# Temp gauge at idle **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** pontiac, torrent\ **Created:** [September 26, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460 "2020-09-26T19:26:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/1 "2020-09-26T19:26:56Z")
Temps are fine when moving. At stoplight, temp gauge has been inching up. Scan tool says 200f at idle. Rises to 220 in 5 min. Fans come on. Temp rises to 230-235. Then drops down to 200 in a few minutes. 235 seems high. I have an equinox also with same motor. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/2 "2020-09-26T20:36:14Z")
Ok put scan tool on equinox. Started at 200 and fans were off. Took at least 10 min to climb to 220 and then fans came on. Temp went down to 200 within 2-3 min. I shutoff motor at 200. Guy at store said he thinks it is sticky thermostat. Thermostat is new. He asked if motor ever got hot with old stuck open thermostat. Answer is no. He says try it with no thermostat and see if it hits 230. But I don’t think it will ever get that hot. So, equinox went from 200-220. Never came close to 230 ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/3 "2020-09-27T01:20:48Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Thermostat is new. That doesn’t mean it’s working correctly . . . I’ve run into bad new thermostats before, which actually CAUSE the engine to run hot, versus the old thermostat which was just changed out because it was very old ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/4 "2020-09-27T02:53:48Z")
Picked up a new one today. Will see what it does tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/5 "2020-09-27T02:54:42Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Picked up a new one today Different brand? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/6 "2020-09-27T02:57:06Z")
Uh no. New one was duralast std. newest one is duralast gold. Yep AZ stuff. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 9:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/7 "2020-09-27T09:06:56Z")
The boiling point of coolant at 15 psi is 268. It would be interesting but more work to swap the thermostats between the two cars. ---
**Author:** ![Dappersworth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dappersworth/32/22638_2.png) [@Dappersworth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dappersworth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/8 "2020-09-27T14:13:19Z")
Make sure you got the correct temp. thermostat ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/9 "2020-09-27T14:32:40Z")
I did see the temp gauge move up slightly on the equinox after 20 min idle so it does move. Equinox does 200-220 temp swing. Torrent does 200-235 temp swing. But it does go back down to 200. I have never seen the temp gauge really move high on the equinox in daily driving. Seeing it jump on the torrent is unsettling. Since I have done heads on 4 equinoxes. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/10 "2020-09-27T14:52:01Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Started at 200 and fans were off. Took at least 10 min to climb to 220 and then fans came on. Temp went down to 200 within 2-3 min. Idling, this sounds completely normal to me. There’s no air movement to cool it so it heats up to fan trip point. Fans are able to bring temp back down to normal range. What’s the problem? No amount of thermostat cycling alone can keep temp down if it’s not being dissipated with airflow through rad… > [@Cavell](#): > > Guy at store said he thinks it is sticky thermostat. This is more concerning, if you’re taking repair advice from parts store people. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/11 "2020-09-27T15:34:38Z")
Temp gauge sits below 1/2 mark. Having it Go over 1/2 is not what I want. It never does that on equinox. I don’t think it is supposed to do that on the torrent unless the coolant temp is higher then normal operation. The 2 suvs are identical. Same motor. Almost identical gauge layout. The guy I talked to at store said he had gone thru 3 thermostats to get one that seemed to operate normally. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/12 "2020-09-27T15:42:30Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > The guy I talked to at store said he had gone thru 3 thermostats to get one that seemed to operate normally. That’s what happens when you use autozone store brand parts . . . their store brand parts are so junky and unreliable, that after the 2nd or 3rd time, you start second guessing your diagnosis . . . when the real problem was the junky autozone store brand part all along I’ve seen that scenario play out MANY times ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/13 "2020-09-27T15:50:38Z")
Ok, where do I get a quality thermostat for my GM? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/14 "2020-09-27T17:09:22Z")
I sure wouldn’t trust an autozone store brand thermostat I’d go with a Stant . . . before I used a autozone store brand thermostat I’m obviously jaded against duralast . . . or whatever they’re called Both from personal experience, and seeing plenty of other guys get screwed with bad duralast parts over the years I would feel okay using a duralast filter or wiper blades, but other things . . . no way. certainly not anything remotely electrical There should be a few parts stores around you that can get AC Delco and/or GM parts . . . they’re often not the same part number . . . or Stant ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/15 "2020-09-27T18:10:52Z")
It doesn’t matter where the gauge needle is if the temp is 200 on a 195 thermostat. Well within expected tolerance. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/temp-gauge-at-idle/170460/16 "2020-09-27T18:45:05Z")
The bumping up to 235 was what I did not like. Drove it today. Came home and idled in driveway. Fans were off at first. After several min the fans kicked on and I saw temp gauge was at 1/2. Not over like yesterday. Then needle dropped down to normal. So, new thermostat- no 235 zone? I don’t have scan tool today. Just going by dash needle.