Coolant Temp Gauge

[kevinthenerd]

I've only seen my car go above the halfway mark once or twice, and anybody who knows me on here knows that I drive the #@&% out of my car. I'm obviously doing something right in my choice of coolant or oil or something.

With that being said, though, looking at the lines on the coolant temp gauge really tells me nothing. (I'm an engineering student, and while I can figure out that anything in the red zone is bad, numbers mean a lot more to me.) What temperature corresponds with each of the lines on the dash gauge? In an approximate sense, what oil temperature can I expect at each of these temperatures?

Thanks.

[fdryer]

Look up SkyKing's posts on calibration of S-series temperature gauges, It may not apply but is relatively close otherwise try using a hand-held infrared pistol-grip temperature probe.You might find one from one of your departments.

[Bigdaddy94sc2]

To be honest, there is no rhyme or reason to the gauge readings, since it starts registering temps as low as ~120dF but halfway is over 200.... as long as the fan works and you hear it come on, you are safe.....

[kevinthenerd]

Being within a margin of safety isn't the point. I want to know the coolant temp so I can guess/calculate what the oil temp is so I can determine the fluid properties to figure out the real parasitic losses in the engine due to fluid viscosity. Eventually this will prove or disprove my theory that the engine oil never approaches its rated upper viscosity of 30 at 100C.

[Bigdaddy94sc2]

Originally Posted by kevinthenerd

Being within a margin of safety isn't the point. I want to know the coolant temp so I can guess/calculate what the oil temp is so I can determine the fluid properties to figure out the real parasitic losses in the engine due to fluid viscosity. Eventually this will prove or disprove my theory that the engine oil never approaches its rated upper viscosity of 30 at 100C.

That was understood. But the little bit of space is a huge spectrum on the thermometer. IIRC, fan comes on at 205, thermostat opens at 180, so there you go.... hope it helps.

[kevinthenerd]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy94sc2

That was understood. But the little bit of space is a huge spectrum on the thermometer. IIRC, fan comes on at 205, thermostat opens at 180, so there you go.... hope it helps.

Hrmmm... max lubricity is somewhere around an oil temp of 220 IIRC.