Coolant Temp and Low alarm

**101RRS** · 23rd January 2018, 11:21 AM

Ok is good to know.

Based on my experience, if only going for one item I would definitely go the low coolant alarm. If you have not lost coolant your fitted water temp gauge will sooner or later pick up issues within the cooling system, but if you have lost coolant the standard gauge is not likely to be any help.

**donh54** · 23rd January 2018, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by garrycol

Ok is good to know.

Based on my experience, if only going for one item I would definitely go the low coolant alarm. If you have not lost coolant your fitted water temp gauge will sooner or later pick up issues within the cooling system, but if you have lost coolant the standard gauge is not likely to be any help.

The standard gauge is NEVER any help! By the time it reacts, the damage is most likely already done!

**101RRS** · 23rd January 2018, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by donh54

The standard gauge is NEVER any help! By the time it reacts, the damage is most likely already done!

I agree where coolant has been lost but with other issues my gauge has always worked fine - where the sensor is still in contact with coolant - Subaru, Freelander, Disco 1, 101, Jag V12 - all have showed rising coolant temps where there has been no major loss of coolant.

**donh54** · 23rd January 2018, 12:08 PM

I've got a digital gauge running off the thermostat housing on the Disco 1.

Standard gauge reads halfway point when digital gauge says around 45 degrees C. Still reads halfway when digital says 110 C.

To me, that's nowhere near accurate enough - I'm an old gauge hawk from way back, (comes from years of operating machinery under some pretty harsh conditions).

If a gauge doesn't tell me whats's happening NOW, it's a complete waste of a piece of dashboard space that could be used for a much better purpose.

**incisor** · 23rd January 2018, 12:25 PM

i use a mechanical temp gauge and a low coolant alarm

comes from having older vehicles all my life i suppose.

i like to see whats going on in real time.

the alarm gives you that added peace of mind......

Tombie · 23rd January 2018, 02:42 PM

The alarm “shatters” that peace of mind

**trout1105** · 23rd January 2018, 03:15 PM

The one coolant level alarm that hasn't been mentioned is Simply lifting the bonnet on a regular basis to physically check the cooling system out.
The vast majority of drivers rarely do this.

**Lemo** · 23rd January 2018, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by trout1105

The one coolant level alarm that hasn't been mentioned is Simply lifting the bonnet on a regular basis to physically check the cooling system out.
The vast majority of drivers rarely do this.

My mechanic father in law, rest his sole trained me well!! Do it regularly and when on a trip every time we stopped