Mechanical verses electrical temp gauge

[sujitroy]

I haven't had much luck with the combined mechanical Smiths temp/oil gauges on Stag no. 2. With the first gauge, the temp gauge failed on install. Unfortunately, it was out of warrantee. A fellow Stag owner donated another one. It lasted about a year and now the temp. a gauge has failed. I'm going back to the stock gauge. The only stupid thing is, while the engine was of the car, I taped back to wire to the transmitter. I'm going to run another line to the back of the gauge
Sujit

[StagJonno]

My dual gauge is still working well 5 yrs & counting (as long as this isn't tempting fate ).

[stag8manod]

I have run singular mechanical water, oil temp and pressure gauges in my Stag and Spitfire for a combined time of approximately 55 years without problems.
Cheers Ian A

[wilf]

My dual gauge is still working well 5 yrs & counting (as long as this isn't tempting fate ).

I can beat that - July 28th will be the 10th anniversary of my fitting a dual mechanical gauge, still working well. And another was in for 10 years in the car before this. One of the knacks for a long life is to ensure that you have anti-vibration measures in place near the capillary bulb of the sender, to stop the copper tube work-hardening and fracturing.

Can't beat Ian A's 55 years though!

[trunt]

Another one with 10 years and still counting on my MGB..

just bad luck I fear Sujit..maybe get a 10 year old one!!

[Wheelz]

Digital is better than analogue. IMO

[Phil S]

The standard gauge can be checked against a laser type thermometer, then you know what your normal running temperature is. An oil pressure gauge is a nice extra.

[richardthestag]

You do know sujitroy that the bulb end of the mechanical gauge is just too long to fit inside the transfer housing on the back of the head. Unless you have had yours modified and a sleeve fitted the end of the bulb will be resting against the inside of the transfer housing. Constant cooling and heating alongside the vibration will wear the bulb through quite quickly and then it will fail.

[Tdafforn]

Something you might want to consider is that the mg midget had a screw in extension for the bulb as without it it doesn't fit. How do i know? I screwed the bulb into a head and heard the "pssssss" as the ether escaped when the bulb split
tim

[sujitroy]

This kit, I bought had a threaded adapter as the thread were different. I don't think the bulb bottomed out, but who knows. When the gauge worked the temp was very stable so I'm not worried too much. My son is using the car as-is for now.. I will get around to it once I finish replacing bushes, springs, shocks, diff and exhaust pipe on Stag no.1.
Sujit

[jbuckl]

The gauges are for indication only…. They are not actually instruments unless they are calibrated.
just saying.

[richardthestag]

The electric temp gauge in other cars that I drive, Range Rover, L200 pick up, Hyundai i10, rises to a "normal" position and then sticks there like glue and doesn't move a mm either way.

On my stag, when I had the electric standard gauge fitted, it waved around between 1/3 and 7/8 (just under the red section) but predominantly between 1/2 and 2/3 for the majority of the time. The only time when it goes up to the edge of the red section (and the system is working) is when I come to a stop after a good run. It never goes any further and does start to drop down again. without me doing anything at all.

I tend to ignore it for the majority of the time and take a casual glance at it from time to time, I am aware of the behaviours. Somebody needs to create a temp sender that sits in the mid point for all temps in the normal running range.

[sujitroy]

The temp electrical gauge on my auto fluctuates similarly. I have got used to driving that way over the last 20 years.