Temperature guage

[claypole1360]

Okay, my v8 temperature gauge sits at just below halfway on a run and climbs to three quarters at a standstill, question is, is that about normal or is it damaging the engine?
Cheers Calvin

[prlee]

Hi Calvin, don't know about the V8, have you sorted out the fan wiring? How have you adjusted the fan cut in?

My 7 runs at just under half way but the fan cuts in at just over and the temp stays there. This gives only a small variation in the engine temperature, I would have thought the V8 should be similar.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[claypole1360]

Hi Pete, the fan is working as I bought a new capillary from an electronics company for £15 but I am still trying to get the level right, the fan doesn't seem to be having much effect on lowering the temp but seems to maintain it at a level.
My next move is to swap the puny kenlowe fan for the monstrous Peugeot 406 item I have on the Bond race car.
Cheers Calvin

[busheytrader]

When I converted my 7 to V8 spec, S&S advised me that halfway on the temp gauge was where it should sit. ie the needle is straight up.

With the 2.0L engine, it was running hot if it went over the quarter mark but that's down to the different temperature senders.

Adam




TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 14" 5 Spokes or Maestro Turbo 15" Alloys, Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991 courtesy of S&S V8 conversion and big brake kits.

[john 215]

Hi Calvin,

Mine runs between 1/4 and half when being driven ( depends how hard and ambient temp ) I have the fan set just over 1/2, the big V8's get hot quick when not moving.

I personally fit the biggest fan you can get in there.

Also you have a choice of engine thermostats

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

[Hasbeen]

Check your mixture.

I spent months, or perhaps years & much money chasing overheating at rest or in slow traffic in the 4.6L 8. Big radiators big fan extra fan, oil coolers, ducting to guide air flow, dyno tuning by an expert, everything helped, but nothing did the job.

Then after a large upgrade in power new manifold, plenum, throttle body & ignition, we could not get into the computer to re tune the thing. As you would expect it was getting hot as before.

Fitted a new computer & tuned the thing, just on the road. Huge increase in power, & IT NOW RAN MUCH COOLER IN TRAFFIC.

It appeared the "expert" tuned for top power but not for small or no throttle openings, where we found it quite lean. When this was richened up [quite a lot in fact] the car suddenly became usable in our summer, [100+F] in traffic, without having to give it cool down breaks every 10 Km. Stays under half on the dash gauge, & the laser gauge reads just over 90C at the water outlet to the radiator.

Our research has found that Rover tuned for lean running at small throttle openings to improve economy. It worked on ours, give it a try.

Hasbeen

[Sautie]

I have had much trouble with my 8. Note that the correct original temp guage reads from 50c at the 0 position & 140c at the top rh position.
Thus half way is 95c. Thus themostat opens at say 80c which is just over the 1/4 mark. At roughly half way the 2 fans come on at slow speed & at 3/4 they switch to fast speed. Until my problems, my 8 & the other original 8 in Rretoria both ran even on long trips at just over the quarter mark.All of a sudden I would be running at half on the guage, all day. I eventually fitted a new temp gauge & new sender unit & a presto all is back to normal.
I hope this helps.

[claypole1360]

Thanks everyone, food for thought, I will let you know how i get on. I think the big fan first and tweek the thermostat down.
Calvin

[Odd]

One more thing Guys - don't trust the gauge (as some trust the bible/law/whatever)!
Use a <u>proper</u> means of MEASURING the ACTUAL water temperature at the thermostat!!!

The gauge needle is 'adjustable' you know... And quite easily adjustable if you want to
(And some PO <i>might</i> have wanted to!), you just nudge the needle to show what YOU
want it to at the steady state normal operating temperature
- and from then on it will do just that...

I decided<u> I </u> wanted my gauge to show EXACTLY mid-gauge at the 88C (tested so!)
where my thermostat is fully open, never mind what others (= Leyland/JRT back in the
late seventies) wanted. So, from a thermocouple (fitted into the thermostat housing
downstream of the thermostat, and) jacked into my multimeter I could accurately
determine EXACTLY when the needle should be nudged into its proper position.
Easy peasy...

Now it slightly meanders around the mid position - dependent on the speed, the operating
conditions and the operation of the twin two-speed 10" fans. Never looked back since...

<font color="red"><b>My two 1980 Wedges...</b></font id="red">

[prlee]

Sounds like a bigger fan or twin fans to me if it can't bring the temperature down.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.