guys,

I tried searching, but i'm not sure how to ask this. When initially starting the engine in the AM or when cold, does the temp gauge read off the line like almost 1/4 (1/8 really) way up?

All my other cars i've owned would read absolutely cold or at the very bottom of the gauge face until it started to warm up and then progressed up slowly.

The Mini seems to always start a bit higher, but keeps with progression of warming up until it settles on the halfway mark.

 

depends on WHICH gauges you have....
The chrono kit does give actual temps...(speedo and rpm by steering wheel, full gauges in center)
the regular non chrono gauges are idiot gauges...pretty sure simulated...

 

I guess i'm an idiot because i'm not quite following.

I don't have the chrono kit. just standard central speedo and tach on steering wheel.

Is this normal operation procedure to start off the line? Is that what you meant by simulated?

 

The T needle should start at the bottom unless you've just driven the car, or it is REALLY hot outside in which case the needle rises quickly to 1/4 or whatever.

The "idiot" aspect of the gauge that Zippy refers to is that when it is sitting at halfway (the "normal" position) it stays there even if the T actually rises or falls during driving. The needle will only start going up beyond the "normal" position if the actual T rises above a certain critical T (I forget what it is though).

I hope that makes sense.

 

yeah .. it doesn't happen that way. the temp gauge never starts at the very bottom. always goes up a bit .. higher when hot, but still up when cold. weird.