I too am interested in the Digi-Panel. It would be comforting to have
alarms go off when problems develope since we don't monitor the guages as
often as we should. However, the Digi-Panel's method of sensing temperature
creates doubts as to its accuracy and I don't want to go to the expense of
having one installed if key temperature readings won't provide meaningful
warnings.
First, the reading for coolant temperature is actually the temperature of a
bolt mounting the thermostat housing. Wouldn't this provide a reading
higher than the coolant which at that point is attempting to draw heat away
from the engine, and thus provide a warning well before excess temp had
actually been reached?
Second, the reading for transmission temp is actually the temperature of a
trans pan bolt. As I understand it, the fluid in the pan, after having been
cooled by whatever trans cooler is being used, is as much as 50 degrees
cooler than the fluid being pumped to the cooler, where accurate readings
should be taken. Since the meter does not change from green to yellow until
250, and to red with an alarm until 300, won't the tranny be cooked long
before the panel warns of trouble?
Can some of you with more technical savvy please resolve these concerns so
that I (and maybe others) can make an informed decision about adding this
panel?
TIA
___________
Dave (& Dege), '76 Royale /_][__] [_] | "SR JAMES"
Santa Barbara, CA *0-------OO--* (our hobby)
alarms go off when problems develope since we don't monitor the guages as
often as we should. However, the Digi-Panel's method of sensing temperature
creates doubts as to its accuracy and I don't want to go to the expense of
having one installed if key temperature readings won't provide meaningful
warnings.
First, the reading for coolant temperature is actually the temperature of a
bolt mounting the thermostat housing. Wouldn't this provide a reading
higher than the coolant which at that point is attempting to draw heat away
from the engine, and thus provide a warning well before excess temp had
actually been reached?
Second, the reading for transmission temp is actually the temperature of a
trans pan bolt. As I understand it, the fluid in the pan, after having been
cooled by whatever trans cooler is being used, is as much as 50 degrees
cooler than the fluid being pumped to the cooler, where accurate readings
should be taken. Since the meter does not change from green to yellow until
250, and to red with an alarm until 300, won't the tranny be cooked long
before the panel warns of trouble?
Can some of you with more technical savvy please resolve these concerns so
that I (and maybe others) can make an informed decision about adding this
panel?
TIA
___________
Dave (& Dege), '76 Royale /_][__] [_] | "SR JAMES"
Santa Barbara, CA *0-------OO--* (our hobby)
