Motometer does not seem to register anything

A

armchair67

Senior Member
Pretty much what the heading says. I'm new to model As and finally got mine running pretty well. I'm going to pick up my stepson about 20 miles each way this evening but it occurred to me that my motometer does not seem to register anything. My old one did not either , so I recently purchased and installed a new one and same thing. Unless I'm missing something- I'm assuming red mercury rises as the temp does. But I see no red at all. Been driving it back and forth to work all week-about 3 or 4 miles each way. Any ideas ?
 
I have an original 1930 Town Sedan with 29,000 miles. It has a quail with a thermometer. I have had this car for 5 years and have driven it 1,000 miles only. This year is the only time when I have seen the thermometer register. This was after going up a long mile long hill out of our town. I was surprised to see it register because I didn't think it worked. Now I know better - the car just had to get heated up a bit. The radiator is in great shape with no issues. So it may just be a situation where the car just has to get heated up a bit.

You may want to put the motometer in hot water on a stove and heat the water up to see if anything registers. I bet you will see it register
 
the reproduction moto meters are very inaccurate. At best, the one I had showed about 1/4 inch of red on a warm day. I have some originals, and they work just like they say in the old ads, with the red line in the operating range. The moto meter quails are useless as temperature gauges.
 
If you're not steaming or boiling over, don't worry about what the motometer says. Henry Ford maintained they were unnecessary anyway. His quote: "Any fool can look out over the hood and tell whether it's boiling over or not."
 
There has been a very good article in our national vintage car mag. about the Boyce Motometers.
From what I can gather, the design was intended to ''show red to the top'' when steam was produced, by which case things are too late. It was not meant to show the temp. of the radiator water at all. I believe the thermostat type gauges that had an interior dial on the dash were a better system & more accurate as to what was going on with the cooling system.
 
Personally I don't see how they could work or read accurately. The bulb of the thermometer isn't anywhere close to being submerged in the coolant when running normal temperature. Maybe that's why it doesn't read until the water is boiling out the top!!:eek::eek:

It's a great conversation piece tho. My wife loves to show it to non-A people.
 
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Thanks guys! Just wanted to make sure. I know in a modern car if the temp gauge is pegged for too long-which is to say, not very, the engine is doomed. Made the trip just over 40 miles no problem. It was my first "journey" Beyond my shop and back. I had some really puzzling running issues I worked through in large part to you done folks here on the barn, so I was a little nervous. But she ran great. Seems that a good drive was one thing this car needed. I am a believer in really driving and using old cars so hopefully I'll out some real mileage on this A
 
Convert to digital

I had a motometer that did not work so I converted it to a digital motometer. Now I know the temperature down to 1/10 of a degree.

Bob

motometer005.jpg
 
The purpose of the radiator-cap mounted MotoMeter, in today's modern world, is to introduce a 'novel' introduction to the 'qutesiness' of our 'old car'. It has very little to do with keeping us appraised of the temperture of our cooling system. However, it does work equally as well as another indicator - steam shooting out of the radiator cap.

The radiator cap-mounted MotoMeter, is a very nice 'dress up' item, much like the also minimumly useful, but 'pretty', running board Step Plates and whitewall tires. They are primarily for the self-gratification of the owner, and have very little useful function.

Self-gratification is a very important part of owning a Ford Model A. I have both Step Plates AND MotoMeter on my '31 Dlx Coupe, as well as WhteWall tires. But I know that they are primarily for ME, and really have no solid functioning value.

I expect to hear howls of protest by some, on how their running boards would be worn out by now, if it had not been from the very useful Step-Plate. And I also expect to hear a number of 'testimonials' of how the MotoMeter saved their lives by alerting the driver to a car about to experience a steam explosion. But I stand by my assertion that a number of 'adornments' are put on our cars because we 'want to', not because we 'need to'.
 
I agree with the above posts. These items for me are more for looks and not to tell the temp. Like Ray pointed out above, you know when it is hot.
 
As has been stated, The ORIGINALS do work as intended, and Ford sold them as such.. But NOT the Quail one..
 
Well, I think they ARE useful.

The statements of steam shooting out the cap are false.

The steam will escape down the over flow tube and unless you have a full head of boiling water above the core and the boiling water gushes out the cap, you will have no idea until the engine starts knocking or seizes .
 
pooch said:
Well, I think they ARE useful.

The statements of steam shooting out the cap are false.

The steam will escape down the over flow tube and unless you have a full head of boiling water above the core and the boiling water gushes out the cap, you will have no idea until the engine starts knocking or seizes .
Click to expand...

Sorry Pooch. Beg to differ. I have personally witnessed water boiling out of my coupe's radiator neck, though admittedly not steam. That comes when one removes the cap.
 
The thermometer in my quail does not work that well. I've seen it raise about 1/4" have a 2 mile parade that took 1 hour... A laser thermometer from harbour freight is more handy...
 
mshmodela said:
The thermometer in my quail does not work that well. I've seen it raise about 1/4" have a 2 mile parade that took 1 hour... A laser thermometer from harbour freight is more handy...
Click to expand...

mine does that also which is fine.. when its at a 1/4 i know its warmer than usual otherwise when i don't see it at all i know i am good
 
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