What's In An Instrument Panel?
Most of us drive a car every day, but how many of us pay much attention to the instrument panels in our car. Sure, we all pay attention to the speedometer so that we do not get pulled over, and even then sometimes we do not pay close enough attention to keep ourselves from getting pulled over and getting that speeding ticket.
So what should you be paying attention to in your cars gauges and more importantly, why? First, they are there to educate you about the condition of the car as we drive down the road. They can alert you about any possible problems that are coming up.
With that said, most of us do not have much more in the way of gauges than a speedometer and gas gauge, which are the only ones most of us pay any attention to. Today's cars typically have warning lights rather than gauges. When auto makers discovered that we were not paying attention to all of the gauges, they decided to do something that would get our attention. Warning lights replaced the traditional gauges and have been our warning when there was a problem, rather than gauges with a dial and numbers.
If by chance you have a car that still has gauges, you should learn what they are for and pay attention. The coolant temperature gauge is a gauge that tells you just that, the temperature of the coolant. It is there to tell you when things are heating up. In the summertime, cars overheating are a particular problem. The average temperature of the coolant in a car running down the road is 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit. When the coolant starts to get hotter than that, you should pay close attention. If the temperature continues to climb and does not cool down as you speed up, then stop the vehicle and let it cool down. If you do not, you will be stranded on the side of the road calling for a tow truck
The oil pressure gauge is another gauge found in an instrument cluster. This gauge reads the pressure (or force) of the oil through the engine. This is important to know, because a loss of oil pressure usually means some big problems are imminent if you continue to drive the car. This loss of pressure, whatever the cause, means that the parts of the engine that need lubricating while running are likely not getting it. If you do not stop the car and turn it off, then you can break something inside and that can be real expensive to fix or replace.
A tachometer gauge is the gauge that tells you the RPM's (revolutions per minute that the crank of the engine is turning). This is important, because the higher the RPM's, the faster everything is turning and in turn, is more vulnerable to breaking. Street cars generally run between 2000-3000 RPM's while driving down the road, reaching no more than 5000-6000 RPM's when getting the car to speed in a lower gear. For some comparison, NASCAR race cars run around 8000-9000 RPM's and Indy cars run between 12,000-13,000 RPM's.
The oil temperature gauge is less common, even in cars that have lots of gauges. However, if you have one it is good to understand it. While oil pressure and water temperature are more important, oil temperature can also signal a potential problem. When the oil gets too hot in the engine, it breaks down and loses its ability to lubricate properly. The lubrication in the engine is crucial to the internal, moving parts. When those parts do not have sufficient lubrication, they heat up beyond the capacity of the part and break, destroying the engine. Most cars that have gauges still do not have an oil temperature gauge, but if they do pay attention to it.
If your car has gauges, you should learn what they each mean and why that is important to you. Pay attention to them to prolong the life of your car. However, most cars today have warning lights in place of gauges. It has been my experience that warning lights in your cars instrument panel usually comes on too late. If you have warning lights instead of gauges in your cart, understand that when a light comes on in your dash, you are already well into a problem and you should park the car very soon and have it looked at by your mechanic. - 21393
So what should you be paying attention to in your cars gauges and more importantly, why? First, they are there to educate you about the condition of the car as we drive down the road. They can alert you about any possible problems that are coming up.
With that said, most of us do not have much more in the way of gauges than a speedometer and gas gauge, which are the only ones most of us pay any attention to. Today's cars typically have warning lights rather than gauges. When auto makers discovered that we were not paying attention to all of the gauges, they decided to do something that would get our attention. Warning lights replaced the traditional gauges and have been our warning when there was a problem, rather than gauges with a dial and numbers.
If by chance you have a car that still has gauges, you should learn what they are for and pay attention. The coolant temperature gauge is a gauge that tells you just that, the temperature of the coolant. It is there to tell you when things are heating up. In the summertime, cars overheating are a particular problem. The average temperature of the coolant in a car running down the road is 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit. When the coolant starts to get hotter than that, you should pay close attention. If the temperature continues to climb and does not cool down as you speed up, then stop the vehicle and let it cool down. If you do not, you will be stranded on the side of the road calling for a tow truck
The oil pressure gauge is another gauge found in an instrument cluster. This gauge reads the pressure (or force) of the oil through the engine. This is important to know, because a loss of oil pressure usually means some big problems are imminent if you continue to drive the car. This loss of pressure, whatever the cause, means that the parts of the engine that need lubricating while running are likely not getting it. If you do not stop the car and turn it off, then you can break something inside and that can be real expensive to fix or replace.
A tachometer gauge is the gauge that tells you the RPM's (revolutions per minute that the crank of the engine is turning). This is important, because the higher the RPM's, the faster everything is turning and in turn, is more vulnerable to breaking. Street cars generally run between 2000-3000 RPM's while driving down the road, reaching no more than 5000-6000 RPM's when getting the car to speed in a lower gear. For some comparison, NASCAR race cars run around 8000-9000 RPM's and Indy cars run between 12,000-13,000 RPM's.
The oil temperature gauge is less common, even in cars that have lots of gauges. However, if you have one it is good to understand it. While oil pressure and water temperature are more important, oil temperature can also signal a potential problem. When the oil gets too hot in the engine, it breaks down and loses its ability to lubricate properly. The lubrication in the engine is crucial to the internal, moving parts. When those parts do not have sufficient lubrication, they heat up beyond the capacity of the part and break, destroying the engine. Most cars that have gauges still do not have an oil temperature gauge, but if they do pay attention to it.
If your car has gauges, you should learn what they each mean and why that is important to you. Pay attention to them to prolong the life of your car. However, most cars today have warning lights in place of gauges. It has been my experience that warning lights in your cars instrument panel usually comes on too late. If you have warning lights instead of gauges in your cart, understand that when a light comes on in your dash, you are already well into a problem and you should park the car very soon and have it looked at by your mechanic. - 21393
About the Author:
I have been brought up around cars and auto racing and I am passionate about cars and high performance. The instrument panel is one of my OCD's because I want to know what is going on rather than relying on the warning lights that come standard in cars today. There are many car gauges that should fill the instrument cluster of a car and they each have a specific use.
posted by X - Men @ 4:29 AM
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