Water Temp - Am I missing something ?

[stag888]

Hi ,
Just replaced my temp gauge , the previous mechanical just packed up - capillary went . Anyway before fitting I checked the new gauge in the kettle & against a digital thermometer - reads about 1 to 2deg low , but nothing dramatic , so fitted it . However the gauge now shows my car running at only 60 / 70 deg, 40 miles @ 70mph on the M25 it sat @ 60 deg , and then when I swung off the motorway straight into traffic it rose slightly to 70 deg then settled @ 65 deg . This just seems to me to be too low , my memory was that the previous gauge , which I never tested ran closer to 90 deg , much like my everyday Golf . Any thoughts or comments as to what temp I should be expecting at this mild time of the year - not that I would have thought ambient temp should make that much difference , or does it ?
Cheers
Steve

[milothedog]

Have you kinked the tube fitting it With temperature that low the thermostat is likely to only just be starting to open. Do you have circulation, check the top hose and bottom hose.

Ian.

[V Mad]

Coincidentally, I have found my car to run much cooler than expected since I fitted a digital meter which gives an actual reading rather than a gauge position. Mine runs at 70C except when stationary, which then reads about 75C. I suspect the PO may have fitted a low temp thermostat. I will be checking it when I get time.

[LAMBRETTLAD]

Please excuse the non topic question

Milo what is that chap under your car doing ??????? Should the mod be informed

[milothedog]

Please excuse the non topic question

Milo what is that chap under your car doing ??????? Should the mod be informed

Only if they are going to ban pictures of smoking and drinking

[stag888]

Thanks ,
So general thinking is it's running too cool , will check hoses , to ensure circulation , however the only thing I've changed is the gauge , and I double checked last thing before making final connection to the block against the digital thermometer using a cup of hot water resting on the head , following along the line of thought raised by Milo that the capillary being far too long does have to be coiled up under the dash - both gauge & digital reading for the cup ,the same - 70 deg, and the they dropped at a comparable rate as the temp cooled . The only difference I can see between the old & new is the length of the sensor is shorter by about 1cm , so effectively it doesn't protrude into the engine so far .. but surely with the water under pressure that shouldn't be an issue ?
Steve

[V Mad]

It sounds like your old gauge may have been reading too high.

[wilf]

Or.......you now have an airlock around the sender.

[stuart]

Please forgive a non-expert observation, but if the car was running well before the old temp gauge failed, and it is still running well with the new one (and why shouldn't it?) why lose sleep over the new temp reading?

[stag888]

Stuart ,
Fair point - yes ran well before & runs well now , a times I wish I could leave well alone , but it's just that thing that drives you to want to work out why , what's changed, If I don't work it out am sure given time I'll get used to the lower reading . There is also that point - that I spent the money on the gauge and want it to read just right or at least what I expected.
Cheers
Steve

[pollystag]

Someone on here will soon be posting up a thread asking whats wrong with his stag as it doesnt overheat! Ha.
oops, he already has,lol.