24 replies to this topic

[madaboutcherry]

my new astra hasn't got a water temp gauge.

[surfblue]

Yep with you on this one, had a new sportspack in 1998 and always thought that an oil pressure guage would have been far more useful. 

[CCX]

Mine is the same, never rises far above 50, if at all. Good to know it's not the only one. 

[Tamworthbay]

Its a useful gauge (if its actually working properly) as it gives a much better idea of when the engine is warm than the water temp does. Its a shame that the Rover one seems fairly useless.

[HarrysMini]

my new astra hasn't got a water temp gauge.

Same with our MINI. 

 

The only way to find out the coolant temp. is to hook up the OBD to my laptop.

[MiniGrin]

Yea, I was wondering about that, my dads 07 Ford Focus's water temp gauge sits under the lowest number and then shoots up to half way after exactly 5 mins of running no matter what your doing (my shoots up I mean it goes from under the scale to bang central in 5 seconds) where it will stay regardless of what your doing (Queues, driving fast, freewheeling, no different) and even when the fan starts kicking in (showing its getting warm) still bang central.... funny how much like idiots car makers are treating us.

[Sleepy Stu]

I can beat this for the most pointless dial ever. My brothers girlfiends Bini has an openometer.

 

I kid you not, a dial that specifically tells you how long you have had the roof down for!!!!

[mab01uk]

I can beat this for the most pointless dial ever. My brothers girlfiends Bini has an openometer.

 

I kid you not, a dial that specifically tells you how long you have had the roof down for!!!!

 

On the MINI Torque forum this thread below shows you how to replace the Openometer with a much more useful water temp gauge!

HOW TO''put an aftermarket gauge in the openometer shell.

http://www.minitorqu...er-shell-14196/

[oli8925]

Most gauges (if any are fitted) on modern cars are 'dumbed down' or removed completely so as not to alarm the modern driver !

 

A good example is the R50 New MINI which unlike many cars today still has a water/coolant temperature gauge but which is programmed to rise quickly to normal and stay there on 'N' over a very wide range of temperatures without fluctuating. If you 'hack in' to the ECU you can read the real widely varying temperatures in digtial readout in centigrade.......

And on Saab 9000s. 1994MY as mine has a true temp gauge that rises slightly in traffic etc. The year after it was changed to sit exactly in the middle unless that engine's about to melt. They had too many complaints of cars 'beginning to overheat'.

[Midas Mk1]

My sportspack gets to about 75-80 when pushing hard. That said, I disconnected the clock, as mine was going a fraction of the pace it should be.