Hi there. I've recently acquired an '86 LX 5.0 convertible with 126K on the clock, a new top and seals, Cobra wheels and Steeda suspension. It's in wonderful shape and I've been enjoying it in the last couple of days. A nagging question, though:
The car required a long road trip home after I picked it up. The PO had recently had a new radiator, thermostat, water pump, and hoses put in. However, the stock temp gauge was reading temperatures ranging anywhere from just over halfway up the gauge, where it should be, to just touching the red. No steam, boiling over, or boiling sounds accompanied the high temps, and what's more, they occurred randomly - I'd get high temps at 70mph and normal temps at idle in traffic, or vice versa, in outdoor temps ranging from 50-80 degrees. The PO mentioned that this might happen and seemed to think there was a device behind the dash that needed to be replaced - am I right in thinking that he's full of caca and someone goofed when replacing coolant parts? The only reason I'd even consider his idea is that the other gauges are a little wonky as well - fuel gauge sits *way* above full and runs out around 1/8 tank, amp gauge is always right in the middle, not positive or negative at all, but i'm not losing juice that i can tell, and finally, though I'd love to believe the car is making enough oil pressure at idle to peg that gauge at high, I rather severely doubt that possibility. Also, if I tap the temp gauge, it flickers a little bit and then slowly settles at a slightly different temp, higher or lower.
So where should I be looking? Is my first mod to the car a nice shiny new set of Autometers? Will they fit in the stock dash?
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
christopher
The car required a long road trip home after I picked it up. The PO had recently had a new radiator, thermostat, water pump, and hoses put in. However, the stock temp gauge was reading temperatures ranging anywhere from just over halfway up the gauge, where it should be, to just touching the red. No steam, boiling over, or boiling sounds accompanied the high temps, and what's more, they occurred randomly - I'd get high temps at 70mph and normal temps at idle in traffic, or vice versa, in outdoor temps ranging from 50-80 degrees. The PO mentioned that this might happen and seemed to think there was a device behind the dash that needed to be replaced - am I right in thinking that he's full of caca and someone goofed when replacing coolant parts? The only reason I'd even consider his idea is that the other gauges are a little wonky as well - fuel gauge sits *way* above full and runs out around 1/8 tank, amp gauge is always right in the middle, not positive or negative at all, but i'm not losing juice that i can tell, and finally, though I'd love to believe the car is making enough oil pressure at idle to peg that gauge at high, I rather severely doubt that possibility. Also, if I tap the temp gauge, it flickers a little bit and then slowly settles at a slightly different temp, higher or lower.
So where should I be looking? Is my first mod to the car a nice shiny new set of Autometers? Will they fit in the stock dash?
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
christopher