Boss 302 Speedometer Swap

[Dominic Toretto]

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga LOL Find it hard to believe that water temp is nonfunctional.

Tell me how functional it is, when you can't tell if you are overheating. The water temp reaches the "normal" position in about 1 minute. That's unrealistic unless regular operating temp is around 160F and never moves from that position in stop-and-go traffic, parked, or any other situation in which you know your temp is changing. The oil pressure should change as rpms change. It stays exactly the same no matter if you are idling or redlining. Voltmeter doesn't really matter.

-Alex

[El_Tortuga]

Originally Posted by Dominic Toretto Tell me how functional it is, when you can't tell if you are overheating. -Alex

Originally Posted by Dominic Toretto Tell me how functional it is, when you can't tell if you are overheating. The water temp reaches the "normal" position in about 1 minute. That's unrealistic unless regular operating temp is around 160F and never moves from that position in stop-and-go traffic, parked, or any other situation in which you know your temp is changing. The oil pressure should change as rpms change. It stays exactly the same no matter if you are idling or redlining. Voltmeter doesn't really matter. -Alex

Are you aware how the thermostat and fan control works to maintain a fairly constant temp?

Here's a pretty good example of an overheating engine:


The boy didn't notice anything wrong until the idiot light came on. Had he done so, he could have pulled over to check it out, and would have noticed that the radiator split and was puking coolant out at a tremendous rate.

Originally Posted by Dominic Toretto ... The oil pressure should change as rpms change. It stays exactly the same no matter if you are idling or redlining... -Alex

Sort of. Once the oil pressure gets up to the relief setting, it bypasses rest from there it will be essentially the same pressure.

Same pickup in the overheat picture is an older chevy. With 200K miles on the clock, it doesn't maintain solid oil pressure. When fully warmed up, it doesn't maintain "normal" oil pressure at idle and very low rpms. Obviously the clearance in the bearings and such have opened up somewhat and/or the oil pump doesn't put out the same volume it used to and/or the relief spring has softened up slightly. Its not so bad that I'm going to rebuild it, but I'm not planning on getting another 200K miles.

Originally Posted by Dominic Toretto ... Voltmeter doesn't really matter. -Alex

it sure does when the alternator quits putting out a sufficient charge. I'd sure like to have a gauge to warn me that I'm fixing to have a problem.

[Dominic Toretto]

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga Are you aware how the thermostat and fan control works to maintain a fairly constant temp?

Are you aware that the engine water temps are not at the same temperature 100% of the time? It would be nice for a $40k car to have gauges that let you know the precise engine temparature not as you put it "fairly constant temp." If these gauges were sufficient, then why don't you see such ambiguous gauges in racing applications?

Here's a pretty good example of an overheating engine:

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga The boy didn't notice anything wrong until the idiot light came on. Had he done so, he could have pulled over to check it out, and would have noticed that the radiator split and was puking coolant out at a tremendous rate.

I can't see that picture from my work computer but, it does prove my point. If the gauges would have been accurately reading a precise temperature, then anyone driving, that pays attention to the gauges cluster would have noticed the temperature beginning to rise, pulled over and greatly reduced engine damage.

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga Sort of. Once the oil pressure gets up to the relief setting, it bypasses rest from there it will be essentially the same pressure.

I've yet to see any car where the oil pressure stays the same at idle as it does at redline. Please explain further how you think this is possible.

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga Same pickup in the overheat picture is an older chevy. With 200K miles on the clock, it doesn't maintain solid oil pressure. When fully warmed up, it doesn't maintain "normal" oil pressure at idle and very low rpms. Obviously the clearance in the bearings and such have opened up somewhat and/or the oil pump doesn't put out the same volume it used to and/or the relief spring has softened up slightly. Its not so bad that I'm going to rebuild it, but I'm not planning on getting another 200K miles.

Originally Posted by El_Tortuga it sure does when the alternator quits putting out a sufficient charge. I'd sure like to have a gauge to warn me that I'm fixing to have a problem.

Wouldn't you like that with more important readings like oil pressure and water temp? How much is an alternator versus a rebuilt engine again?

-Alex