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Temperature Gauge Question

M

Michaels Dad

Member
Would the length of the element from the sending unit and the gauge on a mechanical gauge make a difference on the reading?
Even after installing a 180 deg. thermostat my gauge only gets to 160 while running. It does get to 170-180 then opens an temp goes back down to 160.
There is about 2 feet of extra cable that is coiled up.
 

The length of the capillary tube doesn't matter. In fact most of the replacement gauges have a much longer tube than is needed for a Ford tractor. The sensing bulb and tube are filled with ether which expands when heated and pushes the needle on the gauge.
 
The length of the cable should have little effect. How did you determine the 160 and 180 degree readings? The temp gauge could be 20 degrees off.
 
The gauge is about 3 years old, and it's the second one I've put in.
I've been through 4 thermostats, and they all act the the same.
I was going to install a new one last week, tried to loosen the old sending unit with a homemade tubing wrench, but it was to tight, and I had a bad angle on it. Next trip up there I'll remove the battery box and get a 6 point socket on it. Right now the corner of the box won't let me get one on it.
 
The length of the coil doesn't matter. What does matter is where the bulb is located, and how far the bulb is immersed in coolant. It's also very important for the bulb to be in moving water, rather than dead end in a tee or something.

Where did you locate it?
 
"It does get to 170-180 then opens an temp goes back down to 160"

So your problem is?
Because I really do not see one.

A 180&#176 thermostat will start opening at about 157&#176 to 162&#176. It will be fully open at 180&#176
Unless you are working the tractor hard there is no way it will stay at 180&#176. The thermostat will open; the water will cool the motor down to 160° the thermostat will close; the motor will heat the water back up to 180&#176 and it will open again.

If it really bothers you buy a red and green temperature gauge and you will not know exactly how hot the water is cause 160&#176 and 180&#176 is still in the green area.
 
(quoted from post at 21:18:43 12/16/14) The length of the coil doesn't matter. What does matter is where the bulb is located, and how far the bulb is immersed in coolant. It's also very important for the bulb to be in moving water, rather than dead end in a tee or something.

Where did you locate it?
Click to expand...
Original location, rear of the block on a 134.
 
(quoted from post at 21:35:24 12/16/14) "It does get to 170-180 then opens an temp goes back down to 160"

So your problem is?
Because I really do not see one.

A 180° thermostat will start opening at about 157° to 162°. It will be fully open at 180°
Unless you are working the tractor hard there is no way it will stay at 180°. The thermostat will open; the water will cool the motor down to 160° the thermostat will close; the motor will heat the water back up to 180° and it will open again.

If it really bothers you buy a red and green temperature gauge and you will not know exactly how hot the water is cause 160° and 180° is still in the green area.
Click to expand...
OK, I'll not worry anymore.
Thanks
 
(quoted from post at 21:35:24 12/16/14) "It does get to 170-180 then opens an temp goes back down to 160"

So your problem is?
Because I really do not see one.

A 180° thermostat will start opening at about 157° to 162°. It will be fully open at 180°
Unless you are working the tractor hard there is no way it will stay at 180°. The thermostat will open; the water will cool the motor down to 160° the thermostat will close; the motor will heat the water back up to 180° and it will open again.

If it really bothers you buy a red and green temperature gauge and you will not know exactly how hot the water is cause 160° and 180° is still in the green area.
Click to expand...

I agree with John. He explains it exactly as it is supposed to work. At 180° the thermostat is full open. It begins to open 15~20° below that. From that point on the temp will cycle up and down depending on the load placed on the engine.
On a hot summer day when I am hauling 2000lb logs out of the woods uphill, my temp reaches above 180° and hovers around 200°. Later on it drops and stays around 165°
 
Don't mean to start a range war here but on my T stats, the number stamped on the pellet is the opening temp +/- 3-5 degrees F. As temp increases from that on a constant basis it will continue to open and full open will be around 15 degrees higher. This is published information.

When you buy an after market stat it comes with a fixed length of tubing and that length of tubing is calibrated in conjunction with the dial for a given expansion of the fluid in the tube vs temp indicated on the dial. So you don't have to worry about how long it is as it already calibrated.

HTH,
Mark
 
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