temperature meter

[85gbody]

how am i suppose know when my car is overheating. i have an 85 el camino and my gauge for my temperature is just a simple light. does that mean when the light turns on red, my car is overheated? or does it blink when its getting there or anything? help please

 

[pontiacgp]

the light comes on when it hits a certain temp. The sender unit may be defective so you may be getting a false reading

 

[monte olrac]

Just to be on the safe side i would buy a cheap O water temp and oil pressure gauge, i like to know if im going to have a problem before i have a problem

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Yep, usually by the time the idiot light comes on your screwed.

I don't think the temp light comes on until something like 260*F.

 

[85gbody]

Thanks you guys. I appreciate your help. Unbelievably the following day after posting this I discovered that on my own. Stupid car overheated. But strangly none of the hose ripped, the thermostat didn't get stuck (cus I don't have one), and the water pump seemed to be working fine cus I could feel water running thru the hoses. But what happend is that the water filled my anti freezes resevoir nd spilled from the top. What could of caused this???

 

[pontiacgp]

when it overheats the coolant expands and boils over and fills the overflow. You shouldn't be running without a thermostat tho. If your engine survived the overheating I'd strongly suggest you change the oil unless you were running a good synthetic oil.

 

[85gbody]

Hmmm. Thanks. I think it can be the oil. Any suggestions for a v8 with 121,000 miles? I'm running it with castrol high mileage 10w-30. Should I use a different one?

 

[FE3X CLONE]

He means to do an oil change after getting the engine that hot. Not necessarily change the brand or viscosity.

 

[85gbody]

I could of expected that response. I wwas just wondering if it would make a difference cus I had other problem when I switched oil viscosity. Thanks though.