How Hot Is Too Hot?

[igya]

I went to the Fayetteville, AR rally this weekend and found my temp guage reading about 1/8" from the RED zone while at an idle. A little too close for comfort, in my openion. The outside temperature was about 82 degrees. I would like to see it stay about half way into the GREEN. Am I asking for too much?

[Rocket]

I went to the Fayetteville, AR rally this weekend and found my temp guage reading about 1/8" from the RED zone while at an idle. A little too close for comfort, in my openion. The outside temperature was about 82 degrees. I would like to see it stay about half way into the GREEN. Am I asking for too much?

 

That is about normal when sitting still, the calibration of the guage & sending unit is out on these, the fan kicks in a little higher yet, right about the red line. It runns cooler when moving.

[Squidley]

I went to the Fayetteville, AR rally this weekend and found my temp guage reading about 1/8" from the RED zone while at an idle. A little too close for comfort, in my openion. The outside temperature was about 82 degrees. I would like to see it stay about half way into the GREEN. Am I asking for too much?

 

 

Yep....The gauges on the 1st gen are not real accurate and there isn't any need to worry. All the 1st gens I had ran right close to the redline, after I found out that this is normal I just rode them....no worries.

[Condor]

My '83 used to run just under the red line in hot weather. About half way during the winter. Anytime the motor is running, and there's no air flow thru the radiator it gets hot. 'Specially after a run on the slab and then sitting at the freeway exit. I did a complete flush of the system, and now the needle doesn't climb quite as quickly as it did in the past. Used he special GM orange coolant and Blue Ice water wetter....just because. It'll still run the needle up in the extremes, but with the temps running around 85° the needle will be a little above horizontal. Also it doesn't climb as quickly as it did before.

[igya]

My '83 used to run just under the red line in hot weather. About half way during the winter. Anytime the motor is running, and there's no air flow thru the radiator it gets hot. 'Specially after a run on the slab and then sitting at the freeway exit. I did a complete flush of the system, and now the needle doesn't climb quite as quickly as it did in the past. Used he special GM orange coolant and Blue Ice water wetter....just because. It'll still run the needle up in the extremes, but with the temps running around 85° the needle will be a little above horizontal. Also it doesn't climb as quickly as it did before.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the "cool" (sic) answers. That Fayette rally was my first serious ride on the '85 and I see why ya'll (I'm a grit eater) like these 1st gens so much. Talk about smooth power! As long as I keep my propping-up foot off pea gravel when I stop, these babies can't be beat. Three times, in as many months, I've had to petition every ounce of grunt I had left to pick this simi up off its side. The last time it only went down at about a 45 degree angle (thanks to one of my car fenders and hood, and turn signal, and etc)! Oh well, what a blast it was, though!!