Temperature guage...

[Jono]

Cooling update: back from my technician/workshop. Existing rad out, did contain a good deal of sediment. Block flushed in both directions - again more crud - good condition rad went on, plus new expansion tank. All good, but temp gauge still moves towards red section. Doesn't spend time dwelling centrally. The top hose is never too hot to the hand. It's reckoned my temp gauge is faulty? I will put the word out for a 1st series temperature guage. Haynes shows me it isn't a difficult task.

[Nigel]

Hi Jono,
All Beta gauges are notorious for odd and incorrect readings, although strangely,
they seem to continue functioning in some manner or other.

It may be worthwhile renewing the sender unit in the head, these can also give
erroneous outputs.

Also consider obtaining a generic temp gauge as a temporary test device.

If there's no signs of overheating, and the fan is cutting in after the thermostat has opened,
it's probably ok. I really understand, though, that a bad indication is just not wanted.

Regards
Nigel

[peteracs]

Hi

A quick, cheap and simple check is to get a hand held temperature gun so you can compare as the gauge changes to see what actually changes. Will eliminate various unknowns quickly before you start spending real money on items. They are available on Ebay. The absolute accuracy is not so important for you, just the relative change in temp which you appear to be seeing can be checked.

Peter

[mangocrazy]

Hi Jono,
All Beta gauges are notorious for odd and incorrect readings, although strangely,
they seem to continue functioning in some manner or other.

It may be worthwhile renewing the sender unit in the head, these can also give
erroneous outputs.

I've had this happen to me, when I was on the way down to France in the Spider. All of a sudden the temp gauge moved into the red and I quickly stopped. Did a full check and all temps were normal. Replaced the errant sender as soon as I could.

[Jono]

Now finally my dashboard temp gauge corroborates my engine temperature, after a bit of manual encouragement from Nigel - needle bending - an early series HPE temp gauge wasn't precisely the same. Disappointingly didn't fit. Two weeks ago my Beta visited  CCK Historic to be analysed on a rolling road. Secured by steel cables and taken up to 6000rpm behind a locked reinforced door. Slightly harrowing experience. I had to sign a waiver, things can go wrong - apparently - but rarely. Primary idle jet replaced, but the major finding was timing was worryingly out by a a nasty margin. Mixture set. Another run in the 'road' and all findings were good. Car runs exceedingly well now, never been better. Not a procedure I'll need to repeat - an expensive one- but really beneficial. J

[Nigel]

The instrument panel in Jono's car was made by Jaeger. Indeed unfortunate that Peter's
unit wouldn't fit! After thinking about it for a while, and knowing that temps and fan are all
correct, and that a hand-held temp gauge had already confirmed this, and that we knew
that the existing gauge worked, adjusting the needle was deemed the sensible approach.

Jono, your car sounds and performs very well. The rolling road money was very well spent.
..and during the drive, I sat on the correct side!

Cheers, N.