Odd readings on water temp gauge.

Hello all, been a while since I was last on here.

Last Thursday morning I decided to take the 'F to work, a journey of 67 motorway miles. During the first ten miles or so I noticed the water temp gauge needle was dropping steadily below normal, to about one division above the bottom of the range. It normally religiously runs one division below the half-way mark. Having pulled-over to the hard shoulder I did the sniff test on the exhaust, but all seemed OK.

I pulled in at the Sainsbury's Service Station at London Colney for fuel, and checked the expansion bottle level, the level was normal, and the pressure cap was holding pressure ok.

When I continued my journey, the gauge needle was reading normally for the rest of the journey - likewise on the return trip.

As I have been fitting a Moto-Build splitter, Trophy meshes and re-silvered headlight reflectors this Friday & Saturday the car hasn't been used until 5pm this afternoon when I went for a drive to Stansted to test the effectiveness of the splitter, (report another time).

Again, as per Thursday I had a similar occurrence with the gauge, but coolant levels are all normal. I waited for about half-an-hour at my destination, then set-off home and once again the gauge needle settled at one division below halfway. I would've tested it more but I was caught in a massive thunderstorm downpour with the hood down, which hasn't relented since, so I'll be baling the car out tomorrow.

Anyway, would anybody have an idea as to what is possibly going on re. the gauge?

Sorry for the rambling, by the way - it's a '96 VVC.

Vic

dfv8 wrote: Hello all, been a while since I was last on here.

Last Thursday morning I decided to take the 'F to work, a journey of 67 motorway miles. During the first ten miles or so I noticed the water temp gauge needle was dropping steadily below normal, to about one division above the bottom of the range. It normally religiously runs one division below the half-way mark. Having pulled-over to the hard shoulder I did the sniff test on the exhaust, but all seemed OK.

I pulled in at the Sainsbury's Service Station at London Colney for fuel, and checked the expansion bottle level, the level was normal, and the pressure cap was holding pressure ok.

When I continued my journey, the gauge needle was reading normally for the rest of the journey - likewise on the return trip.

As I have been fitting a Moto-Build splitter, Trophy meshes and re-silvered headlight reflectors this Friday & Saturday the car hasn't been used until 5pm this afternoon when I went for a drive to Stansted to test the effectiveness of the splitter, (report another time).

Again, as per Thursday I had a similar occurrence with the gauge, but coolant levels are all normal. I waited for about half-an-hour at my destination, then set-off home and once again the gauge needle settled at one division below halfway. I would've tested it more but I was caught in a massive thunderstorm downpour with the hood down, which hasn't relented since, so I'll be baling the car out tomorrow.

Anyway, would anybody have an idea as to what is possibly going on re. the gauge?

Sorry for the rambling, by the way - it's a '96 VVC.

Vic

Hi Vic,
Almost certainly an electrical gremlin.:yesnod:
Check your connections.

It sounds kind of silly but did you try giving the face of the guage a "tap, tap, tap" just if there is any effect.
Maybe a solder joint in the guage is starting to fail, or some other loose connection type issue.
Hopefully it's nothing more expensive than the guage.

How did the Moyo-Build splitter work out? I have one in the shed waiting to be painted.
Did you use the big screws that they provide? I was thinking of using nuts, bolts and fender washers for more security but
have been thinking that it may be best that the spoiler can get torn off easily to minimize damage to the bumper.:whistle:

Rich - I have the splitter fitted and it works a treat.

It used to get 'light' at about 70 now still feels solid in the high 90s

Measurments in kph :whistle: (otherwise I would have been speeding )

My son and I fitted ours with the bumper off which makes it really easy to centre as well, with 2 people.

The self tapping screws seem very secure, so I don't tink bolts are nescesarry.

Hi again,

Thanks for the suggestions, tapping the gauge doesn't really work as the neddle moves quite happily on it's own. Will check the wiring in the engine bay for poor earths etc.

New topic started re. splitter.

dfv8 wrote: Hi again,

Thanks for the suggestions, tapping the gauge doesn't really work as the neddle moves quite happily on it's own. Will check the wiring in the engine bay for poor earths etc.

New topic started re. splitter.

This might help. temp gauge

What car do you have? Do you have an android phone (or iphone). If so get a bluetooth OBD dongle for about 20 quid and use the "Torque" app.

It displays live OBD data gauges on your phone screen so you can keep track of water temp when you are driving. Best of all, it has a "head Up Display" option which projects the dial in reverse so you position phone on dashboard and you see the coolant temp onto the screen in front of your eyes

If you have a Mk1 F, and dont have a smart phone, then erase everything i just said....

Have you got a link to the ODB dongle, I feel a Carputer project comming on.

This is the one I have. I just leave it plugged in all the time


linky

New toy on its way to me :woohoo:

woohoo!!:woohoo: