I've had some grief with the temp gauge erratically shooting up to the top of the scale, so I've done some work..
I found the feed pipe which runs from the top of the rad to just under the filler cap front centre completely blocked with crud - had to drill it out. Previously did the same with the overflow pipe to the environmental thing in the front guard/fender
Still issues so I replaced the sender - now it still goes above the N when worked hard/hot ambient+hills etc. don't recall it ever doing this when the car was first recommissioned.
Now I've flushed out the system refilled with 50% mix dist water/coolant
while doing this idle for 20min 30C ambient noted needle was at top of the N. temps adjacent to the sender 87C about 190F I think. is this a concern or does my gauge just read high? seems to be about 86-88C everywhere...

 

Many years ago some of us, on another forum, compared temp gauge readings vs. infra red thermometer readings. On my car, as I recall, top-middle-bottom of the "N" was 200-190-180º respectively....or something close to that. Others were as much as 20º different ! The gauges are not consistent....often compounded by crusty grounds and connections at the back of the instrument cluster.

Your temps sound OK to me so I'd say your gauge is reading a wee bit high.

Remember, though, it isn't just coolant temperature you have to worry about. Coolant *flow* to all areas of the engines is equally, or even more, important. This is where proper thermostats, a clean system, and proper bleeding some into play.

In 30ºC ambient conditions I wouldn't be alarmed if the needle climbs a bit when the engine is pushed.

Cheers
DD

 

It doesn't sound that unusual for the gauge to be slightly inconsistent with actual IR readings.

I appreciate the higher ambient temps over there but I'd still be bit concerned about the gauge rising when the car is used. The biggest single cause of that is deterioration of the cooling fins in the lower third of the rad. Have a good look and decide if its time for a new rad.

Cheers

Paul

 

New rad in 12000k ago New hoses t`stats belts flush coolant no dirt roads no bad weather pamper pamper etc etc wash wash polish etc more tstats etc

 

I agree with Doug.

Drive it like a stole it, less pamper, its a V12 man. Reliable as hell, strong as an ox.

No dirt roads in Australia??, where you living????.

Give it a blast down the Gunbarrel highway, 1300+kms, dead straight, corrugated, dirt road. That will sort the thing out for sure.

Just joking of course, but mine went down that sucker, no issues.

 

LOL I took into a winery once and the driveway turned to gravel...

Had to turn around...

 

I flushed and changed the coolant, bled system according to Dougs instructions, took her for a quick 20k spin this arvy in +30c hard drive inc some sitting at lights. needle climbed p to maybe 1/8" above the N. Got home and shot the thing with my IR gun. I got 90c top of rad, both top hoses and adjacent to the sender unit, I got 86.9 at the bottom rad hose and 92 at the hose at the heater valve on the firewall.
I'm pretty happy with this.



Should I be happy with this?...

 

Yes. 100% good.
Greg