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I think gauges with a smaller spread are generally more accurate than those
with a bigger spread. Something I remember from my physics classes but I
can't really prove. Since the VW engine should never reach temps above
300F a large spread isn't needed or used (unless you plan to do some baking
:) This, of course, is outside temps...inside the cylinder you will find
*very* high temps!
During the summer I put an oven temp gauge (like what you'd buy in a
kitchen store at the mall) in the engine cooling exhaust air flow, left
side, and the temp never went higher that 175F. Is this the average temp
of a 2003cc engine? Couldn't say for sure but this 'reading' was an
indication that the stock cooling system was maxed out and additional
cooling was needed, either in the form of addtional oil cooling and/or air
volume, because my oil pressure indicated to me that I was still running
too hot (low oil pressure reading).
I like the idea of a pyrometer. Garott's Garage (something like that)
sells them I believe but the price is a little high and it's only for spot
checking -- what we need is a device that images the whole engine surface
and shows temps according to color, much like a temperature weather map!
Toby "I'm telling ya, I should've been an auto/mechanical engineer" Erkson
air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
'72 VW Squareback 1.6L bored and stroked to 2.0L
'75 Porsche 914 1.8L
Portland, Oregon, http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/8501/
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: gauges
Author: type-3-errors@umich.edu at SMTPGATE
Date: 9/25/97 6:49 PM
...
I guess my question is just how hot is hot? My Notch with it's
semi-hopped up engine and ceramic coated exhaust and on Florida roads
never gets above 200 F. according to my VDO gauge, maybe 25 F. hotter
when the engine is just shut off. I would think that the hottest point
within the combustion chamber would be at the point of ignition, the
sparkplug. The head stud would be within the path that the heat takes as
it is drawn towards the cooling fins. The problem is that the VDO gauge
range is from 100 F. to 600 F. so 200 F. is at the extreme end of the
scale, where gauges tend to be their least accurate. I suppose that the
thing to do in a perfect world would be to get a pyrometer, take
readings across the scale and then adjust my readings to reflect them. I
don't think that VW ever put out any logistics on the correct engine
temps, and if they did it would be pretty heavy to cover every type
engine, and size, and application. I guess all this really isn't an
exact science, now is it?
David Walters
'73 1600 L Notch
S. FL, USA