Here is my first attempt at a temperature gauge. It is a digital meat thermometer which operates as a motometer. I have found that it measures the air temperature above the coolant and not the actual coolant temperature. After a long trip I stopped the car, left the engine running, and measured the actual water temperature by opening the cap and inserting a probe directly into the coolant. The motometer was reading 130 degrees and the actual water temperature was 160 degrees. I did try adding a wick to the bottom of the motometer which did wick the coolant up to the probe. But that did not help I still got a low reading.
In my next attempt I plan on drilling a small hole through the baffle and insert the meat thermometer probe through that hole. Thus it will be in direct contact with the coolant as it enters the top of the radiator. It will require a flexible water tight heat resistant wire from the bottom of the motometer to the probe. I am also looking for a smaller digital thermometer that will fit inside of a standard motometer.
Bob
