Jubilee Temperature Gauge

ramo77

Member
I have a '53 Jubilee that I recently put a new 160 degree thermostat and newly cleaned radiator. In the summer when I first start the tractor and let it run for about 10 minutes the temperature gauge goes almost all the way up than drops down to normal. It seems to fluctuate from normal to close to high, then drops down a bit and eventually goes back up, than drops back down, and seems to repeat this over and over. This winter when I used it for the first time, the guage went almost all the way up, but the engine head was hot to the touch, but didn't burn me - felt like a car engine would when hot. The lower rad. hose was cold, the upper warm. When I waited longer, after running for 15 mins. it seemed to run in the "cool" section of normal. Is it just that my thermostat is cycling open close etc. Has anyone else had this issue. The belt is tight, the rad is full with coolant, I don't believe there any blockage in the engine block. Any insight is appreciated.
 


Google infrared temperature gun, first thing you need to do is prove the gauge right are wrong... And I spec you can put a thermometer in the filler neck... Google ac vent thermometer

If you are brave seek one out of the kitchen...
google meat thermometer probe

With any engine temp issue its best to start with a cold engine with a correct fill of coolant. What you want to see is the temp to gradually rise and max out just a little above the thermostat rating the max will be in the 180 range . The thermo will start to open around 160 and be fully open around 175/180 from there it will regulate the temp 160 to 180 if all is operating as it should...
That's why we prove the temp gauge right are wrong and accurate so we don't chase a issue that's not there.

This info it needed to take the guess out of it... The other info is visual make sure the radiator fins are not restricted and the belt is not slipping...


#1 golden rule "Coolant absorbs heat air takes it away"...

My thoughts if air flow were the issue under a constant load under the same conditions the temp gauge would not cycle the temp would continue to clime...

I see so many pull up boiling hot there's not much I can do at that time other than confirm air flow across the radiator and the airflow system. I can look at the temp gauge it its pegged hot its a good bet it taint lie'N its functional : ) I want/need to check confirm coolant level

"Coolant absorbs heat air takes it away"

Back to "With any engine temp issue its best to start with a cold engine" then I can answer the un-answered questions...

"The lower rad. hose was cold, the upper warm"

Circulation issue

Thermostat issue

Air in the coolant system are combustion gas from a leaking head gasket often called an air lock. The gas will form a bubble just under the thermostat and insulate the coolant from heating the thermo as it should. Folks will say drill a small hole in the thermostat I say find the issue the hole just prolongs the inevitable...

Human error sounds like the thermo is backerds... I would wager if the gauge proves to be correct as the other things your hands will touch that thermo again...



No guess needed you need to provide more info...
 
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I do have an infrared heat gun and the meat thermometers. I will need to do a little more checking into matters. I know the coolant is full, rad fins are clear, dumps out quickly like from a garden hose pouring through, I don't think the thermostat is in backwards because I know better, (i.e. temperature sensor part is toward the engine). I guess I was thinking the cooler air and just starting the engine and running for about 15 mins. that perhaps the thermostat just didn't open yet, thus the cool lower hose. Temp gauge was just about pinned, than the gauge dropped down. I noticed it seemed I started having this issue after I changed the thermostat. It's a 160 degree. I may change it out after I run a few temp. tests.
 

OK I believe ya lets prove the gauge reading is correct for the reading it shows... You can run it with the radiator cap off to confirm coolant flow. It may need a hole drilled in the thermo to get the coolant circulating so it will open the thermo I am not a fan of that : (

My experience is it takes awhile on those engines to read operating temp on the gauge but my experience is limited on those.

#1) most of those gauges don't work be it a bad gauge are the thermo missing are not function correctly

#2) If they did I never confirmed they read right if it did not have a complaint.

I don't like those gauges I prefer a gauge that reads NUMBERS the actual temp : )
 

hobo, i put a temp gauge on my 2N a couple of years ago. it's an electric sender in one of those upper hose adapters. it's a generic gauge i got from my auto parts store, and it does have actual numbers on it.

my thermostat is a 160 degree - which i only found out after i put the gauge in ;) in my experience, the gauge is very responsive. it starts showing temp promptly, and when the thermostat opens, u can see the gauge drop like a rock to 160 and stay there till it closes again.

all in all, i'm real happy with it. it was just what i needed to not misinterpret coolant boiling in the head after shutdown as an overheated engine. i would have been happier learning i had a 180, but i'm not going to mess with it.
 

A jub is a different animal it uses a mechanical gauge the sender is in the rear of the head its more of a go no go gauge I never did care for that set up...

I don't like your set up either BUT its better than no gauge : ) So you done good...
 
I think I will confirm if the gauge is working accurately to begin. I am still thinking I have an air pocket as you noted earlier, because the thing that threw the flag was that the gauge was almost pinned, engine was pretty hot to the touch (i.e. say 180) by the temp sensor, thermostat housing was somewhat cool (i.e. say 100) and the lower rad hose hadn't gotten warm yet. Coolant was luke warm, like the thermostat hadn't opened yet, at least when I checked. After running the tractor for longer, the gauge seemed to jump down and everything was the same temp.
 
(quoted from post at 20:56:42 12/08/19)
A jub is a different animal it uses a mechanical gauge the sender is in the rear of the head its more of a go no go gauge I never did care for that set up...

I don't like your set up either BUT its better than no gauge : ) So you done good...

:lol:

great job of reading the topic title there by yours truly :oops:

i know you prefer the drilled head, but my machining "skills" + a curved spot on the head = NFW am i doing it ;)
 

Yep put yer thinking cap on...

Years ago up to about the mid 90's I always used a paper match are a tooth pick I would open the thermo and jam it in it to crack it open life was good it would bleed the system of air rat now... No air lock : ) When the thermo did open it would flush the match/tooth pick out of it...

The last one I did was a SOB to put a thermo in they complained no heat I went after the thermo and the match was still there it was stuck to the thermo... I abandoned that trick LOL..

Air lock is not a common issue on these unlike some of the junk I run into...
 
rammo77, when you cleaned the radiator and put in a new thermostat, did you flush the whole system? Also put the thermostat and your meat thermometer in a pan of water on the stove and test the thing. Just because it's new, it may have been made in the land of almost right.
 
Thank you. I'm honestly trying to remember if I flushed the block or not. It was one of those start, stop, projects due to waiting for parts and making other minor engine mods. (i.e. oil filter, valve adjustments, wiring, etc.) I thought I had, but may not have, now that I think about it. I think I'll pull the thermostat, test it, and flush/drain the block again, and check the accuracy of the temp. gauge itself. I also have an old Wagner bucket loader on the unit, so should be fun getting to the stuff.
 

You posted you have a temp gun use it no need to take it apart unless you don't trust the temp gun...

Shoot the base of the thermostat just under where it sets that's gonna tell ya the true temp...
 
Where did you get the gauge? I put a new gauge from Dennis Carpenter in a 641. That gauge would go to the red almost as soon as the engine was started. The second gauge did nothing. The third gauge would go straight to the red zone and then drop back down to the low green zone. I no longer waste time or money on reproduction gauges. I go to Summit Racing ebay store and buy a Stewart Warner temp gauge.
 
Hello, I believe the gauge is the OEM. It's a "mechanical" gauge - has like a metal casing around the line going to the gauge. I hope to work on it this weekend. I will use my infrared temp gun on it too.
 

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