Yes, if not it drives the pointer to an attitude which the gauge would never see during normal operation. By electricity power turned into magnetism the gauges can move their pointer further that your "view window" however that is undesirable especially when working on something 50 years old or older and is in failure mode anyway. There is a normal "sweep" to each gauge, and that includes what is indicated by those thin white lines. Anything beyond that is bad, with one exception.
And that would be for the temperature gauge; the topmost line which just says "C" everybody knows that stands for cold. Your normal start position is that line but I have seen many temp gauges (68 & '69-70) where the start position (cold engine) is slightly above that line which, in my opinion is totally normal. The top line or just above that line. Once set into motion by rising coolant temperature; that is where the other lines need to be right on the money!
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Peter Serio
Owner, Precision Pontiac
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