Overall low voltage will also mess up your gage readings. My van has not been able to keep a full charge on the battery in the winter - EVER - but when the charger has been on for a couple of days, the gas gage and the temp gage both read better - higher, that is - than just before the charger went on. Even with fully-functioning alternator, low battery voltage screws up all manner of things...

Vdub Guy <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET> wrote:  This 'cooler is better' is left over from the air-cooled days.
Do whatever you like, but you are costing yourself considerable $ / year in
wasted fuel costs, not to mention shortening the life of your engine>

And back from the days when water cooled cars had carbs and no computer controlled anything. Back in my old bracket racing days we'd always pull the thermostats on our Chevy Camaros (after the first of May) because the thought was cooler was better and produced more HP-that was then and this is now. However, I'm not convinced what my gauge is reading is accurate. My heater output is excellent ( I know the other day you said that's not an indication of coolant temp, but the only time I've had a stuck open thermostat the vehicle had NO heat) So that leaves a suspect gauge. My fuel gauge is flaky as well, list archives say swap the voltage stabilizer for a flaky temp & fuel gauge-did that with no change. Also checked and cleaned all the grounds as well-still no difference. I need to get or find someone with an IR temp gun and see just how cool/warm this engine is running. Coolant hoses also get nice and warm, too. Jeff

Evan Mac Donald

(present)
1985 GL 7 Pass. (Butternut)
1984 Wolfburg (Wolfie)
1994 Subaru Legacy wagon (the hearse)
2006 Saturn Vue (Mom's truck)
1991 Carat Weekender (the Fridge)
1972 Chevy P/U (Sarah Beth II)

(past)
1976 type 2 (Marigold)
1970 type 2 (the blue bomb)
1968 Chevy P/U (Sarah Beth)
1977 Honda wagon (the Italian special)
1978 Honda wagon (the FIRST)
1978 Honda wagon (the SECOND)
1977 Honda Civic (the roller skate)
1976 type 1 (the bug)