Coolant temps on a stock gauge

[tom37]

I know that the stock gauges are less then stellar, but for the time being its all I have. At this very moment in time I also do not have access to a point and shoot thermo.

Can someone that has an actual temp gauge along with the factory dash gauge please tell me where there dash gauge is reading.

Mine is showing just below center at idle, dead center when cruising empty, and slightly above center on the gauge when towing.

All and all temps are running higher on the highway.

There is a new motorcraft thermostat in it, and also a new radiator.
Running Fleet Charge for my coolant.

I plan on going with a set of pillars in due time but just not now.

Thanks guys.

 

[Kevin 007]

Mine reads right on the N usually. Whatever that means haha

 

[pennsylvaniabo]

wow mine reads O/R and will heat to L or the hash mark before red is towing heavy through the mountains.....not sure if thats good or bad?

 

[tom37]

Wow Kevin, are you running a 195 thermo?

Mine are much closer to pennsylvaniabo's posted numbers.

When I start to get closer to the L in normal I start getting worried.

 

[robmoore11]

mine doesnt usually leave the first line after C while im in town or driving on hwy. when towing4-5k through mountains it usually sits between n and o. if just through local hwys it will stay closer to first line after C.

 

[DeepRoots]

the gauges vary, this is a worthless measurement.
I know you may be broke, but a coolant temp/oil pressure combo cheapy mech gauge set will set you back only $20. I should take about 30 minutes to install.

good luck.

 

[Brianedwardss]

The one time my 88 overheated and puked coolant, it was on the L. My 88 doesnt ever get to the N even when towing. After the M I get worried. But, every IDI I've owned was something different. One of my IDI's never would go past the first line, even when towing.

 

[SparkandFire]

The gauges on these trucks is one thing that Ford really F'ed up... If all the gauges had the same logic as the oil/temp/and battery charge gauges you'd have a fuel gauge that said "ENOUGH" or "NOT ENOUGH" and a speedometer that said "FAST" and "NOT FAST"

They still haven't learned from the past 25 years of implying that we are all too dumb to understand how to read the gauges by the numbers...

I look at it from a zen-like perspective, Ford is calming our nerves by simply saying "dont worry, everything under the hood is normal..."

The highest temp i've seen while towing was between the R and the M, mid span of the gauge (if you could really call it a gauge) which was about the time my fan clutch locked in and cooled things down...

 

[turbodiesel94]

I have the factory gauge and an aftermarket temp gauge. The factory gauge reads between the N and O while my aftermarket gauge moves around. I've been up to 220* and the dash gauge was only at the R.

 

[hesutton]

Tom, that stock gauge really is telling you nothing other than the coolant temp is less than 240. At or above that temp and it pegs the needle. But, by that point it is a little too late.

Getting a real temp gauge on these trucks in a must in my opinion. Otherwise, don't look at the factory gauge, it's really not informative at all.

Heath

 

[pennsylvaniabo]

Tom, that stock gauge really is telling you nothing oth than the coolant temp is less than 240. At or above that temp and it pegs the needle. But, by that point it is a little too late.

Getting a real temp gauge on these trucks in a must in my opinion. Otherwise, don't look at the factory gauge, it's really not informative at all.

Heath

With that being said i added a temp sender to my overtemp light....but this seems to give me a hotter than normal reading.

 

[sle2115]

I have digital VDO gauges in my truck. The in dash gauge almost always sets between the N and O. That being said, it's there from when my gauge starts reading at 70 degrees F until it's at operating temp. My truck rarely sees 200 degrees, I'm running a Stant Tstat, same coolant as the OP and Motorcraft water pump. I've seen 210 once or twice pulling a HEAVY load up a long hill on a very hot day. I'm to the point otherwise if I get to 205 degrees, I start to get a little antsy! But, like I said, from 70 to 205, I never see a difference on the factory gauge.

 

[tom37]

Ok, I'll have to get 1 case less beer this weekend for the bbq. But at least I will be able to see what the temps are doing.

I will see what I can find on the way home tonight.

Thank you

 

[tom37]

I went ahead and got a three gauge set. One temp gauge was almost 30 bucks, and the set was 47.00.

The single gauge was full elec and the set is one with a thermocouple.
I have read a couple different threads about placement and really can't make heads or tails on the choice of location.

Stock temp sensor or over temp light sensor.

I sat down for to long when I got home from work and just couldn't bring my self to go back outdoors, so its gonna have to be tomorrow.

 

[Kevin 007]

wow mine reads O/R and will heat to L or the hash mark before red is towing heavy through the mountains.....not sure if thats good or bad?

Yes im running a stock motocraft T-stat. But I really don't trust my gauge... I have an aftermarket one in there to but it don't work, didn't since it was new.