Cylinder Head Temps, My Experience + lessons learned Options

[rwilner]

I drove down to Chris Foley's shop to get his shift linkage installed this weekend. At the charlton plaza on I-90, I stopped to fill up. I usually put premium in the 914 but this time put regular in because it's what I put in my other cars and I was on autopilot. Oh well, I thought...let's see how she runs on 87, maybe I'm wasting my $$ on the good stuff.

Before the fillup, I was running between 300 and 325 F in 5th gear around 70-75 mph.

After the fillup, I was running between 380 and 400! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

I spent the rest of the trip in 4th gear at no less than 3500 rpm to try and keep the head temps down. When I got to Chris' shop, we put the car in the air and drained out 5 gallons. I replaced them with 93 octane before getting on the highway for the ride home. My cyl head temps were back down to 310-350 for the return trip.

Here's what I learned:

• A cylinder head temp sensor and gauge are critical to know what's happening in your engine and should be on everyone's short list. Without it I would never have known of the dangerous operating conditions for the engine. The aircraft spruce gauge/probe are short $$ and a quick install.
• The state of tune has a major impact on running temps (duh). I am still tuning my car with the microsquirt and it's clear I have work to do.
• Higher octane gas makes your car run cooler.

As always YMMV but thought I'd share my experience.
Rich

[jsayre914]

I am learning sooo much from this thread. I have decided one more guage cant hurt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

While looking at all the 4 channel guages, i found that I really like the idea of seeing all four at the same time and the

MGL AVIONICS TC-2 THERMOCOUPLE TEMPERATURE DISPLAY Guage

seems to be the perfect one, you dont have to view it as a bar graph, if I am understanding the manual, you can read all four as a digital display at the exact same time in real time. look at the last pic of the guage. That is just cool (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[falconfp2001]

I am learning sooo much from this thread. I have decided one more guage cant hurt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

While looking at all the 4 channel guages, i found that I really like the idea of seeing all four at the same time and the

MGL AVIONICS TC-2 THERMOCOUPLE TEMPERATURE DISPLAY Guage

seems to be the perfect one, you dont have to view it as a bar graph, if I am understanding the manual, you can read all four as a digital display at the exact same time in real time. look at the last pic of the guage. That is just cool (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Very Nice. Besides being able to monitor CHT on all for cylinders, does MS have the ability to tune to four CHT inputs?

Maybe MS 3?