How to know if it is running hot?

[sasquatch]

In my stock 74 1.8, how do I tell if it is running hot? The weather here in SW Idaho is getting warm (99 today) and I have no guages for any kind of temperature reading. The cooling flaps are adjusted and working properly.

Do I just drive it and not worry about it? The funny thing about this situation is that I drove built air cooled VW's in high school and I never worried about temperature. I usually launched a motor every couple of months anyway. Now I am older and much more anal and want to know.

Jay

[scotty914]

most accurate is one of those fancy infra red thermos

or a head temp sensor that goes under a spark plug

[M. Hendrix]

It sounds different, like the oil is water, it idles *very slightly* high, odd and sickening.. the engine pulls more like a rubberband than a tractor.

That's pretty warm.

heh


M

[Joe Bob]

Hand held pyrometer, can take a reading on the oil dipstick and head temps.....

[green71]

Jay,

Hi from Boise. I commuted from Eagle to SE Boise today ~5:30pm & my temp only got a hair above 210F. That's close to as hot as it ever runs. I know your engine may run somewhat hotter or cooler, but I just thought I'd give you a point of reference.

Wouldn't mind hearing more about Sasquatch Racing some day . . .

[chrisreale]

Get an oil temp gauge. It will let you sleep beter at night!

[sasquatch]

Originally posted by green71
Jay,

Hi from Boise. I commuted from Eagle to SE Boise today ~5:30pm & my temp only got a hair above 210F. That's close to as hot as it ever runs. I know your engine may run somewhat hotter or cooler, but I just thought I'd give you a point of reference.

Wouldn't mind hearing more about Sasquatch Racing some day . . .

What? Another Idahoan! Give me a call 850-0121 (cell).

I need to get a guage, but I really do not want to add anything to the interior. I am beiing somewhat anal about adding anything that is not original. But maybe I can get away with a single guage under the dash or somehting.

Jay

[Joe Bob]

I just ordered a VDO oil temp and pressure gauge from Pelican. Call them and ask for Steve at ext 260.

[green71]

I’ve got a somewhat unusual combination gauge on my ’71. As usual, it’s got a gas gauge at the bottom and an oil temp gauge at the top and a couple of dummy lights. The unusual part is that the temp gauge is indexed; it’s got hash marks and numbers that indicate 120F, 150F, 180F, 210F, 230F, 250F, etc. (I think that’s right; this is from memory.)

I’ve never seen another one like it, but 914s don’t grow on trees around here. I’ve got a restorer’s guide to 914s that doesn’t have this gauge. I wouldn’t mind knowing if anyone else knows anything about it. It’s a great gauge for someone who wants an original look but also wants “accurate” temp readings. I’ll try to post a pic later.

I’ve actually spoken w/three other 914 owners in the last two weeks or so here in the Treasure Valley. That’s more than in the last year. I’ll give you a call. Maybe we can meet in the near future.

[Joe Bob]

That sounds like an early 911/12 gauge. Check the serial number on it....

[pbanders]

I only have an oil pressure light on my 2.0L, no temp or pressure gauge. I've driven my car recently in temps as high as 107 F here in Phoenix, no problems. You can tell when you're approaching "too hot" by the power response of the motor, even without gauges. When it loses power - I think of it as a "soft" gas pedal - it's getting too hot. As for the idle, it goes flat when you're getting near the danger zone. But then again, the damn idle on these things can drop, even when it's cool, so it's not such a great indicator.

If you're really worried, get both an oil temp and head temp gauge.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by green71
I’ve got a somewhat unusual combination gauge on my ’71. As usual, it’s got a gas gauge at the bottom and an oil temp gauge at the top and a couple of dummy lights. The unusual part is that the temp gauge is indexed; it’s got hash marks and numbers that indicate 120F, 150F, 180F, 210F, 230F, 250F, etc. (I think that’s right; this is from memory.)

My '76 has a guage like that but the oil temp portion isn't indexed. If I drive the car for a long time (1 hour+) then the oil temp gets close to the red zone but the car still runs fine (actually, it runs better the hotter it is). Those old non-indexed guages aren't terribly accurate after 27 years.

Aaron

[rockaria]

Originally posted by chrisreale
Get an oil temp gauge. It will let you sleep beter at night!

That's what I thought till I did it!

Back in college I drove a 914 everyday and back and forth every few months for 600 miles without a temp gauge and never really cared or worried abut it. The car ran fine and was mostly as dependable as a 914 could.

Now I am older and "Stupider", I worried about it so I put in a temp gauge in my new 914 and have not slept at night since. "240 degrees on a hot day Holly S__T!"

I have been spending countless hours trying to get the temps down. I have more money in Temperature gauges and devices then I have in the motor. I have the laser one, a few of those drop the wire into the area kinds, three different VDO ones, I have a temp sensor in the pan, on the dip stick, and attached to the heads, and wires everywhere. I drive exact routs at various speeds during various ambient temps and have a chart of every temp and range I get in each situation.

I have done everything I can to get it to get no hotter than 230 on a 100 degree day. 70 Degree day I run 210, So I can finally rest. But my mechanic friend got so mad at me he put Electric tape over the temp needle and said there "Now it runs cool! If it blows up we can fix it..."

I have found that the car runs at 200 Degrees after a long drive at 60 degrees ambient. I have then noticed that there is a direct relation from that point with ambient temps. For every degree hotter it is ambient I notice that the oil temp is related. at 90 degrees my engine runs 220.

I have also noticed that my head temps on the drivers side is never more that 310. and the passengers side is always 20 degrees hotter. (SIDE NOTE) all plugs run the same richnes and look identical when pulled. and the compression on all cylendars is all within tollerance at 125psi. I am also running it more rich than normal and have No Emissions stuff.

So my moral is, well, maybe it would be better if I did not know, and just enjoyed!

Just my ramblings on the subject.

[sasquatch]

Rockaria may have the right idea. I have good oil in her, she is tuned properly, stock FI system running flawlessly and all the cooling flaps are working/adjusted properly. So, I should just "feel" her and let her go. If she seems hot, investigate, otherwise, driver her and be happy.

Jay

[jkeyzer]

Go to a VDO distributor for the gauges and senders. You can save a *lot* of money on these things if you shop around a little bit.

I found that the gauges and senders were all $10 to $30 cheaper than elsewhere.

[BillySpaceman]

Ofcourse you can always go by the fire and smoke coming up from the deck lid, that generally is a accuarate gauge as well=D

[green71]

Here's a pic of my combo gauge, as promised. mikez - does this look like the early 911 - 912 gauge you were thinking of? (Assuming the SN's on the back, I'll tear it out & look another time when the incentive is something other than satisfying my curiosity!)

[M. Hendrix]

No, it looks like a late/standard 914 gauge, with the brake flasher removed, and replaced with an later-ish model temp mod, probably intended for a mid-year SC.


Just in case people without consoles, and temp gauges, who do not want to hack up the monster hide have forgotten:

http://www.paspeedo.com/porsche914combi.htm

There was also a very super-trick quad posted a few weeks ago.



M

[Mark Henry]

Originally posted by M. Hendrix
No, it looks like a late/standard 914 gauge, with the brake flasher removed, and replaced with an later-ish model temp mod, probably intended for a mid-year SC.


Just in case people without consoles, and temp gauges, who do not want to hack up the monster hide have forgotten:

http://www.paspeedo.com/porsche914combi.htm

There was also a very super-trick quad posted a few weeks ago.



M

NICE!

How much coin is this gauge?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

If you gotta ask...

--DD

($650 last I checked, several years ago. Included senders.)