Help! Temp Guage Tick Marks on 81

[PokerJoker]

Ok, attached is a picture of my 1981 temp guage. At the risk of sounding stupid, I've got to ask...

Is the thick tick mark just left of center 200 or is 200 straight up. What are the values of the other tick marks as you move towards the 260?

Just put the new radiator in and just trying to figure out what is a normal operating temp and where the needle on the guage should be.

Thanks

 

[Yoda]

I have always been of the opinion that the thick white mark is 200* and each mark after or above that thick white mark equaled +20*

My reason... I have a 180* thermostat in my 1981 and it usually runs just below the thick white mark. I have had my 1981 since 1998 and have made many long road trips in spring/summer/fall and very seldom did I heat up much over the thick white line...

I'm sure others have an opinion but I am very comfortable with how I interpret the gauge

Somewhere in the long long time ago category of threads I think we have had this discussion in the past. I tried a couple of quick search's but found nothing of much use

Bud

 

[spikebot 81]

I agree with Yoda. I run a 195 deg stat and the needle just gets into the thick 200 deg mark on the gage

 

[bill81vette]

Mine runs just above or below the thick white mark,depending on the ambient temp and if the a/c is on or not...

 

[Yoda]

Note:
I moved this thread into the L81VetteRegistry Forum it might make it easier to find if someone needs the same information down the road a piece :dance

Bud

 

[TimAT]

By the marks on the gauge- 100-150-200(thick white mark), then 220-240-260

 

[Peer81]

And who can give me the little marks for the oil temp gauge

Greetings Peter

 

[LannyL81]

From what I can see in the picture....100 150 200 240 280. The tick marks without numbers are just the halfway point between the two numbered endpoints.

The oil and coolant temp gauges scales are not linear like the fuel gauge is, or supposed to be anyways......

 

[22229stingray81]

I don't mean to hijack, but officially, where do you start to worry about overheating (on that flippin' hard to read gauge)? I've always refused to use the A/C as I get worried when it starts to go higher than the thick white line.


-Tatortot

 

[bill81vette]

:hijackMine doesn't get to hot as a rule....when it does its usually in a parking lot with the a/c on,idling
it has to get above 250 b/4 I start to worry,but by then the cooling fan has kicked on....

 

[Peer81]

The aux. fan should kick in between 230 - 240 I think.

Greetings Peter

 

[22229stingray81]

That's considerably higher than I've ever seen, if I'm reading the gauge right. I've had it just coming off the thick white (200) line. So, not to worry?


-Tatortot

 

[Peer81]

Before the rebuild she was running around 220, now when the 195 thermostat was in around 200, and with the 180 thermostat she's around 190 I think.

Greetings Peter

 

[22229stingray81]

Peter,

220 to you would be the next hash mark after the thick one, yes? I haven't let it get that hot yet.


-Tatortot

 

[bill81vette]

I have had mine get that hot,but it would be in a parking lot on a hot day with the A/C running and idling.
usually if mama wants to stop at the store...,but the fan would kick on as well...
once I would get moving again it would recede to normal operating temp....

 

[Peer81]

Peter,

220 to you would be the next hash mark after the thick one, yes? I haven't let it get that hot yet.


-Tatortot

Yes but that is already about 8 years ago, so that is the only thing I can recall about the coolant temp

Greetings Peter

 

[22229stingray81]

Gotcha, thanks fellas. Hijack ended :L


-Tatortot