OMG, that is one sweet gauge and a very nice installation and write-up.

Nice job!

Great post, Tider.

 

If you buy a cyl head temp guage for an aircooled engine, it will probably tell you in the instructions. I seem to recall that the temp ranges between 350/450 F, but I'll seen if I can find the instructions so that the info is accurate.

 

Here is a link for you to start with Hawkman. Best to email them and Polaris for what the max temp for your unit is.


http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugesearch.aspx

 

but still, is the oil temp a way to determine the engine temp, similar to the cyl head temp? i just need one or the other, just to know that i dont overheat. and $15 sounds great to me!

 

Here is something that may help with the basics. The oil temp gauge is great but is a lot slower in giving results. As the engine heats up, the oil has to get hot to pass info on to send. Cyl head temp reacts just a lot, lot, faster.

Quote;

Cylinder Heads on an Air Cooled Volkswagen are a weak point and can overheat if the air cooling system becomes unexpectedly blocked or if you're running in extreme (read: hot) ambient temperature conditions. An Oil Temp Gauge won't tell you as fast as a Cylinder Temp Gauge will if your head temps start sailing into the stratosphere. Average head temps on the upright engines range from 275 to 325F. Type 4 style engines tend to run a little hotter, averaging about 350 to 375F. These temps are when the Temp Sender Wire is correctly mounted to the Spark Plug, usually #3 because that's usually the hottest one. Some people have mounted the sender wire to other cylinder head locations, but our experience is that you don't usually have a true, reliable reading of the actual head temp. One very important thing to remember - NEVER cut and trim the length of the Temp Sender Wire or the Wire Harness - The voltage produced by the sender wire is what makes the Cylinder Head Temp Gauge work and if the length is tampered with, you will never get a true reading at all. Kit is complete with Gauge, Wire Harness and Sender Wire. All 3 items are available separately as well

 

Hey Tennessee, is that gauges quality as good as it looks in the photo?

 

Its quality seems to be OK. I have only had it installed for a day though!