Re:How Hot is Too Hot?

[Larry Edson <sonofed@ix.netcom.com>]

At 11:52 AM 2/4/97 -0500, MNWebb@aol.com wrote:
>Hi -
>
>In the area of temp. gauges and the engine. I seem to recall reading an
>excellent Gene Berg technical report that most temp. gauges are highly
>unreliable. He went on to say that the only good ones are those in the
>high-end (like $300+) range. Any-one else read something similar? I too am
>worried about overheating because sometimes my engine smells quite hot.
>
Gene's report made a number of good points, all aimed at getting us to buy
his products.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe Gene Berg Enterprises makes
very good products and I have followed his advice a number of times.  I have
his oil temperature sensors in all of my cars.  The first one was in a '71
camper that I have since sold.  Before I found out about the Gene Berg
dipstick I had previously put in a VDO gauge.  I did not ever fully trust it
because the temperature always measured at least 225 and topped out the
gauge at 260 several times.  

The dipstick gauge was the result of tests the Bergs made on currently
available sensors mounted in different areas of the engine.  Where you put
the sensor makes a difference with the temperature reading.  The story, as I
heard it from Gene when he came up to San Jose to talk to our local club a
few years ago, is that his wife likes to bake and suggested that a candy
thermometer has to be very accurate to prevent burning.  So they rigged up a
candy thermometer sensor to a dipstick and wired it into the oil light on
your dash.  When your oil approaches 225 the oil light will start to flicker
and will come on solid above that point.  Gene felt that 225 degrees at the
sump is a good upper limit for what you want to run at.

Making this work in a Type 3 required a different approach though.  I'm not
100% satisfied with Gene's solution but it hasn't let me down yet.  It saved
me once when I was out in the desert and I lost one of the elbows going to
the heat exchanger.  The sensor is on a little stubby end which attaches to
a block off plate that replaces the standard dipstick and tube.  So how do
you measure the oil level and how do you add oil?  I let my oil light decide
if I am low on oil -- as long as the light stays off my motor is happy.
When I do an oil change I put the oil in the oil breather by prying off the
plastic cap and taking out the brillo pad -- or whatever that is in there.


---Larry Edson, Editor
   Karmann Ghia Club of North America
   Campbell, CA
   '65 Type 345 (electric sunroof)
   '66 Type 343
   '67 Bug (sunroof)
   '49 Ford pickup