Temperature Guage

[Dave Richards]

Greetings from Utah -

During a nice drive last weekend, I noticed my temperature gauge was reading well past the limit! I stopped and noted no pressure on the top hose, and ultimately, no visible coolant. I let the car cool and added enough water to be visible in the radiator, (just over a gallon!). The car behaved just fine on the way home, no signs of overheating, etc. However, the temperature gauge still indicated well past the limit into the oil pressure area. After letting the car completely cool, the temperature gauge no longer returns to 0, rather, it points towards 90.

What's going on???

 

[Keoke]

Iwould suggest that the entire guage assembly be removed and sent to Nisongner for repair.

 

[RAC68]

Hi Dave,

Before I would send the gauge to be rebuilt, I would first check it out and see if it performs out of the car.

After removing the dual gauge from the car, I would remove the glass face and place the bulb into boiling water. After waiting a minute or two, I would adjust (move) the temperature gauge needle to 212F. Letting the water cool down to below the lower range of the gauge, I would check to see if the needle drops to reflect the cooling. Boil the water again, the gauge should also raise to boiling temperature as well.

Yes, it is a pain but if it now registers properly, you have saved the rebuild. If it is broken, you are ready to send it away.

Good luck,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[British_Recovery]

Your needle may have moved on the post. With care, it can be repositioned without removing the whole gauge. Just loosen the gauge from the dash to allow the chrome ring and glass lens to be removed. There's a watchmaker's tool for removing hands (cheap on eBay). Once removed, push it back on where you want it. You could calibrate it with a secondary sensor, or just put it to zero. Drive with the face exposed until you are satisfied.
Tedious, but cheap.

 

[British_Recovery]

 

[andrea]

First- not damage the long sensor capillary pipe from the gauge to radiator
Also my gauge have a problem in the return to zero fortunately only a bit so don'invade the Oil pressure sector
in this situation the engine temperature must be controlled by one other temperature system right calibrated
I have find this barbeque cooking thermo (max 300°F)with 2 mt long probe wire and a lot of useful functions as alarm, clock, etc
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/63c4INIddZ6SqP59JwjNTdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FsaaNW6Rwz2TF8hO89-q6tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
lucky the temperature of my engine resulted good, just a bit less 90°C
After the calibration of your gauge- you can control your steak temperature

 

[Dave Richards]

Good answers ALL! I'm going to check the sensor, but I suspect overall I may do more damage than any good. I'll see how far I get before I have to send it off...has anyone else noticed Nisonger doesn't list any prices on their website? Just saying. I have a 2 digital thermometers I can check engine temp with as I fiddle. Thanks again.

 

[Dave Richards]

Interesting, probably be a nice thing I "should" have anyway

 

[Brinkerhoff]

I'm sure its at least $150 to rebuild the temp guage. I just had them do one for a TR3.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Just had a safety gauge rebuilt by West Valley. It was around $200, and included a new capillary line and sensor bulb. Money well spent ('gained' 15psi of oil pressure at hot idle).

 

[Michael Oritt]

Bob--

In 2002 after Conclave in Tahoe I visited my children in Los Angeles and then returned east via the southern route. While crossing through Arizona and New Mexico I duct taped over the face of the water temperature gauge to keep from worrying about the fact that the needle was often at or above where I liked it.

My temperature gauge ceased functioning about a year ago and I have not yet had it repaired as I have come to like not watching the needle. For what it's worth the car has not overheated once while the gauge has been broken!

However I too would like to have my oil pressure increased without having to rebuild the engine. Did you give West Valley any special instructions or did the simply recalibrate the OP gauge while fixing the water temp side?

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Bob--

... Did you give West Valley any special instructions or did the simply recalibrate the OP gauge while fixing the water temp side?

I just sent it to them for 'servicing.' Like the original poster, my temp gauge indicator went haywire--don't know/remember how or why, but my fiddling with it didn't help and I got nervous pulling the needle off and on, and also damaged the paper 'liner' around the perimeter of the gauge--so I finally bit the bullet and sent it in. I assumed calibration was part of the servicing, and I believe the readings are correct as the OP reading at steady cruise--always around 45psi when hot--stayed the same and the temp gauge agrees with the thermostat nominal setpoint when conditions allow (the OP used to barely register at hot idle, now I'm showing 18-20psi). Both the temp and OP gauges are driven by Bourdon tubes. My guess is the tubes get stiff--or soft?--and either need to be replaced or just tweaked somehow to correct them (I suspect the latter).

Part of my enjoyment of driving a Healey--or any car with honest, analog gauges--is monitoring the gauges (even the bouncing fuel level gauge). It helps make me feel even more connected to the car (note 'connected' has a different meaning with new cars). After 31+ years driving my BJ8, I know exactly what I should be seeing on the gauges under any condition, and if the OP is down a couple PSI or the temp gauge is a couple degrees higher than it should be I start analyzing.