Gene Berg once told me years ago that if depend on accurate temperature
readings on anything and use a pyrometer that costs less than $900, you are
fooling yourself.  And that was late 80's money he was talking.  I used to
have a VDO head temp gauge on my 79 loaf, but I put the sending unit on the
exhaust manifold stud for #3.  It read hotter(up to 450 on full throttle
climbs up steep interstate grades) than when under the spark plug  seat and
I didn't like trustingthat ring unit to seal the combustion gases either.
Mounting it under the head temp sensor for the FI gave way too cool a
reading as well.

If you look at the gauge  as  A/B/C/D/E markings instead of an arbitrary
set of numbers,  you can benefit from knowing when the engine is running at
normal temps and when it's running hotter than normal.  BTW, I have a new HT
gauge and used sender and wire kit I'd let go of for $25.  P mail me and 1st
come first served,

DM&FS

-----Original Message-----
From: David <david@renaissance-design.com>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Friday, June 23, 2000 11:40 AM
Subject: Head Temperature Readings

>I recently installed a VDO cylinder temp guage and am off on my first trip
of 2000mi.  The question is how accurate are these guages and what is an
acceptable temperature for the #3 cylinder?
>
>I am seeing 375-425 at highway speeds with 450 degrees at the start whent
he alternator is charging the battery.  This sounds high to me, but I am not
sure how acuurate the guage really is and am not sure what is an OK range
for #3.  Can anyone tell me the range or accuracy of the guage.
>
>David
>
>PS.  I just finished a 26 hour, 1200 mile trip and everything seems to run
fine, it's been 90+ degrees out.  BTW the flaps are all the way open and the
tin is prettly well sealed.