Found a ripper of a temp guage for the GQ!!!

[fnqcairns]

I have read heaps on GQ cooling problems and after a tow not too long ago where the temp got to 2/3 + a needle on the standard guage and I had NO idea what temp that was , I stepped up my search for a temp guage that has an adjustable alarm, then gave up, till I stumbled upon this one on ebay this weekend, great price! and features esp the no need for a coolant sensor which was a major hurdle, not sure if I can use the oil light alarm feature, need a 3 sec delay inline somehow????.

http://search.ebay.com.au/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQ ... cNQ5fQ5fSI

paid for it on sunday night, got it today, it's beaut!!! but a little bright, will be putting it under the dash on top of the transmission tunnel offset a bit to the right of the gear lever.

Hope this helps some.

Not associated with the product yada, yada, yada,

cheers fnq

[ozy1]

sweet as, not a bad idea when you think about it, i mihgt look at gettin one as well to keep an eye on things

[Ezookiel]

How effective would the sensor be mounted under a bolt outside the water source?

And speaking of which, where would be the very best place to mount it on a Turboed, Diesel GQ?

I certainly will get one as soon as my next pay comes in, and thank you for pointing it out.
certainly way less hassle than going a vdo temp gauge of some sort, which I would still have to watch constantly.
This might just be what I've been looking for.
Now there's just the EGT gauge to have to locate.

[bogged]

Why not also go with a
http://www.enginesaver.com.au/

Engine Saver Low Water Alarms is an Australian business specialising in the manufacture of high quality, reliable, easy to fit coolant alarms.

We are suppliers to both trade and retail customers with models to suit any type of vehicle. When coolant loss occurs the temperature gauge is more likely to drop than rise as the sensor needs liquid around it to work properly.

Engine Saver Low Water Alarms can warn you of this instantly and help to prevent major damage to your engine.

if you try you can end up with a 747 cockpit of gauges.. roachie on EO has about 15 gauges and 15 alarms... sometimes 2 on the one thing...

[fnqcairns]

Just hooked mine up at the engine and I have problems, the engine is running too cool Couldn't get it to see 68deg down the highway, was suspected but thought it was less borderline don't think that number is borderline? The nissan guage sits on a bit less than 1/4 usually, I have heaps of cooling capacity to go by all accounts.

EZ as I understand the metal parts of the engine is what gives the coolant it's temperature so as long as you hook it up under a bolt that screws into the head or block it should work pretty well. I will next connect to the thermostat housing bolt to see if there is any change, today I connected to the rear drivers side tappetcover bolt.

Bogged, a while ago I asked on here about the enginesavers and you advised me not to worry about one, now you are near recommending one! ya big skirt

If i had known this little temp guage was around I don't think I would have bought the enginsaver, the alarm on this can do more or less the same and the enginesavers probe is a bit of a pain.


cheers fnq

[Jimbo]

I'm not sure how accurate this guage will be.

I can understand the theory that the heat will pass out through to the bolt but it will not be the same is in the engine. However it should give an indication of when the engine temp is rising!!.

You said in your first post that the temp got to 3/4 while towing. Have u tested the new guage while towing in high outside temps.

If the new guage shows a similar temp rise as the nissan guage then i would only be trusting the nissan guage (if u get what i mean). If the nissan guage goes up to what u would normally think was high.....then it is high and u should back off.

Anyway let us know what happens.

Jimmy

[fnqcairns]

Hi jimbo I replied to you in the other post also, yes it is accurate, I used to do lab work and calibration is part and parsel, I suspect that there would be a very slight delay over a coolant sensors when attatched to the block but less delay from operating temp onwards than when cold?

Heading out now to do a test, going to bolt it to the thermostat housing this time and do the same run.

cheers fnq

[Jimbo]

Doesnt the coolant flow from the rad to the thermostat? Meaning that the reading you would get would be cooler water coming straight from the rad?

Any1 else confirm or deny this

[fnqcairns]

Just did another test, now I am getting 74deg around town true 1/4 on nissan gauge and 77deg highway both aircon and 29deg ambiant which is 1/3 on nissan guage, boy the nissan guage is reactive! I could follow it with my new guage this time at around a 5 second delay made worse by the fact I only have like a 3 deg difference to play with, until I tow again anyway.

When I got home I kept the engine and aircon running popped the radiator cap (it never pressurises when not towing-too cool) and imersed the probe for next to no change in temperature on the guage then bolted it back down at the thermo housing again for no change all 74deg with minor fluctuations to 73deg.

Jimbo I have that 2 book factory service manual and it says the hot head water exits through the thermostat and into the top radiator hose.

Very interesting is the difference in metal temperature from the rear of the engine to the front of the engine on my guage, is the oil in the tappet cover pulling heat away

cheers fnq

So is 74 deg too cool?

[Jimbo]

Have you taken out your thermostat and put it in water and raised the temp to see when it starts to open?
If its at the right temp then i wouldnt worry. You have a good cooling system...be happy. Much better than having it overheat!!!

[fnqcairns]

Did that when I first bought it, the first one I bought was faulty so took it back for the one in there now.

My book says I probably have the tropical thermostat which opens in the 70s and both my Nissan guage and the new one let me know when that happens, by the new guage it is at 77-78 deg so I guess all must be OK thermostat wise but the running temp still seems too low
I dont know what typical running temp is best for these things but I probably would like to see early to mid 80s as a guess.

cheers fnq

[offroader-rama]

you can get a similar temp gage from flexi drive in achefield for less im shore, there for trucks mainly but will work in anything of corse

[blackmav]

I dont know what typical running temp is best for these things but I probably would like to see early to mid 80s as a guess.

cheers fnq

Put mine in the other week.
Works well .
When my nissan guage is over half its on about 80, seems to sit in the late 60s to early 70s.
When the guage is on a quarter its about 63.
Off the thermostat bolt

[zagan]

I don't see how you could say 70deg is too low? are you expecting it to be way higher?

it's a low revving engine after all.


My bike is a different story.

I can't idle it otherwise it'll over heat that's idling at 1500rpm, in traffic/going slow 60-80kph it'll sit up between 98deg and 108deg if I got stuck in traffic lights it'd go up over 110deg and keep rising.

It's shut down is 120deg, and you can't re-start untill the bike has cooled down below 100deg.

along the highway I might get it down to 80something deg otheriwse it'll be sitting high 90's if stuck behind cars etc that's sitting around 6,000 to 8,000rpm my bikes redline is 16,500 max is 19,000rpm

so your temps seem good to me atleast about the same as the td27t I have as well.

[nastytroll]

water temp is heat transfered from the block n head into the water there is more water flow per surface area of combustion in the head then the block, also aluminium transfers heat better then steel or iron so will give a different reading as the thermostat housing has water coming out from the motor around the cylinders is will be hotter then the tapet cover that is insulater on a rubber gasket