What gauges do you actually look at?

-
For sure oil and temp

..................A story from the old days. A friend of mine was chasing a divorcee who had ex-hubbie's 80's Rally Camaro. Had a full set of gauges. Evidently the water pump leaked slowly, and nobody noticed. She didn't have warning lights, and too stupid to ever look at the gauges. Ran it until it would not run

he talked me into "moonlighting" the engine. I pulled it out, pulled some plugs, and "struck water." At first I thought the ends of the heads were greasy (black.) Nope. Paint was COOKED black. The interior of the cylinders had rainbow colors like when a knife blade temper is removed

I told her there is NO way I'd rebuild it, either buy and exchange engine or find a good used one

So she comes up with a used one from "some guy" and I'm sposed to install it. Back then, I knew little about actually IDing a 400 SB vs a 350, and this was sold to her as a 350. Of COURSE it wasn't. Burned oil bad, and vibrated to beat hell. Just like a 318 vs 360 out of balance

So I told her to go gripe at HIM. HE told her "Heck I can overhaul your old engine no problem". I told her "Don't come running to me, in about a year, when that junker of yours starts to use oil again"

...............And just about a year later, my friend came in, laughing and giggling like a girl. "Just saw Kathy's Camaro, with a HUGE blue cloud out the back.

She never did pay me all she owed me on that mess.
 
I monitor oil pressure, oil temp, trans temp, water temp and volts. It’s all equally important to me. Having an electric water pump, fans and mad ignition, of you lose an alternator you won’t make it far.
I monitor the oil temp, not for over heating, but so I know when the oil is warm enough to start running the motor hard. I will never get on the motor hard with less than 150 degree oil temp and that’s on the cold side.
 
I check temp and oil as It go in to the burn out box, then I just check my amp gauge after the stripe. No charge, no water pump belt. You catch it much quicker than seeing the temp climb.
 
furrystump said:
I check temp and oil as It go in to the burn out box, then I just check my amp gauge after the stripe. No charge, no water pump belt. You catch it much quicker than seeing the temp climb.
Click to expand...
Not sure everyone assumes this is "going down the track", Anyway, per the above , I was running at the National Trail raceway track in Columbus in 09 at the Mopar meet. Car was running very consistent low 12's. Blew off the alternator / water pump belt in the burnout box. Decided to make the pass anyway. Car ran 11.88 - not turning the alternator and water pump. Coolant was boiling away in my over flow bottle as I motored back to my pit area.
tire maintenance.jpg
 
Oil pressure when i first start it, keep a good look at the eng temp until my electric water pump turns on and my cooling fans turns on. Then the only thing i look at is my stall light, then my shift light. on the return road i will give all my gauges a once over.
 
Cope said:
When I'm actually "running" the car hard I'm not watching the gauges at all.

So I figured let's see what most folks watch while driving. I moved the water temp up to the A pillar where I can see it easy. That one is a no brainer.

What would your second most watched gauge be? My thought was with my high stall I'd like to know how hot my trans is. The only other gauge I care about it oil pressure but that just is what it is. If it falls off I'm screwed and I have no way to pull over and let it fix it self.
(unlike temp, that I can fix by stopping). So I figured let oil PSI be down in the dash and H2O, Trans temp be in my direct line of sight? What do you monitor most?

View attachment 1715303489

Remember my car is a "street car" so it is driving around. Not just rolling off the trailer.
Click to expand...

Tach. Maybe.
 
Eyes, Ears and Nose are my most used gauges. lol the eyes very rarely see the gauges.
 
Cope said:
Volts is way over on the other side, next to fuel level and vacuum.

But again that's a reading I cant just pull over and fix. If my voltage regulator craps out its AAA time.
Click to expand...
Not so my man; if the regulator craps out you just full field the alternator, and turn everything on. Then drive for say 20 minutes like this and then remove jumper for 40minutes with all accessories off, or if at night,until lights go dim, then repeat.
Now if the alternator goes down it is almost always because the brushes aren't connecting, usually too short. So carry a spare set, and swap them out in a few minutes.

But to answer your question, the only gauges I need are the Speedo and the gas gauge. Cuz the one time I got caught ignoring the speedO, that cost me a weeks wages.
About the only time I ever look at the temp gauge is when smoke starts pouring out from under the hood,lol.
Oil Pressure gauge? Yeah the factory gauge is saying I got some, so Giddyup. That's the last time I'll look at it on this trip.
------------------->
I live in a rural area, about 20 minutes from the closest town, where I have been working since 1984; so a lot of people know me.
My car has a unique paint job and a lotta people know who drives it. So when I used to break down,(usually ignition), by the time the hood goes up, you can almost bet that someone is pulling over to help. I've been fixing their stuff, and their kids stuff, and maybe even their grandkids stuff for something like 35 years. Sometimes they just wanna watch or we visit while I work. I'm trying to remember if I ever called a tow truck, but I'm drawing a blank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top