Did the engine feel at normal temperature? Or significantly cooler? If
normal then probably the gauge has failed, this is their normal mode of
failure - to start reading low then not at all. If noticeably cooler then
probably the thermostat has stuck open. You can confirm this by warming the
engine up from cold feeling the top of the radiator all the time. With a
good stat it will stay cool for some time even though you can feel the head
and block warming up, then gets very hot all in a rush. With a stuck open
stat the radiator will warm up gradually with the engine. Also a good gauge
but a stuck open stat will probably read higher if stationary but running at
a fast idle than driving down the road, in winter ambients anyway.
The flat battery is almost certainly nothing to do with either gauge or
stat. You won't do any real immediate harm running with either a stuck open
stat or a failed temp gauge, but a stuck stat will probably need more choke
which is not good for the engine, and a failed gauge will not reveal
overheating is some other problem should develop ... like the stat suddenly
closing and sticking closed!
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
> ... What's the consensus of the group? Time to find
> a new gauge, thermostat stuck,....??
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