Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) ARP4 issues

Watch out Matrix!

I posted the following before on my 2009 Roadster. It struck me how low the temperature gauge reads; normally it reads well below 80 C, more like 75 C.(very comparable to what you read).
I decided I wanted to know more and after a drive I stuck a thermocouple between the coils of the radiator and measured 90 C. After idling for a few minutes, the fan switched on at 95 C. From these readings I concluded things were ok.
Some have said that the gauges are part of the in car entertainment system...
Kind regards,
Bert

Temperature gauges lie, normally for one of two reasons.
Reason one, they just lie, they are inaccurate, in particular old school moving coil instruments.
Reason two, they have have been tutored to give the right answer.
By way of example; the temperature gauge on my Audi (read any other VAG car) is driven by a stepper motor, whilst giving the appearance of a graduated dial face, the programming for the instument reads accurately from cold to the lower bound operating temperature, then for all temperatures in it's normal operating range the needle shows rock steady on it's mid point, only once the temperature goes above the upper bound of the normal temperature does the guage show movement again. Thus the gauge acts like emission tests, it performs in a manner we wish to see.
I would suspect that the Ford ECU is providing a similar service in order that any proud owner isn't unduly distressed by the sight of a fluctuating needle.

I have always been suspicious of my aero plus 8 temperature gauge. It seems to have some relationship with the fuel gauge in that it reads 85-90 when below half full and 100-105 when above. This applies even on a really cold day when you might expect a lower than normal reading.

Mine's the same Martin - reads just over the 100 most of the time.

Martin,

your post has just made me think! The temperature gauge seems to behave exactly as you describe, but I'd not related it to fuel content. I shall monitor it!

Peter

There seems to be an awful lot of nannying going on? Not just Morgan owners either, the whole car industry seems to be at it one way and the other. Sholdn't it be more a matter of educating owners of what to expect, rather than telling them what they want to know. The Three Wheeler fuel sender comes to mind here, showing empty when there is still a quarter of a tank left.

Not the car industry, but society n general....

Yes, now you mention it Peter, there is, and I'm getting a bit fed up with [of?] it.

Go out for a topless drive - that'll sort you out.

Maybe you could put a label on your dash saying it might be chilly!