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Thanks for weighing in Ross. The thermostat was replaced when the engine was rebuilt recently. I'm not sure about what temp it is set to open, but I probably followed the advice of the guy doing my engine work.
I put about 20 miles on the truck this morning making a run to the place where you can drop off yard waste from the recent storm. The temp gauge quickly climbed to the 3/4 mark, but then held steady. The infrared reading at the thermostat was 175 degrees. It's not an ideal situation, but I guess the gauge will still be of some use. Is it possible to make a slight correction with resistors?
The tree guy came today, but it will be a few weeks yet before we get our trees off our roof. We surprisingly probably have only minimal damage to our roof and will need to wait our turn. Some folks have birds flying around in their living rooms.
Here's a picture of our canoes:
You may remember these canoes from a pic posted this winter. There are about five trees on top of them now. One of the canoes was down by the water and was spared. My precious sailboats had a close call.
Thanks Ross. I cleaned out my message box. I should be open for business. As you may remember, I already tried making adjustments, and they didn't turn out so well. I'll leave well enough alone for now. What I have now isn't ideal, but better than nothing.
It's likely that if 3/4's of the way to hot translates to an actual temp of 175 degrees, all the way to hot may be only about 200 degrees. I'm not sure how hot is too hot for our low tolerance engines with 4 pound radiator caps, but I'm thinking it must be somewhere north of 212 degrees. With the key off, my needle goes beyond hot, so that's maybe what 212 degrees might look like. Not the best, but I'll get used to it.
My fuel gauge isn't the greatest either. When it shows dead empty, it only takes 12 gallons to top it off and make the gauge go all the way to full. It acts a lot like my temp gauge actually.
My gauges are all still sort of working. The temp gauge never makes it all the way to hot, but then I haven't been going up any mountains in 2nd gear either. I think though that I'm ready for Pennsylvania.
One of our long time members, and acknowledged experts, noticed that my speedometer bezel was looking a little tired and worn:
On his own, he offered to send me a replacement. For payment, all he asked for was the cost of postage. This is what arrived:
...And this is what it looks like installed:
Isn't that a great story? Someone I've never met, took it upon himself to help out with my project. It just goes to show what a great place FTE is for help and support.
Great story, Jim. Kudo's to the member. The truck looks really good inside. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get this as a screen saver on your navigation unit.
Wayne, that's a cool map. I can spend a long time just looking at maps like the one you found. It's a little weird, but I'd (almost) be tempted to buy it.
Ross, it is a striking improvement! I didn't get all crazy and re-paint my dial like Abe would have wanted me to do, but I am very pleased with how my gauges look now. A few more little similar improvements here and there, and I'll be able to start calling my truck project a restoration. LOL.
Jim, "H" on your temp gauge may be 212. I had a temp gauge for a '47 truck out of the cluster a few years ago and just below the "H" and out of sight when the gauge was in the cluster, it was marked 212 degrees. I would think the temp gauges in our trucks would be the same. My temp gauge needle stays just under the "H" when the engine is warm with the Mercedes diesel and a 12lb cap. And my gas gauge reads empty with 5 gallons in the tank. I need to bend the float arm a little.
Mark
Hi Mark. I hope you've been out enjoying your truck. I suppose it's been hot in Missouri, but cool Fall driving weather is just around the corner.
It's interesting that your gauges seem to act a lot like mine. What is your actual engine temp when your gauge is reading almost all the way to hot? You seem to have a plan for correcting your fuel gauge. Are you going to try and correct your temp gauge too?
Wayne, that's a cool map. I can spend a long time just looking at maps like the one you found. It's a little weird, but I'd (almost) be tempted to buy it.
Jim
I'm a bit of an old map geek myself. That one, while really nice, is a bit expensive. Typically good ones will sell for less than $10. There were several other maps available for much less if you really would like one. I just picture a map hanging off the dash old school style with one of these magnet clips as a show display.
Hi Mark. I hope you've been out enjoying your truck. I suppose it's been hot in Missouri, but cool Fall driving weather is just around the corner.
It's interesting that your gauges seem to act a lot like mine. What is your actual engine temp when your gauge is reading almost all the way to hot? You seem to have a plan for correcting your fuel gauge. Are you going to try and correct your temp gauge too?
Jim
Jim, I have been driving the truck every chance I get. I took my wife out to dinner this past Friday for our Anniversary and she wanted my to take her in the truck.
I don't know what the actual temp is, I need to get a laser thermometer and check it. I believe my thermostat is 195 degrees. When the gauge needle just reaches the "H", the electric fan cycles on for a minute or so until the needle drops back below the "H" and the fan shuts off. The needle never reaches the "H" when I'm driving, so I don't know if the fan runs when I'm driving or not. I probably won't mess with trying to adjust the gauge. I will eventually pull the fuel sender and try to adjust it, or I may put it off and get use to it..
Mark
Sorry about misrepresenting you as living in Missouri. I knew you live in Arkansas! I'm also hesitant about messing with my gauges. I tried adjusting one a while back, and I think I ended up wrecking it. They are very fragile. I wish my temp gauge did a better job of differentiating between normal operation temps and an over heating situation, but I'll try to keep a close eye on it, and make do with what I have for now. I went for a long time with no gauge at all. Now at least I have some indication of what my engine temp might be.
What is your actual engine temp when your gauge is reading almost all the way to hot?
Jim
Jim,
I'm attaching a couple pictures showing where the needle on my temp gauge rests when the engine is off. When I first got my truck in the 70's, I had the same question as you regarding what temperature that 1/2, 3/4, and full scale "H" actually represented. I used a K-D "upper tank" thermometer placed in the radiator, and checked readings at those (3) points - partially covered the radiator with some cardboard to help bring up the coolant temp. I marked the dash near the gauge, so I wouldn't forget - the readings were 175, 190, and 210. Not too long after that, I started having trouble finding "good used" sending units, and ordered an aftermarket unit. They sent out one for an "idiot light," so I returned it and bought SW mechanical units with direct reading gauges for under the dash at NAPA. I still have a replacement single terminal unit that was sent out by the vendor who sent the wrong part, but have never hooked it up to see if it will work - could be same as the first one!
That's a nice bezel you received. The same generous FTE member saw that my gauge cluster has a "homemade" plastic lens and damaged face, so I received a package in the mail with everything I need to make it look like new again!
- Bob
Readings at marks are 175, 190, and 210 deg. Temp gauge needle position with engine off.
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The truck looks really good inside. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get this as a screen saver on your navigation unit. 
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