. Checked the coolant levels and replaced Coolant- Done
2. Checked for air in the cooling system - Done
3. Replaced the thermostat again (I only use OEM by the way) - Done
4. Took it into Mitsubishi to check (not satisfied with their outputs anyway)
5. Replaced the Engine Coolant temperature sensor (ECT) OEM again - Done
6. Replaced the Radiator fan motor, fan blade (OEM) - Done

After all this, the problem persists. So far, it has cost me an arm and a leg and a whole lot of wasted time. But anyway, I am determined to get to the bottom of this. The only thing left I can think of is, that my water pump might be faulty. Because if the temps go up and I start moving the car at a constant speed, it comes down almost immediately. I replaced my timing belt and water pump at 98K and then again at 155K. I think the 98K one was OEM, but I know the 155K was a NPW one (I was stupid and wanted to save money, so I bought a kit). I was told NPW is usually a good brand that makes water pumps for Japanese cars. I don't know though. I'm thinking of putting in an OEM one to see if that fixes it, as the problem started around 160K.

Well, I thought, I might as well, write this up, as there are always suggestions and throwing parts/labour at a car is not the way to go always to fix issues like this as there can be so many causes.

[danno]

Tamim just curious as to what Mitsubishi told you was the problem when you took it in?

[tamim13]

Tamim just curious as to what Mitsubishi told you was the problem when you took it in?

Oh they told me the usual. First they told me, most probably it's the thermostat, then I told them I had already replaced it. Then they told me it would be the coolant temperature sensor. That's why I changed that too, but it looks like that's a part that never goes bad on our cars.

Since they didn't really run any tests or anything on my car, and did the same guess work, I decided to not go back for now.

[8thLS6]

Yeah the car is still doing it,..never reaches all the way hot...for most part it happens if I get on it a few times. I do need to do a flush a new t-stat just for preventative measures. Definitely wanna do it before june.

[Reelax]

on the usdm 8g v6, the temp gauge should sit at just below halfway after warmup and pretty much never waiver from there. if it does go above 3/4 then something is definitely not working well.

[valpen]

on the usdm 8g v6, the temp gauge should sit at just below halfway after warmup and pretty much never waiver from there. if it does go above 3/4 then something is definitely not working well.

So does the euro spec.... mine never since the almost 3 years that I have had my car and only drive it to work on mondays and take it home on fridays with weekend drives that I do.
Even during the summer with the AC on and outside temp close to the 100F mark, I have never had my temp gauge reach anymore then mid-way.... Even when its cold outside and both last year and this one has been very cold. Here in sweden we have had temp as low as 0Farhenhiet (zero) or -22 celcius if you use metric... my temp neddle has still been in the middle of the gauge.

[Galantman03]

you could be low on coolant, and if you add some fill your reserve overflow to full line, and that over time will get sucked into the system, heck you could have a lot of air in the system...

[8thLS6]

Well still having the issue...had a lower temp Tstat put in and also got a new 16psi rad cap from advance autp...stant brand. The only diff I notice with the new t-stat the gauge will sit under midway some...but a few wide open throttle pulls and stop and go traffic, it will eventually meet halfway mark if not exceed it. Weird thing is it never fully reaches all the way to hot. I might try water pump next?

[paulanduze13]

Did you ever figure out why over heating