On Apr 6, 10:27*pm, Jim Yanik <jya...@abuse.gov> wrote:
> Nate Nagel <njna...@roosters.net> wrote innews:ftbr6n1273o@news3.newsguy.com:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Ashton Crusher wrote:
> >> On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:56:27 -0700 (PDT), bubbabu...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> >>>I've been thinking about what my next commute car is going to be. 80
> >>>miles/day, it's just me and my briefcase, so thinking of a small
> >>>vehicle with great gas mileage. Yaris hatchback, Scion xD, or Honda
> >>>Fit would work for me. Problem is, none of them has a water temp
> >>>gauge, just an "idiot light."
>
> >>>Would you consider buying a car (brand new) that only has the water
> >>>temp "idiot light", but no water temp _gauge_ ?
>
> >>>Btw, do these "idiot lights" come on early enough to prevent major
> >>>engine damage, or only after the engine has overheated to the point
> >>>where the head gasket is blown?
>
> >>>Also, the next bigger models that do have the water temp gauge would
> >>>be Toyota Corolla, Matrix, or Honda Civic. But the extra purchase/
> >>>ownership cost may not even offset the possible repair costs resulting
>
> >>>from a Yaris/Fit/xD engine overheating (which, if happens, would be
>
> >>>several years down the road.)
>
> >>>TIA,
> >>>Bubba
>
> >> Yes, I would. *I've had many vehicles with real gauges and a few of
> >> them overheated and I never noticed the gauge go up because it
> >> happened so fast (blown hose). *I might have noticed an idiot light.
> >> I'd like to have both in an ideal setup. *It's nice to know what's
> >> happening with water temp on a long uphill, esp if you are towing
> >> something. *My 99 Mustang GT has a temp, oil and volt gauge but all
> >> are just idiot gauges. *At least on the mustang you can put the
> >> Dashboard odometer into "diagnostic mode" and it will give a true
> >> digital readout of water temp. *I think most idiot lights for water
> >> temp are set to go on at about 235 degrees. *If everything is good in
> >> the cooling system it should not boil till it hits 260 degrees.
>
> > I agree, I think the ideal setup would be gauges with an idiot light
> > right inside the gauge. *Unfortunately if you want something like that
> > you have to do it yourself.
>
> > nate
>
> Many gas gauges do that;when you get down too far,the warning light comes
> on.
>
> With today's modern LCD dashes,such a thing ought to be easy to
> implement.Have a bright LED behind the hi segments that would light when
> those segments are activated.

Now that I think about it I think my Porsche works like that, but I've
never seen the warning lights even bulb check. My fluke says
everything is working fine, so I don't know what gives.

nate