I have read with interest the recent messages about overheating with
"newer" Spits. My car is a '77 with a '69 1300 engine - but with the entire
cooling system from an '80! I would like to know if there is a difference
between the temperature gauges fitted to various years. The gauge my car
came with would not register by itself - it needed a good tap on the glass
to get it to read, then would read just below the half way point. I
replaced it with the one from my '74 parts car, which consistently reads at
the 3/4 mark! I am wondering if I should be concerned, or if this is likely
to be just the gauge itself. I do not know what thermostat is in the car.
We have had ambient temperatures here in Maine from 90+ to 50 since I put
the gauge in - the only time it seems to vary is if I have the heat on full
blast it drops to halfway between 1/2 - 3/4 when moving at moderate speed
(45 mph). The electric fan seems to cycle on and off normally when sitting
at idle. One gauge has a sticker on the back of it that reads "503" the
other gauge reads "516", I do not remember which is the one that is in the
car now. Am I being justifiably paranoid? ;-)
Kevin Rhodes
77-ish Spitfire (got to dig out the ID plate and find the commission
number!)
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