Temp gauges for the A

Airsho93

Airsho93

Member
I have a 30 A coupe. It has a thermostat in the radiator cap. It is hard for me to see that little red line that indicates the temp. If I had one thing not stock on the A it might be a inside the car temp gauge. I often I need things but sometimes you guys change my reasoning for doing something. Like switching from 6 volts to 12 but I took your advice and didn't.

A boiling radiator is somewhat embarrising??? to me. A gauge might help me keep the advance in the correct position. How do you guys do it?????
 
My car almost overheated once because I accidently left the spark in the retarded postion for fifteen minutes. After a brief spray of coolant on the windshield, I wised up. I suppose it will happen again, but probably not often. So for me, I don't need a temp gauge.
 
What you have in your radiator cap is a "thermometer" (aka Temp gauge), not a thermostat.

Inside the cab temp gauges were back then and have been accessory add-ons prety much from the beginning. Any of the parts suppliers have the gauges and the brackets to mount them, depending on where you want to mount them and how much you are willing to pay.
 
I always thought the temp and oil gauges in a Model A were for the faint of heart. How many of you actually SAW a gauge needle rise past a normal limit before a problem arose? Maybe that is why some of us use a "Motometer", since it is in our "line of sight" while looking out the windshield. Anyway, Airsho93, I've noticed MANY reproduction motometers don't show the red fluid line like they should. The "old ones" show a fatter line, because the glass was chamfered lengthwise and installed in the meter body so that magnification by the glass made the red fluid line "grow" in width. (Same idea as Mom's thermometer when she took your temp. as a kiddo. Remember her turning it to read it??
 
Loosen your motometer in the cap and turn it so it faces the driver. I probably looks better straight but is much easier to read if you're looking straight at it.
 
Glenn, your idea is pretty good because I am often leaning over in the center of the car to look at the red line. I probably look like I have some disorder when folks see me from behind the car.
 
I'm putting gauges in mine, just because I want to have some idea of what's going on
I've got too much blood, sweat, and skin cells (and money) invested
 
I do as Glenn says, I turned it a little so it gives ME the best view from the drivers seat, i have a thermostat, the motormeter reads radiator temperature ---and if I get the the engine higher than thermostat temp the motormeter reads engine temp.
At night I have used a flashlight ---or turn on the cowl lights ---mine is a 1970 repro, has always worked good
 
Re: Do you use one of those special hoses

Do you use one of those special hoses that has a place to screw in the probe? Or, how is your probe adapted?
 
You can get a gauge from Tractor Supply for $30 or the usual Model A suppliers for $75. The only difference is the one from Tractor Supply has a wider range.
 
We have a guy in our club, he posts here as "Tony S" that had a problem with his guage always showing that he was on the verge of overheating. (We are in South Florida) After many hours of trying to solve the "overheating" problem he finally fixed it,



By removing his guage. He never has boiled over!
 
I run a k type thermo couple It runs up the small rubber hose connected to the overflow on the radiator. If I feel its needed I plug a little digital meter in.
Loooove your choice in model, I have a 1/4 and a 1/3 J3 and many others. I will get back to building soon as I stop stuffing about with the A.

I drove the A and flew a Lancaster last week!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossfelix/sets/

Some picks to dig through

Regards Ross
 
i use the 2 guage bracket with temp & oil pressure . i like guages for the important things . just me ............. both are mechanical & yes it is the hose kit .
 
Napa sells a nice SW mechanical gauge with better temp graduations than the parts houses sell. They will have to order it. The last 2numbers of the part number indicate the length of the capillary tube. Get the 48" tube.
 
Has anyone tried grafting a new capillary tube to an old MotorMeter Red Ball temp gauge?

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Airsho93, a stock Model A really doesn't need a temp guage. It shouldn't overheat under normal operation unless you have an issue. When does your Model A overheat?
 
While getting my Speedster up and running, I was having trouble with overheating so I installed a temp gauge. I bought one at a local parts store. It came with different size fittings. I drilled and tapped the water outlet neck to fit one of the fittings. It works well but I think the sensor mounted in the hose would be a good choice. I have a Gano filter in my upper hose so didn't have room for it. I also saw an article on repairing a temperature gauge by grafting on a new capillary tube. It was in Skinned Knuckles magazine. He made a sleeve to connect the new tube to the old. He kept the new sensor on ice to keep the liquid inside from expanding while he cut it off and soldered the peices together with the sleeve.
 
heres what you want
its made by Moto meter for the model A
the bolt replaces one of the head studs,and is hollow
jerry is an honest seller
tom

ebay 230759456540
 
I have a working redball motometer like this, but I don't have the head stud. Would anyone know where to get one?
 
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