OEM water temp gauge... Reliable safe zone?
Get a thermal temp gun.
Start the engine and let it idle.
Note the needle position and measure the base of the temp sender.
Do this every 5 minutes or so.
Note the needle position and the temp.
Now you know about what temp the engine is for the needle position.
As for the "normal" range. The OEM decided that the engine is safe to operate in that range.
Note: 67 dart up through mid 68???? (Maybe 69) had a temp gauge with the "normal" range shifted to the right.
They later changed the face plate to shift it back to the left.
The mechanical part of the gauge is the same just the range is changed.
So at the same engine temp the needle on the later faceplate is about mid range
And on the older plate the needle is just past the low end of the scale.
Note that the upper end of the scale the engine would be hotter on the older face plate but still be in the "normal" range.
Get a thermal temp gun.
Start the engine and let it idle.
Note the needle position and measure the base of the temp sender.
Do this every 5 minutes or so.
Note the needle position and the temp.
Now you know about what temp the engine is for the needle position.
As for the "normal" range. The OEM decided that the engine is safe to operate in that range.
Note: 67 dart up through mid 68???? (Maybe 69) had a temp gauge with the "normal" range shifted to the right.
They later changed the face plate to shift it back to the left.
The mechanical part of the gauge is the same just the range is changed.
So at the same engine temp the needle on the later faceplate is about mid range
And on the older plate the needle is just past the low end of the scale.
Note that the upper end of the scale the engine would be hotter on the older face plate but still be in the "normal" range.
