Are the reproduction temp gauges any good?

[Rich69shortfleet]

The temp gauge on my truck has read too low for quite some time. I've tried different sending units and ended up with what is supposed to be the best one from Lectric Limited but it still reads low. At fully warmed up the needle is just past the first tick to the left near the "C".

I've been considering replacing the gauge with one of the reproduction gauges in the hope the gauge would once again read correctly and be more useful. Does anyone know if the reproduction gauges are any good?

This is the one I'm considering: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-rp21771

[dmjlambert]

It is normal for fully warmed up the needle is just past the first tick near the C.

[Rich69shortfleet]

This one used to go approximately to the middle of the gauge at full warm. I have cooled things down a bit with a better fan, water pump and radiator but full warm is still 190-200 so I'd think the gauge at full warm would be closer to the middle.

[67 twins]

That's normal

[dmjlambert]

Yes I should have said it is normal for fully warmed up the needle is just past the first tick near the C if your cooling system is A-OK. If you have a less than optimal fan, radiator, shroud, water pump you may find the needle going higher on the guage, toward the middle or high side. So it sounds like you've made some improvements and now have a normal reading.

[Rich69shortfleet]

This is normal for fully hot/200 degrees? How hot would it have to get to put the needle into the red area?

Other GM cars I've owned/own have pretty much put the needle in the middle of the gauge at 200-210.

[Steeveedee]

Up by the red is ~260F. A Chevy engine can withstand that temp, even the big blocks. My 402 BBC used to run that hot when pulling a steep hill with a travel trailer and it's still alive. I did go and get the temp under control. My stock gauge ate it, so I have an aftermarket gauge under the dash. It's probably just a bad connection or something, but my body is just too damaged to go crawling around any more.

[Rich69shortfleet]

Well, if that's how the gauges in these trucks work I guess I can save myself $55-$60 and not buy a reproduction gauge to try to fix something that doesn't need fixing.

But wow, 260. I don't think I'd ever want my engine to get that hot. 230 is my tolerance. I have a SB400 that is bored .040 over so it tends to run on the hot side anyway. Luckily I've got the temps under control now with the big all aluminum Champion radiator I put in some years back. Getting the carb properly set up too really helped (it was running lean before). Running cooler also allows me to run more timing advance too.

[cj847]

Have you checked the resistance of your sending unit cold and hot? I would do that before buying a new gauge.

[Rich69shortfleet]

Originally Posted by cj847

Have you checked the resistance of your sending unit cold and hot? I would do that before buying a new gauge.

Yes, and as I said above, I've tried multiple sending units.

[mike16]

I don't know... 260 seems way too hot. Maybe it's another guage or sender that on the blink.

[Casper42]

perhaps you have too low of a thermostat - 190 thermostat will get it where you have pictured in normal operating mode if you're a somewhat stock 350. If you think that's too low, what's your interior heater doing when you crank that up...it should be toasty

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by mike16

I don't know... 260 seems way too hot. Maybe it's another guage or sender that on the blink.

If you're responding to my post, yes, I agree that that's way too hot. I only claimed that a Chevy engine could withstand that temp and live. I took measures and now it runs 180 with a 180 thermostat, and only goes to 200 and no higher when pulling a 6000 Lb travel up a steep hill, as in a 6% grade and not babying the engine.