Worried about my worry gauges

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by Sick Boy, May 13, 2020.

  1. Since my scooby conversion about 5 years ago I have had three gauges. The one on the left I have always ignored because I don't know what it means and the two temperature gauges on the right have always ended up vertical during a long run. Yesterday, after a long spell in the garage, I notice the middle one (oil temp) is all over the place. Is this because the gauge is faulty or have I got a problem with my oil temp?
     

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  2. Wrong engine for the assuages bud, i suggested swapping back ;).

    If temp isn't showing anything worrying i wouldn't worry to much, only other option is try another gauge and sender to verify i guess.
     
  3. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    What do you mean by "all over the place"?
    Could be a poor connection in the wiring to the gauge if it's moving fast.
     
  4. If all the gauges measure the same thing, but read different, there is definitely a problem and I would be worried.
    On the other hand, if they read different things and are accurate, they might be telling you something is wrong and I would be worried.

    Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
     
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  5. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    I think the only logical way forward is to add a set of gauges the monitor and alert you if your current set of gauges are apparently not working properly.

    Also, as with Star Trek it’s far far safer to be able to eject the ‘core’ or engine in this case should it become critical
     
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  6. I used to be concerned over the temperature in my MG
    - until a friend told me the best cure for this was gaffa tape
    - stick it over the the dial.
     
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  7. Matt @pkrboo might be able to give you some idea - i can`t read the guages to see which does what ....

    :hattip:
     
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  8. Edit - just re-read your post , DOH !
    If oil temp is all over , how long does it take to fluctuate - does it flicker around or take a minute or two ??

    Just thinking along the lines of if the level is low the oil could be surging around and not covering the sender all the
    time ?
    Flickering would probably be a bad connection ...

    What you need is a nice little 1600 :rolleyes:

    :hattip:[/QUOTE]
     
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  9. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Oil pressure is the left hand one. Oil temperature middle one and water temperature on the right.

    Left hand one is worry if it goes to zero suddenly.
    If something goes wrong though hopefully your Scooby converter wired up the dash oil warning light properly so that comes on as well if it dumps its oil. .

    The oil temperature and water temperature gauges should only be able to change reading over a minute or so. There is a lot of mass to heat up, even with 10's of kilowatts of heat being produced by a working engine..

    So I would say .. left gauge.. vary with RPM. Other two should creep up and down.

    Most likely a loose wire.

    The one time I ever saw wierd with water temperatures was when the water level was so low the gauge dropped while steam came out... Morris Marina, hoses split, core plugs popped when it was -8 degrees C in Surrey.
     
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  10. As you are worrying about them, they're doing their job fine:D.

    Its probably a bad connection as has been stated above, next i would say a bad sensor, what type have you for the oil temperature, sump or dipstick?
    If the temperature shoots straight off the scale when you turn on the ignition the wires are on in the wrong order (ask me how I know).

    Good luck and keep worrying:thumbsup:
     
  11. Thanks as ever for all your helpful replies. @mikedjames you are correct, it does go up and down with rpm. Never understood what it was telling me until I read your post.
     
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  12. It's written on it ;)
     
  13. [​IMG]
    Is this the ultimate gauge?
    So much you can monitor off one device - that needs to be disguised by a nice wooden surround.

    [​IMG]

    The wires are all a bit too short though I think.
    Don’t know if that’s something a pro can sort out.

    [​IMG]


    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392919393315


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  14. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    I prefer my multifunction displays based on PLX Devices protocol.
    [​IMG]
    Only 2 wires from the engine bay and sensor boxes screwed to the firewall. Mostly home made apart from the AFR setup.
     
  15. Can you get radio 4 Mike ??

    ;)

    :hattip:
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2020
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  16. C7252E78-0385-4CA7-9B2F-C25A6E3C326A.jpeg
    I think he means on hard cornering that they roll off the Dash:)
     
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  17. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    To give it proper scale - those are valve caps and the displays are 1.3" diagonal.
    The microcontroller is probably fast enough to demodulate Radio 4 longwave off the air directly ..
     
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