Higher temperature after LN engineering

[Laredo]

I just did the LN retrofit in my 2002 Boxster. This weekend I have a 100 miles road trip with a ambient temperature of 100 F and I notice the operation temperature is a little higher from 185 to 205 F. I believe the limit is OK but is a change. I did a search in the wave and I found people experiencing the same change. Please share your experience? Is this normal? Any recommendations? Maybe I just felt safe and reach 6000 RPM very often.

[Dave S.]

Originally Posted by Laredo

I just did the LN retrofit in my 2002 Boxster. This weekend I have a 100 miles road trip with a ambient temperature of 100 F and I notice the operation temperature is a little higher from 185 to 205 F. I believe the limit is OK but is a change. I did a search in the wave and I found people experiencing the same change. Please share your experience? Is this normal? Any recommendations? Maybe I just felt safe and reach 6000 RPM very often.

I have not noticed any difference in operating temp since having my IMS retrofit installed. Of course it is nowhere near 100 degrees ambient air temp here.

[trimer]

I should get my car back today or tomorrow after having mine installed and will be on the lookout. I am in Jacksonville, FL so the air temp here is very hot. yesterday with heat index it was 106 and when I drove the car to the place with the AC on, I did not notice anything out of the ordinary on the temp.

I wonder if something else is failing?

[runjmc2]

Are you comparing it to similar ambient temperatures, and drive time, as before the LN upgrade? My car run noticeably hotter when it is just over 100 outside. Under 100, it's right about in the center (180). When it's around 105 outside the needle can get just over the "0" in 180 over time (30 miles) before stabilizing.

[Laredo]

I read this post and a couple of them mention a change in temperature after LN retrofit installation.

Boxster 986 Engine Temperature - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

[Topless]

More likely just a hot day and heightened gauge awareness after the retrofit. IMS bearings and coolant temps are not closely related. I suppose if someone jammed the bearing in sideways and it was binding you *might* notice a temp difference. Pretty unlikely. These cars can heat soak easily when temps are over 100F.

[Perfectlap]

yes ambient temps have a big effect. After drving on brutally hot and humid day I left the engine running a bit longer after parking so that I could hear the fans kick in, and running the AC helps too if I'm not mistaken.
All the more reason to check the coolant levels in the trunk. water cooled means water cooled.

[woodsman]

no change on my car Sen'or.

[TeamOxford]

No change on mine, even with the temp at 100+ the last few days.

TO

[Laredo]

Yes maybe is just heightened gauger awareness. The coolant levels are fine, the car is fine. And the operating temperature are in ranges. Thank you for your replays.

[TeamOxford]

I've never seen any temp higher than the needle at the end of the "0" in 180.

TO

[Laredo]

Originally Posted by TeamOxford

I've never seen any temp higher than the needle at the end of the "0" in 180.

TO

My car use metric system so I make the conversion to F in C the temperature is between 85 to 95.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Laredo

I read this post and a couple of them mention a change in temperature after LN retrofit installation.

Boxster 986 Engine Temperature - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

Couple of points:

1. The dash temp display in these cars is both woefully inaccurate and non-linear; it is more of a "hot or cold" idiot light replacement than an indication of the car's actual condition.
2. The link you listed notes the some of the cars that ran warmer had other issues as well, so their temp problem is probably unrelated to the LN swap.
3. I can think of no technically valid reason why changing the bearing would alter how hot the car runs.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

1. The dash temp display in these cars is both woefully inaccurate and non-linear; it is more of a "hot or cold" idiot light replacement than an indication of the car's actual condition.

How hot does it have to get to move the needle into warning territory?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

How hot does it have to get to move the needle into warning territory?

We never tried to find out after testing three different cars, side by side, all hooked up to Durametric systems to monitor the real temp. When the software said they were all at 180F, two dash gauges read lower, the other slightly higher than the first two, but none showed anywhere near the actual temps. When all three dash displays said "180", all three cars were actually running north of 205F, but none read the same actual temp. When I discussed this with two other shops, they concurred with what we had seen.

The dash gauge is simply not to be trusted for temperature accuracy, it should only be considered a "general indication" of how hot the engine is. As for when is the warning light supposed to flash, as you would expect of Porsche, the answer is complicated. From their literature on the subject:

Four functions of the coolant warning light:

1. Engine coolant level too low
— light flashes slowly (0.5 Hz)
2. Engine compartment temperature too high
— light flashes slowly (0.5 Hz) (engine compartment blower might be faulty)
3. Engine coolant temperature too high
— light is lit; pointer on the right
4. Temperature sensor at water outlet faulty
— light flashes rapidly (1 Hz); pointer on the right

Note
The temperature warning in point three is indicated if the conditions "engine coolant temperature too high" and "engine coolant level too low" are present simultaneously
(1Hz = 1 flash per second. 0.5Hz = 2 seconds per flash)

[TeamOxford]

This is incredible!

So the temp gauge is grossly inaccurate, the speedo is off ~4 MPH, and the oil gauge is not to be trusted.

Why did Porsche even bother installing a dash panel? I guess it was for the tach, because we need to AVOID certain rev ranges, like anything below 2000, 2200-2500, and 2700-3000. Especially 3000!

Sorry to vent, but I'm just sayin'..............

TO

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by TeamOxford

This is incredible!

So the temp gauge is grossly inaccurate, the speedo is off ~4 MPH, and the oil gauge is not to be trusted.

Why did Porsche even bother installing a dash panel? I guess it was for the tach, because we need to AVOID certain rev ranges, like anything below 2000, 2200-2500, and 2700-3000. Especially 3000!

Sorry to vent, but I'm just sayin'..............

TO

No, it is quite common. All OEM's set their speedo's to read 4-5 MPH higher than the car is really moving, supposedly to prevent lawsuits over speeding tickets, but in reality it probably has more to do with running the odometer faster to run out the warranty sooner. There was actually a class action lawsuit by Honda owners on this subject when it became common knowledge that most Honda's were off by over 7 MPH, which shaved months off their warranty coverage.

Same nonsense applies to dash gauges, very few are accurate in other makes either.

You want accurate gauges, go aftermarket. At the end of the day, just remember that you are discussing what temperature the car is when the dash says "180"; the reality is that none of these cars, unless they have an aftermarket thermostat in them, has a prayer of actually being at 180 when the dash says it is.............

[Flavor 987S]

The gauges in my +16 year old 993 are nuts on accurate. All of them.

[AndyA6]

Nothing unusual for many many cars and trucks etc. that the oil/water temp gage is an indicator only. Too many people would go nuts if the needle climbs over "normal".

Recently in Germany my rental VW Passat Diesel had the exact oil temp read out in the MF screen, man, that thing got hot when flooring the pedal on the autobahn! Water gage was reading " normal" and the digital oil temp readout showed north of 98 Celsius and more! In town or cross country never more than 80 C.

Just saying'

[runjmc2]

I find my temperature gauge to be a valuable and reliable "Relative" indicator. Regardless of the actual, there is a normal rage (the baseline). If it's hot out, it's a bit higher (fine). If it's REALLY hot out, it's even a bit higher (fine). If it's not hot out and it's consistently and significantly above the baseline (or even the level for a hot day) something is not working efficiently and it's time to take a look.

I prefer this over most cars I have owned that have a temp needle that never moves, I question that they are even connected.