My gauge goes to about 300 fully warmed up, seems low. Also, now that I have speedhut gauges, I no longer have idiot lights (like fan light) so no quick warning should I lose a fan. Will I see a sudden rise in cylinder head temp as well if I lose a belt? Also, I runb Clark's best belt and have not lost a belt in at least 5 years so.....


Pic of Gauge

1965 Corvair Corsa 140
Regal red over Red/Black Interior


Mods/Options:
Wood telescoping Steering Wheel
Clock (correct twice a day)
tinted Windshield
4 Speed manual
Rear Ant
passenger side mirror
electric fuel pump
Vintique type 30 rally whels



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2021 11:10AM by Mjposner.

YES!!

MODERATOR
Sea Mountain, between Charleston Harbor and Coos Bay! SW Oregon Coast
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My opinion only: the warning light suddenly popping on is more apt to grab your attention than the creeping upward of the temp gauge. It shouldn't be difficult to continue having both warning lights. again just my opinion.

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

The Speedhut gauges have a settable over-temp indicator. Also I left my snap switch in place (idiot lights), added a second snap switch, and moved the idiot lights to the dash. (The blue on the speedo is the high beam indicator.)

Dave Keillor
Rochester, MN

Will the loss of alternator output trigger any alarm that gets ones attention?

Voltmeter! You can buy ones with low Voltage alarm. Set it at 12 volts [ no charging.

MODERATOR
Sea Mountain, between Charleston Harbor and Coos Bay! SW Oregon Coast
Click HERE for My Website...Click HERE for My TechPages!
...............110-PG.................................................Webered-Turbo

Why not just wire in the idiot lights? I like the one dash above? That looks pretty neat. Small unobtrusive LED's placed where you will see them. Gauges are nice but you need to see them and then recognize what you are seeing, even if you adamant about scanning gauges stuff happens fast.

Ken Hand
Handy Car Care
248 613 8586

Vairmech@aol.com

steve c goodman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My opinion only: the warning light suddenly popping on is more apt to grab your attention than the creeping upward of the temp gauge. It shouldn't be difficult to continue having both warning lights. again just my opinion.

I agree. In the 60's and 70's the desk jockey automotive magazine writers constantly whined about gauges being replaced by stupid "Idiot lights" on new cars. Fact is the warning lamps worked well.

I do like gauges, but there is no denying that Warning Lights work in situations that need immediate attention - like no oil pressure or loss of engine cooling. On the Turbo Corvair engine there was also an overtemp buzzer AND warning lamp.

Every modern car I've driven with gauges has warning lights to supplement the gauges.

When I put in my Custom Instrument Panel from Dakota Digital I added an adaptor so I could drive both the Oil Pressure gauge AND the Idiot Light Switch!

That drives the "Check Engine" input on the the Dakota Digital control box.

This way I have both!

Dale

Dale E. Smiley CPBE
Life Member The Society of Broadcast Engineers
RETIRED Broadcast Engineer
CERTIFIED CORVAIR NUT
CORSA/Circle City Corvairs/Corvair Performance Group
Avon, Indiana
WB9SFF
1967 4-Door Monza PG!

So I also installed a Voltage Gauge: [www.speedhut.com]

It has a warning light, I assume that if a belt goes, the alternator stops and my voltage should drop to trigger a warning light. Thoughts?

1965 Corvair Corsa 140
Regal red over Red/Black Interior


Mods/Options:
Wood telescoping Steering Wheel
Clock (correct twice a day)
tinted Windshield
4 Speed manual
Rear Ant
passenger side mirror
electric fuel pump
Vintique type 30 rally whels

I doubt it triggers at a low enough voltage unless the warning light is actually the alternator trigger.

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 116 Corvairs and counting...

Quote
MJ
I no longer have idiot lights (like fan light) so no quick warning should I lose a fan.

Quote
MJ
It has a warning light, I assume that if a belt goes, the alternator stops and my voltage should drop to trigger a warning light. Thoughts?

Yes, PUT THE IDIOT LIGHT BACK IN THE CIRCUIT! Yes, I meant to shout.

Sure it is nice to improve things, but removing the idiot light for loss of FAN BELT in a Corvair is NOT an improvement!

In the meantime, set the low voltage setpoint to about 13.4 volts and see what happens. You NEED a lamp that lights as soon as the belt goes away. Waiting for the head temperature to rise to where you might notice it is asking for valve seat drop.

If you set the low voltage setpoint to 12 volts, and have a well charged battery, it might be many miles before you have a warning, and that warning will be the tap tap tap of one or more valve seats.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

The simple solution that most racers have gone to is monitoring the air pressure in the "turkey roaster" - upper fan shroud. Warren - then Michael - LeVeque sold a kit with a remote mount for a very low pressure switch. This is the type of switch used in a home forced-air heating system. The switch opens at a very low pressure, like a few lbs of pressure. It is wired like an oil pressure light, in that it comes on at engine turn-on, but goes out when the air pressure in your top shroud goes over a few (small) PSI. I mounted mine on the right side in the spare tire area and plumbed it from a hole on the right-side of the shroud, between cylinders 3 and 5. If you lose a belt, the fan will slow down quickly - turning on the light - although, I suppose you could trigger an audible alarm - like a horn or buzzer - instead. If you need more info, just ask.

Seth Emerson

Check my new Performance Corvair Web site [www.perfvair.com]

In the meantime, set the low voltage setpoint to about 13.4 volts and see what happens.

Per the instructions the low set point range appears to be 0-6 volts....

1965 Corvair Corsa 140
Regal red over Red/Black Interior


Mods/Options:
Wood telescoping Steering Wheel
Clock (correct twice a day)
tinted Windshield
4 Speed manual
Rear Ant
passenger side mirror
electric fuel pump
Vintique type 30 rally whels

That's strange. The ignition will quit working before you get down to 6V. If you were running in the daytime and just powering the ignition it would run all day and never turn on the light.

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 116 Corvairs and counting...

Quote
MJ
Per the instructions the low set point range appears to be 0-6 volts....

Well then, it is USELESS!

Wire the original idiot light circuit in or install a low pressure switch as Seth says.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2021 09:47AM by Frank DuVal.

Quote
MJ
Per the instructions the low set point range appears to be 0-6 volts....

The gauge manufacturer doesn't know what they are doing, I see. Just where in ANY vehicle of 12 volt battery type, would this range be needed? Makes me wonder what else the manufacturer did not do right in gauge design.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

When I read the speedhut directions I did not get the 0-6v..... I read you can set a upper limit light and a lower limit light to what ever you want.

-Tom


63' Monza Spyder Convertable (in process) MY Build Thread
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86' BMW 325es
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Grand Island, NY

Quote
Seth
a very low pressure switch. This is the type of switch used in a home forced-air heating system. The switch opens at a very low pressure, like a few lbs of pressure. It is wired like an oil pressure light, in that it comes on at engine turn-on, but goes out when the air pressure in your top shroud goes over a few (small) PSI.

Sounds like a sail switch.

Not sure where I read that 0-6 volt for min. Will set min at 12 volts as extra safety and I will wire up idiot lights when I can

1965 Corvair Corsa 140
Regal red over Red/Black Interior


Mods/Options:
Wood telescoping Steering Wheel
Clock (correct twice a day)
tinted Windshield
4 Speed manual
Rear Ant
passenger side mirror
electric fuel pump
Vintique type 30 rally whels