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Temp gauge reading when warmed up?

wally05

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
198
Location
Indiana
What does your temp gauge read when your car is warmed up? Mine doesn't seem to read very high, even after running for awhile... thanks, guys.
 

Midnight Special

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
3,713
Location
Grass Valley, California
...Mine are all over the map
(C to H):
302 4v - 1/3rd
302 4v - 1/2
289 2v - 1/3rd
390 4v auto - 1/4
390 4v 4spd - 3/4 (faulty gauge or sending unit 'cuz doesn't seem or act "hot").
302 4v clone - 5/8
428CJ Mach - 7/8...(faulty gauge or sending unit 'cuz doesn't seem or act "hot").
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
And if everything is working properly, the rating on your thermostat will have an effect on it also.

Steve
 
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wally05

wally05

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
198
Location
Indiana
Oh I know... :) I'm currently working on getting the carb and stuff fixed up and I wanted to make sure that the thermostat is allowing the car to warm up properly. It seems to be in a similar range as what you guys have. I think I'm rebuilding it and after going back and forth, I'm upgrading to an electrice choke.
 

robert campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
If you lower the coolant level a bit in you radiator, you can start the car and let it warm up in he garage. Take the radiator cap off and watch early in the warming process. When the thermostat opens you will see the water start moving throught the fill hole. A bit of steam may come out. Insert a candy termo from your wifes special drawer and measure the temp. If the water is moving early and all the time, your thermostat is bad. Replace it with a 180 or 195 termostat and try this again. Now note what the guage says when you have the temp measured. Note it and you are good to go!!

Rob
 

robert campbell

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Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
Joe,
The candy thermometer is my wife’s….. The meat thermometer is mine for burning stuff outside….. The meat thermometer must remain pristine….. Wonder what my wife does with it when I am not looking???

Tim,
The first time someone exploded a battery in his face or burned the doody out of his/her hand performing one of Dr. Rob’s “cockamamie” tests or cures……. Litigation would run him out of business…

This site is such a wealth of experience!! Most of it learned the hard way!! The group should start their own talk show!!! There be power in numbers or “none of us is smarter than all of us”.

Anyone want to name the radio show?? Click and Clack is already taken….

How about….. Clip and Clop…… clip clop clip clop clip clop….

Rob
 

robert campbell

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Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
Steve,
A man after my own heart!!! Beer is my one vice!!! Besides fast Fords!!! And lots of both!!

Rob
 

66hcs-conv

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
360
Hi gang,

Although somewhat cumbersome, a T-stat can be tested in a pan of water and the afore mentioned candy thermometer. Heat the water and watch the t-stat and see at what temp the t-stat opens up. OR simply go the local parts store and get a new t-stat (don't forget a new gaskit)!

Dave
 

robert campbell

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Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
Dave,
I am so anal that I even test the "new" ones, as you described, before I install them. Worked in a radiator shop in the late 60's and even new ones were defective. Had to take them right back out. Sooooo.... Started to test all of them.

And don't ask me about heater core remove and replace. I have been under way to many dashes in my life!!! Every brand of car or truck!

Rob
 

franklinair

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
Rob's advice on the thermostat is dead on. ALWAYS check them prior to installation. Measure the temp when the thermostat opens (I use 180 degree units myself), then look at the temp gage position. Now you know the 180 degree position of the temp gage pointer. The temp sending unit (mounted on the intake manifold) seldom goes bad, but it has happened. Another little trick - prior to installing the new thermostat, drill a 1/8" hole through the metal flange area of the thermostat to allow a minute amount of bypass. (It won't affect the operation of the thermostat) This allows a small bypass if the thermostat were to stick CLOSED, which can alleviate overtemping the engine.
Neil
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Steve,
A man after my own heart!!! Beer is my one vice!!! Besides fast Fords!!! And lots of both!!

Rob

I had pictured something more along the lines of the videos showing the guy cutting down a tree and it falls on his car or riding an atv into a wall. I'd bet every good "Boy, that was dumb" video started with someone saying "Here, hold my beer and watch this" before the camera started rolling. :wink:

Steve
 

robert campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
You guys had to see this on the news! A guy in the Bremerton area that decided to remove that last really stuck lug nut with his 12 guage!!!

Here.... "hold my beer" "I am gonna blast that sucker off"

the results were less than perfect....

Another candidate for the Darwins award.....

Rob
 
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wally05

wally05

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
198
Location
Indiana
Not yet, I'm busy at school (finals coming up and I'm dying), so the CS is being put on the backburner until break starts in about 3 weeks. Once I get the carb rebuilt and the electric choke on there, I'll resolve the temp thing. I'm actually going install one of these tachs also...

http://www.retrogauge.com/
 

BroadwayBlue

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Messages
2,900
Location
Hudson Valley Area, NY
Just an FYI - I never had an overheating problem with the car.

I've run the car for a few hours on a hot summer day both highway and side roads and never had a problem and never had to add any anti-freeze.

I did have to replace the temp sensor last summer because the temp gauge stopped working, it was fine after that. There's a copy of the receipt in what I sent you Korey.

The gauge will move on a hot day but never spiked all the way up. It usually read around 1/2 normally if I recall and would go to 3/4 on a good run or hot day.

Can't hurt to check the thermostat though. I've also used the string across the pot test on the stove in the past :smile:
 
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wally05

wally05

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
198
Location
Indiana
Sounds good, Rich. :) Yeah, I noticed the receipt for it and I really wasn't too worried, but with these old cars, I always try to get a feel about where they are at when I get them. I think it'll be fine.
 

franklinair

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Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
wallyo5-
I installed one of those tach's in mine. Works great, and the existing instrument lighting illuminates the tach perfectly. I opted for the 6,000RPM version rather than the 8,000. I picked up the 12V source by splicing into a wire in the instrument cluster, only powered when key is ON. then one ground wire (also on the back of the metal cluster case), and the third wire out to the coil. The biggest pain is R&R of the instrument cluster.
Neil
 
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