It’s getting hot in here!!

As far as I am aware there is no way of knowing your engine is getting too hot until it actually overheats!! I always panic on long journeys, especially when we are stuck in motorway traffic, that the engine will not keep as cool as a water cooled engine. Is there anything that can be fitted, or could have been fitted at production, that can monitor this in the dash? Thanks

 

If it's in good shape, it's unlikely to overheat. Honest.

But if you insist..get a VDO oil temp gauge with a dipstick sender if you've got a type 1 engine.

 

Maintainance, maintainance, maintainance and everything will be fine!

 

As Snots says. We never had any worry gauges, just made sure we kept on top of servicing the engine, timing, valve clearances et al. All the basic diy stuff. Never had issue with frying the engine

 

Lots. VDO gauges are quite an easy add on.. do A search for 'gauges'.. 'worry gauges' or 'oil temperature gauge'

they work in much hotter counties that this as above look after it and it'll be happy

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

If you keep it as VW made it with all the air flaps and a good engine seal they are fine, I have seen vans with engine lids drilled, removed to let more cool air in totally missing the way an air cooled engine cools down, I have fitted a fan in the engine bay to draw more air in traffic jams. There was less traffic on the road back then. Like others have said and oil temperature gauge is not expensive and gives you peace of mind.

 

Gauges are good. They stop you worrying.

 

Thanks for all your replies. Engine is a reconditioned engine put in a few years ago so it should all be quite good, but I still worry about my ‘boy’. Will get mechanic to give it a good check over in next service!! Yes I think I will get an oil gauge fitted , any suggestions of the best one? Our engine is a 2 ltr automatic but not sure of the version. Dipstick gets very hot when engine has been running but it burns very little oil in the new engine so I think that is a good sign that it’s cooling effectively?? But I’m no mechanic!!

 

Oil temp is good for a long journey gradually heating up situation, but oil temp is quite slow to react. Type-4 engine owners also like cylinder head temperature gauges. These react very quickly and give a more instant picture well before the oil gets hot.
Sitting in traffic you would find your head temps are half of when going 60mph, or even accelerating hard through the gears. In traffic, they don't overheat.

 

Dipstick sender by VDO is quite good and commonly used. Quite accurate if you buy a 150 degree C kit.
Some people moan because they mix and match a 120 degree sender with a 150 degree gauge.

But it is possible even with an engine in good condition to push it too hard on modern roads, going gently up hill for 30 miles at 70mph can produce alarming temperatures at the cylinder heads, or even doing 55mph with a heavy load and junk on the roofrack.

After watching oil temperatures, Americans who live in hot places also fit cylinder head temperature gauges, as these heat up much faster than engine oil, and once you reach above 155 degrees C you start running the risk of cracking the cylinder heads.

I had to back off in my bus, with the oil temperature constant at only 102 degrees C but the cylinder head temperatures rocketed on fast hills on the M4 last week.
I actually idled the engine until the CHTS stopped rising through heat soak at the services.


A dipstick oil temperature gauge was the first gauge I bought.

These days provided you can put the plastic box somewhere cool, you can get bluetooth BBQ thermometers ...

 

Blimey! Is the one on the right an altimeter?

 

It's a dual CHT gauge.

 

I’d need another licence to read all those gauges!!

 

Have we put you off yet ?

 

I'd highly recommend an oil pressure gauge as well as a temperature gauge. Between the two you will be able to reassure yourself that thi gs are normal and get early warning of a problem.

 

Agreed .
Start modifying them with silly cams , high comp heads etc and you`re asking for trouble - just my contentious
opinion . Unless you know a very good engine builder stock works , if you want to go fast pop in Scooby ....

If you want something to watch start with a VDO dipstick sender kit - about 80 quid .

 

CHT gauges are good for another reason too. As CHT is primarily affected by your air/fuel ratio, you could theoretically use a CHT gauge (or preferably one per cylinder) to tune your carb(s)

When flying aircraft with very similar flat 4/6 piston engines - a change of altitude necessitates a leaning or enrichment of the mixture.

(I said theoretically because unfortunately one cannot adjust the mixture while driving. Now there's an idea for a mod ).

 

^this. Just forget about it, or fit a simple oil temp gauge.

Don’t fit an oil pressure gauge if your engine’s getting old. You won’t like what you see. Ignorance is bliss.

 

If the dipstick is too hot to remove then your engines too hot ,I used to waff my hand in the engine bay