v8 cooling & tuning

[Bob Bischoff]

Ran my car with a electric temp gauge and found that it varied with the voltage, same things you are seeing with the lights and so forth. I got a mechinacal cheap $10 meter at flaps and mounted it in the engine compartment and used it to calibrate the electric gauge.
I replaced my electric temp gauge with a mech. Autometer gauge and trust it.

[marks914]

try to back off your ignition timing to crank the engine over easier.
Mark
72 914 5.0L

[914GT]

Back to the starter ... I mounted a relay and it reduced the voltage drop to the solenoid from 3 volts to 0.4 volts. That's significant improvement. Here's a picture of how I mounted it.



I have had no problem with the starter cranking the engine over. It cranks easy with those friction coated bearings and piston skirts. The only thing I had happen, just once, is the starter chattering from the gear not engaging. Maybe it was a fluke. I'm thinking of putting some heat shielding between my exhaust and starter as I have about 2" clearance. Maybe the solenoid getting too hot.

[John2kx]

Originally posted by sean_V8_914
GT deck lid: does anyone have any experience with these? any observations with regard to engine temps?

I have operated my car with NO rear deck lid and saw no difference in water temperature. If I was suffering from vapor lock due to high engine bay temps., I would give the GT lid a try.

John

[sean_V8_914]

good, because I just made this one

[sean_V8_914]

John, how long have you been driving yours ? do you put a lot of miles on it?

[914GT]

Sean, that looks good. I assume you took the grille material off another lid?

[sean_V8_914]

yup

[John2kx]

Originally posted by sean_V8_914
John, how long have you been driving yours ? do you put a lot of miles on it?

September will be two years and I have about 5000 miles on it. Ambient in Ga. runs in the mid 90s during the summer.

John

[sean_V8_914]

does your engine get very dirty?

[John2kx]

Originally posted by John2kx
September will be two years and I have about 5000 miles on it. Ambient in Ga. runs in the mid 90s during the summer.

John

Not really, but I don't drive it in the rain or on dirt roads. I have hosed it down twice in the last two years to keep the new appearance and use towels to wipe dust from all the chrome parts fairly often.

John

[914GT]

Sean just needs to stay off those unclean roads...

[sean_V8_914]

I stick to paved roads but it just gets so dirty in there. GA must have cleaner roads...and AZ