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Re: running temperature

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:00 pm
by Simon Jones
Any sensors on a rubber pipe measuring the temp of the coolant inside will be next to useless when there is no coolant in the pipe. That's where something mounted on the head or block like a TM2 / 4 will show you what is going on. Even the Mason alarm (or equivalent gauge mods) should indicate a rise in temperature as the sensor is mounted in the head so will still produce a reading without the need to have a flow of coolant, but by that time, it may be too late to do anything.

Re: running temperature

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:24 pm
by Velocette
Simon Jones wrote:Any sensors on a rubber pipe measuring the temp of the coolant inside will be next to useless when there is no coolant in the pipe. That's where something mounted on the head or block like a TM2 / 4 will show you what is going on. Even the Mason alarm (or equivalent gauge mods) should indicate a rise in temperature as the sensor is mounted in the head so will still produce a reading without the need to have a flow of coolant, but by that time, it may be too late to do anything.
I understood them to mean a sensor in the waterflow via a tee of some sort but I would think the same would apply. I am struggling to get my head round how such a sensor would tell me the head was suddenly rising in temperature quicker than a sensor on the head as it is the head that is producing the heat that raises the temperature of the water?

Re: running temperature

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:17 pm
by Simon Jones
You're absolutely correct. Sensor on the head will provide more useful warning of a rise in temp than monitoring the coolant which may or may not be present if there is a leak or airlock. I think the original question at the start of this thread was related to what the ideal temperature should be, as far as I can see, it's just fine as it is :D.

Re: running temperature

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:59 am
by The Great Pretender
Velocette wrote:
Simon Jones wrote:Any sensors on a rubber pipe measuring the temp of the coolant inside will be next to useless when there is no coolant in the pipe. That's where something mounted on the head or block like a TM2 / 4 will show you what is going on. Even the Mason alarm (or equivalent gauge mods) should indicate a rise in temperature as the sensor is mounted in the head so will still produce a reading without the need to have a flow of coolant, but by that time, it may be too late to do anything.
I understood them to mean a sensor in the waterflow via a tee of some sort but I would think the same would apply. I am struggling to get my head round how such a sensor would tell me the head was suddenly rising in temperature quicker than a sensor on the head as it is the head that is producing the heat that raises the temperature of the water?
As I said before, wherever your sensor is it is reading numbers. If they change from expected you react.
We all have different preferences; I wouldn’t be happy just using temp to warn me of problems no matter where it was fitted.

I recently had a potential damaging coolant loss, happily pottering around country lanes my home made LCA went off (float in tank), temperature was high 70s as it had been for a while.
The problem was a pinhole in the top hose about 8” out from the head, the coolant loss was minimal and still circulating so no damage was done.
In my case the temp alone wouldn’t have saved me, taking a reading off the engine would have show a temperature rise after the coolant stopped controlling heat output from the hottest part of the engine. If you can set your alarm just above your normal running temps, and they will be different for each engine and position hopefully it will react intime.
:wink:

Re: running temperature

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:23 am
by Jim the Box
Simon is spot on, it's better to measure the metal temperature of the head than rather than the temperature of the coolant, the metal will always be there, the coolant may not due to leakage etc.

Re: running temperature

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:14 pm
by Velocette
Jim the Box wrote:Simon is spot on, it's better to measure the metal temperature of the head than rather than the temperature of the coolant, the metal will always be there, the coolant may not due to leakage etc.
If the metal has gone you are beyond the help of any alarm!

Re: running temperature

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:24 pm
by helen&tony
HiEric...
That made me laugh and think of Lonnie Donnegan...."Oi, where's me' metal gone".... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Cheers
Helen

Re: running temperature

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:17 pm
by the laird
Just would like to thank steamysteve on this forum for his manufacturing of an adaptor he has made for my sensor temp gauge I've ordered.the we all receive and give I feel are second to none.in this day and age it's hard to believe that this help is being offered. It's very refreshing and puts belief back into human race after all what we hear ,see,and read about.
Thanks again the bf club and steamysteve etc!
Long may we continue
Merry Xmas and happy new year folks

Re: running temperature

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:32 pm
by mikeonb4c
the laird wrote:Just would like to thank steamysteve on this forum for his manufacturing of an adaptor he has made for my sensor temp gauge I've ordered.the we all receive and give I feel are second to none.in this day and age it's hard to believe that this help is being offered. It's very refreshing and puts belief back into human race after all what we hear ,see,and read about.
Thanks again the bf club and steamysteve etc!
Long may we continue
Merry Xmas and happy new year folks
I agree with all that++. Merry Xmas all :-)