stock temp gauge how accurate
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INFAMOUSRB
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:43 am
- Car: 1995 NISSAN 240SX
stock temp gauge how accurate
hey people quick questions how accurate is the stock temp gauge ............. as far as i heard there not accurate at all ...... and if they are accurate were about should the gauge needle be ..... if not what gauge would you guys recommend...... next question 1st and 2nd gear are pretty wicked but 3rd gear its like standing still the rb is pretty stock ...... open for any advice????????????
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NISMO_RB25
- Posts: 1066
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:40 am
- Car: 1992 240SX with RB25DET, 1987 RX-7 TII
the sendor unit for the RB is different than the sendor from the KA, so if you are using the KA cluster with the RB sendor, then it is going to read wrong. (mine read high)
You have a couple of options with aftermarket. Search for temp gauge and you will find a couple of discussions about how to install them and what people used.
You have a couple of options with aftermarket. Search for temp gauge and you will find a couple of discussions about how to install them and what people used.
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240+civic=pimp
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 2:22 pm
- Car: s13/rb20det, 2002 WRX, 1994 Yamaha fzr600
Re: (NISMO_RB25)
The stock gauge sucks.
What is did is install a water temp gauge after the thermostat.
This way it can watch my temp very closly.
The stock gauge read basically the same if my car was running 150deg or 200 deg.
What is did is install a water temp gauge after the thermostat.
This way it can watch my temp very closly.
The stock gauge read basically the same if my car was running 150deg or 200 deg.
The stock sender is designed with both a negative and a positive temperature coefficient thermistor. The negative thermistor resistance varies continuously across the whole temperature range (decreasing with temperature). However, in the middle part of the range, the positive thermistor resistance increases sharply, so that the overall series resistance is roughly constant through that middle part.
So your gauge is a good indicator of when your car is warming up or when it is overheating, but it will not show you temperature variations in the normal range. In fact, the new ones are so good at this that they sit rock solid in the same place whether it is 30º on the interstate at 70 mph or when it is 100º sitting in traffic in the city, even though the actual coolant temperature may have changed 50º.
So your gauge is a good indicator of when your car is warming up or when it is overheating, but it will not show you temperature variations in the normal range. In fact, the new ones are so good at this that they sit rock solid in the same place whether it is 30º on the interstate at 70 mph or when it is 100º sitting in traffic in the city, even though the actual coolant temperature may have changed 50º.