Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello all,

I fitted a temperature sender to my top hose during the winter and for the next few months the temperature reading on my Smiths guage (which doesn't show any numbers) never really got much further than the C mark.

Now that the weather is warmer the temperature guage is regularly going past the mid point.

I suspected a problem with my thermostat and/or water pump so changed both of them but it made no difference. Today I "adapted" my wife's jam thermometer to fit into the radiator to check the actual temperature and it read about 86 degrees, which seems ok but it's an 82 degree thermostat. The guage has been a bit higher than this when I was at full pelt.
I'd expect the water in the top of the rad where I took the reading to be the same or very close to the water when it comes out of the thermostat but I'm not sure. If it is then I guess there's no problem but I don't want to keep driving it if there's likely to be a significant difference.

Also, would the engine temperature really be so much lower in the winter or does this indicate another problem?

Does anyone have any words of wisdom?

Sounds OK, is there a thermostat fitted?

Hi Marky,

Yes, it's an 82 degrees thermostat.
My main worry is the large difference in temperature showing on the gauge recently compared to 3 months ago. I can't remember experiencing this before in previous years.
The jam thermometer, hopefully, indicates that everything's ok.

The jam thermometer, hopefully, indicates that everything's ok.

Temperature wise sounds fine, marital discord, not so good.

Outside temps have gone up quite significantly round here at least, they will have quite an effect.

MarkyB wrote: Temperature wise sounds fine, marital discord, not so good.

It's ok - she'll never know

This thermometer reading from the rad top, was after fitting a new water pump, 82deg stat and radiator.
Since fitment the overflow pipe has become redundant.
The missus still cant find the thermometer [frame][/frame]

Seems ok to me - thermostats are not exactly precision instruments - and neither is that vets thermo........... Appears to be for taking the temperature of a bull/horse/ pig etc ...... so where do you stick it??

bmcecosse wrote: Appears to be for taking the temperature of a bull/horse/ pig etc ...... so where do you stick it??

I reckon that's a meat thermometer

You think??

bmcecosse wrote:You think??

I hope...

I would go for a new thermostat, sounds like it may be open when cold when it should stay more or less shut until the water reaches 82.