MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TF Temp gauge showing too high coolant temp?

My MG TF 1500 has a coolant temp gauge that seems to work. It will however never fall below ca 40 degrees C even with cold engine in frezing ambient temperature.

Once under way it will rise to 100 degrees C under normal road running conditions and even to 110 degrees after long climbs. I have been relaxed about this as I never loose any coolant , and when i remove the radiator lid and insert a Weber grill thermometer into the coolant it will show 82-85 degrees when dashboard gauge shows 110.

So my hypothesis is that my engine is not overheating but my gauge is sick. Any one else with the same experience - and an easy fix? Or is the sub-thermostate temperature and radiator fluid temperature 30 degrees different, which i find hard to believe?


regards,

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

I would say that your gauge is at fault, under most conditions mine reads at 85 c. when the engine is wormed-up.
David Werblow

Jan, maybe all you need to do is remove the needle and reposition it to zero when cold. It's worth a try since you might have to have it professionally rebuilt anyway. Good Luck.
Jim Merz

Jan - Remove the temperature sender from the car and put it in a pan of water on a camp stove. Check and record the water temperature without any heating and record the gauge reading. Heat the water to boiling and again check and record the the gauge reading (it should be 100°C). If the gauge reading at both high and low temperature are approximately the same amount off, repositioning the needle will correct the problem. If the reading at one temperature extreme is significantly different (further off at the 100° temperature for instance) then the gauge and sender should be sent to a gauge repair facility for repair and calibration. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Thank you for prompt advice. I will try to remove the sender and put in boiling water today.

regards,

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

This thread was discussed between 01/08/2011 and 02/08/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.