What are the normal gauge readings?

[f117rt]

Just installed center gauges.

What should the readings be in normal driving conditions?

Should the needles be in the middle?

Yesterday I was getting close to "H" for both Oil and engine temp.

 

[73vertproject]

My oil is always toward the high end. Temp at normal operation is a little less than half way.

 

[jb73Mach]

+ 1 on the temp - a bit below half way. Oil on the other hand...73Vert must have a much newer engine than mine. I start out high but work my way down as it warms up. At idle, a bit more than 1/4 but goes up under power to about half once fully hot.

 

[goodnigh]

Sounds a little warm but the pressure is right near the top of scale

and will fluctuate down maybe 10% - 15% from top when warm at idle

then back up to top when I accelerate.

mike

 

[wwhite72]

Did you retrofit a set of original gauges or did you find some new ones that look close? I ask because i would really like to put in gauges but i cant find all the parts and i havent found aftermarket.

 

[midlife]

Good question! These gauges are not absolute, as they are dependent upon the output voltage of the instrument constant voltage regulator. The CVR/IVR actually can be adjusted! (There's a small trim-pot buried under epoxy on the back side that once the epoxy is removed, can be adjusted to raise or lower the voltage). The gauges are best used when they begin to read something other than the usual reading. Think of them as non-lit idiot lights: they are only indicators of when things go bad, rather than absolute values.

Personally, I always adjust the IVR such that my fuel gauge reads exactly 1/4 tank when I know I have a 1/4 tank of gas. To me, that is the most important calibration point available.

 

[f117rt]

Did you retrofit a set of original gauges or did you find some new ones that look close? I ask because i would really like to put in gauges but i cant find all the parts and i havent found aftermarket.

I retrofitted an original set of gauges.

 

[wwhite72]

sweet. also, in my effort to find the parts that you have installed i spoke to a few guys with gauges. seems that the temp gauge is less reliable with a 180 degree thermostat installed. I was told once the correct 192 degree thermostat was in the engine the gauge rose evenly to the middle and stayed there reliably unless severe summer traffic. the 180 gauge, even though it was a correct 351c with the brass bypass disc, caused the needle to move a lot. seems it annoyed the guys that had experienced it in their cars.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

After reading a lot of posts and doing my own research I agree with Midlife, The gauges are not absolute. Concerning oil pressure before I rebuilt the engine at idle it was a little less than a 1/4 and driving close to the 1/2 way mark. After the build at idle it's around the 1/2 way mark and driving it's around the 3/4 mark or above depending on how warm the engine is. My Alt meter is consistently hovering in the middle. My temp gauge takes for ever to move off the cold mark and when warmed up is around the 1/4 mark, if it gets above the 1/2 way mark it concerns me since it very seldom climbs that high.

 

[72HCODE]

did you change the oil and tempature sensors from idiot light to gauges. those screw in sensors have different Ohms resistance depending on use.

oil will read middle to high as you increase rpms.

temp usually people like it in the middle.

as for the battery condition gauge. Those things never worked even when new hahaha they always read about center if you turn the head lights on, you will see a VERY tiny deflection towards Discharge. the only time that gauge will do something is if you have a Dead short then it may deflect a little more towards Discharge instead of charge.

 

[goodnigh]

did you change the oil and tempature sensors from idiot light to gauges. those screw in sensors have different Ohms resistance depending on use.

oil will read middle to high as you increase rpms.

temp usually people like it in the middle.

as for the battery condition gauge. Those things never worked even when new hahaha they always read about center if you turn the head lights on, you will see a VERY tiny deflection towards Discharge. the only time that gauge will do something is if you have a Dead short then it may deflect a little more towards Discharge instead of charge.

Need to get a magnifying glass and check my amp gauge.

mike

 

[f117rt]

After reading a lot of posts and doing my own research I agree with Midlife, The gauges are not absolute. Concerning oil pressure before I rebuilt the engine at idle it was a little less than a 1/4 and driving close to the 1/2 way mark. After the build at idle it's around the 1/2 way mark and driving it's around the 3/4 mark or above depending on how warm the engine is. My Alt meter is consistently hovering in the middle. My temp gauge takes for ever to move off the cold mark and when warmed up is around the 1/4 mark, if it gets above the 1/2 way mark it concerns me since it very seldom climbs that high.

Which thermostat did you use, 180 or 192 deg?

 

[adm22]

I think it is better that they do not have absolute values on them just high / low - hot /cold. Gte an idea of what normal is and if it is not in that area you may ahvea problem. My other car has numbers on the temperature gague and it runs at just shy of 290 according to the gague whihc is really hot. I Bought a aser thermometer at Harbor Freight and discovered that the inatke manifold near the temp sender was at 190 so the values were not very good.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

Which thermostat did you use, 180 or 192 deg?

I'm using the 180 which might explain why it takes forever for the temp gauge to rise. It's stored during the winter in the garage and we seldom have "really" cold weather due to being so close to the Pacific ocean.

Jim