|
Maybe temp gauges are going out of fashion, though I did expect one on a 'premium brand' car. I'm kinda with Yorkiebar.
|
Agreed, the temp gauges on cars don't stay rock steady because the car's engine is remaining at the same temperature, they stay that way because they are designed to only deviate from the normal position when the engine reaches extremely high temperatures.
Really a temp gauge is just a "nice to have" rather than a "must have" in modern cars I reckon...
Blue
|
|
What would be really useful would be a buzzer or flashing light to warn when the temperature starts to rise above a pre-set point. I have a temp. gauge in my car,but have to admit to not looking at it very often. I`m usually too busy looking out for Mr.Brumston`s mob!
|
|
I used to have an oil temperature gauge in my Fiat Strada 130tc and I never thrashed it until the oil was at a decent temperature. It got very high one day when I was racing a Golf GTi on the motorway so I backed off. By the look of it, most modern cars do without this sort of info. I remember the fashion for oil pressure gauges many years ago and turbo boost more recently. Maybe drivers find all these gauges confusing nowadays. Dumbing down perhaps?
|
|
For a few years now, many cars have a gauge and a warning if it gets too hot, for example, the main display will say "STOP! Engine Temperature Too High! Service Manual" and beep. So why bother with the gauge too? I think it's time to say goodbye just as we did the voltmeter and choke.
|
Its nice to know that the engine has warmed up to correct operating temperature so you can start using the full rev range without causing damage to a cold engine.
Its also nice to have an oil level gauge at start up so you know there's some oil in the sump too.
The reason we said goodbye to the choke was first they went automatic ( when they worked ) & then we went down the fuel injection route.
|
Temp gauge is not just an alarm it's a diagnostic tool. Note where it normally sits and watch for unexplained deviations tht might (high) inidcate a radiator becoming blocked or (low in winter) a failed thermostat.
As I've said before it should not be too long before the car is offered with a "glass cockpit" where mechanical instruments are replaced with a LCD type display showing parameters of the driver's choosing - most are mapped for ecu purposes. Those just wanting a large speedo and an alarm for abnormal indications choose one setting, others hankering after a Spitfire cockpit can choose the full monty option!!
|
|
|
Temp gauges are extremely useful. Ironic that BMW has deleted them - I've diagnosed a few BMW cooling system (and HGF) by looking at the needle position - should run just to the left of '12.00 O'clock' - but if cooling system is below par or HG is leaking a bit then the needle sits just to the right of 12.00. Knowing where the needle sits and spotting any small change can give good forewarning of many problems, inc. sticky thermostat (Merc, Volvo engines), blocked rads, cooling fan failure etc.
The reason that most gauges appear not to move much is that the sender is made of two different slugs of NTC thermistor material (usually BeO). They are arranged in series such that the temp vs. resistance curve has a 'plateau' around the normal running temp. By doing that the gauge is sensitive at low and high temps, but relatively insensitive around the running temp zone. This stops the gauge oscillating about the centre and confusing the driver.
The 'you just melted your engine' warning lamp which comes on at 120deg.C saves money and is less of distraction to the 3-series driver (who doubtless has a high workload, talking on cellphone and fiddling with ICE system etc).
|
|
Having a warning only will not help if your car is not getting up to temperature properly. My A4 developed a fault and the gauge refused to reach normal temperature. Fixed under warranty and I have no-idea of the cause, although they did mutter something about new software.
|
|
|
>The 'you just melted your engine' warning lamp
Somewhat akin to the low oil pressure light which was fitted to my old Daimler Century (57) . Friend of mine with same car just removed the bulb because " it gets on my nerves flashing " he said. Temp guage on this was a bulb with capillary tube from thermostat housing back to dash. Worked well.
I have a suspicion that the breed of drivers we now have in abundance who are not able to chew gum and walk at same time find any sort of instrumentation unnecessary.
Happy Motoring Phil I (possibly waiting for the breakdown vehicle)
|
|
|
Spot on Aprilia, correct all the way.
I would go further and say that a nice little dial calibrated in degrees is a better sort of dial than a cold, normal, god it's boiling quadrant, colour coded in green, white and red. But then I like a nice oil pressure gauge too.
|
|
|
The 'you just melted your engine' warning lamp which comes on at 120deg.C
This shouldn't be seen as a warning that you have "just melted your engine" ~ merely that the coolant has reached the temperature at which it is boiling or is about to boil, and that you ought to do something ~ which would normally mean slowing down or putting the heater on if the car is idling at the time.
--
L\'escargot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agreed, the temp gauges on cars don't stay rock steady because the car's engine is remaining at the same temperature, they stay that way because they are designed to only deviate from the normal position when the engine reaches extremely high temperatures.
Sorry, but I don't entirely agree. Under day-to day driving conditions and in a normal UK ambient air temperature the gauge can be expected to go up to it's "normal" reading (under which circumstances the thermostat is just cracked open) and then just stay there. However, there are a number of circumstances under which the coolant temperature will rise above the thermostat crack-open temperature and the gauge reading will be higher than "normal", without the engine reaching "extremely high temperatures".
For example, during prolonged idling the coolant temperature (and the gauge reading) can cycle up and down as the cooling fan cuts in and out.
If the ambient air temperature is high, i.e. in a hot summer, the temperature reading can be expected to rise above "normal". Driving for prolonged periods at high speed, or towing something substantial (i.e. something more than just a small trailer) particularly up a hill, can be expected to have the same effect.
However, the engine temperature will more than likely still be well within it's design operating temperature range.
--
L\'escargot.
|
Its nice to know that the engine has warmed up to correct operating temperature so you can start using the full rev range without causing damage to a cold engine.
Honda has already thought of that - the Jazz has a light which stays on from cold until the engine is warm. A little disconcerting the first time you drive the car, but a great idea if you don't have a guage.
|
Agree with Aprilia 100%: Recent thread on the subject:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=46916&...f
My Kawasaki does not have a temp gauge, I would prefer one though the fan is reassuring when it cuts in and out in traffic.
On a new car it cant be difficult to incorp in a multi func display as some bikes, i.e clock / trip comp / ambient temp / engine temp / oil temp etc. Cheaper than a guage.
|
Agree with Aprilia 100%: Recent thread on the subject: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=46916&...f
Thanks, Cheddar. I see I even contributed to that thread!
Interesting comments... My ideal instrumentation would be speedo, tacho, odo, coolant temp, oil pressure and oil temperature - oh, and fuel level. Anything I've missed?
For the temp gauges I'd like the 'industrial' approach: normal = needle at 12 o'clock, so a quick glance tels you that all is well - or not as the case may be. That could work for normal/constnat hot oil pressure too.
|
|
|
|
|
...also the Kia Picanto
|
Our Yaris has blue symbol of thermometer which goes out when warm - hope to hell it has a very bright red one when it get's too hot.
Dave
|
|
|
|
>> Its nice to know that the engine has warmed up to correct operating temperature so you can start using the full rev range without causing damage to a cold engine. Honda has already thought of that - the Jazz has a light which stays on from cold until the engine is warm. A little disconcerting the first time you drive the car, but a great idea if you don't have a guage.
Alfa Romeo had 'cold engine' light many many years ago.
|
I didn't realise that so many cars didn't have coolant temp gauges!!
I only noticed the other day (after two months) that SWMBO's A-Class doesn't have one either.
I'm surprised I've only just noticed as I think it is an important gauge.
----------------------------------------------
Aim low, expect nothing & dont be disappointed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
