[steelrat]

Having a 400 bored 40 over adds to the 400 running hot issues. So in my quest to cool my motor (488 hp -504tq) I had over the years installed a BeCool rad. 2 speed taurus fans, and recently a Edelbrock high flow water pump, and ensured my pulley ratio was correct from crank to water pump.

Last year she ran hot, and this year hotter. 200 - 210ish with fans on in town 195 on highway. So I pull the temp gauge and did a little test. Probe is not touchng bottom of pan, suspended in the water.
see video
http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h266/steelratnova/?action=view&current=TEMP-GAUGE.flv

Water begins to boil and change into a vapor state at 212 degrees at sea level. I live at 59 ft above sea level, so 212 is right. The gauge is reading around 237. a 25 degree error.

Got a new gauge. Car runsa at 176-180 degrees in town with fans on low. Fans off in town, creeps up to 200. No highway test yet.

 

[hutchenc]

What kind of gauge is it?

 

[steelrat]

What kind of gauge is it?

it is a sunpro, from one of the 3 gauge set ups. I bought the set on Craigs list still in the package...cheap

 

[65Nova4door]

it is a sunpro, from one of the 3 gauge set ups. I bought the set on Craigs list still in the package...cheap

what did you replace it with?

 

[71SS454]

Water begins to boil and change into a vapor state at 212 degrees at sea level. I live at 59 ft above sea level, so 212 is right. The gauge is reading around 237. a 25 degree error.

That's untill you put the water under pressure. Pressure raises the boiling temperature of the water past 212 degrees. That's why we run closed, pressurized cooling systems on our cars. Also, in your video, yes the water is changing to a gas, but it's not instanteous and not all the water will change at once. The water in the pan that's not changed yet could easiley be 237 degrees. Think about it this way, the water in the pan is under slight pressure from the weight of the water on top of it, so it's boiling point may be a little higher. Also, the capillary tubing is resting on the pan and getting heated, so that may raisxe the temps a few degrees on the gauge. Combine these two things, and 25 degrees isn't that much. Your gauge may be fine.

 

[D-Man]

I've got an infrared temp gun. Lets me verify the engine temp in less than a second. Just point the laser at the lower part of the thermostat housing and click the trigger.

 

[1ARUNEM]

But there is any obvious difference between his two guages.. (old vs new)..

 

[veno]

actually water boils @ 212... not begin... water changes to [email protected] 212......it is possible to have 212 degree water with out steam and it is possible to have steam @ 212 with out water.. steam @ 212 is called saturated steam.. it is almost unmeasurable amount of temp change.. it called the latent heat of vaporization and the latent heat of liquefaction... a transitional state between the two physical states at the same temperature

this is a steam plant boiler.. but it applies to car cooling system as well... all the principals are the same including the math...
http://www.pipingnews.com/steam2.htm

here is a neat little science project and pics for the difference between the two

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCEsoft/CCA/CCA3/MAIN/STEAM/PAGE1.HTM.

If your cooling systems were felt to run extremely low on coolant and still sealed... it is possible the heat produced by the engine would create Super heated steam plant.. and cause sever burns....