Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulfuric
So that gauge there....that's coolant temp? i thought it was engine temp. Or is it basically the same thing, or same way to measure engine temp?
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Coolant temp is often used as a proxy for engine temp, and is what most people refer to when they talk about "engine temp". The problem is that there is no one "engine temp"; different parts of it run at different temperatures. That's not too much of a concern for a modern car, as the coolant circulates pretty well and tends to keep most of the important bits right around their "proper" temperatures.
However, it may take your oil twice as long to get to "normal operating temperature" as it does your coolant. And the cylinder head(s) get significantly hotter in places than your coolant and oil ever will. And the exhaust? Waaaaaaay hotter. But those usually aren't that important to us.
So, uhh, yeah. "It's pretty much the same as far as you mean."
-soD