Coolant Temperature Switch/Sending Unit

[shadowless127]

So while experiencing cooling issues with my X my temp gauge seems to have become impaired. For the 4yrs I've owned the X the needle has been happy around the 1/4 to 1/3 area on the temp gauge. Now it isn't. It will stay at cold when I first turn the car on after sitting and will slowly creep up to half way and stay there regardless of what the reading I see the ECT sending to the PCM is (scan tool). Like for instance, since I'm having issues with cooling when in traffic or stopped at lights the ECT will report the temp has risen to 199, then when I get going the temp will drop to 179 and then when I'm cruising at hwy speeds the temp settles in at 181-185, yet the entire time the gauge doesn't move. With temp swings upwards of 20 degrees I expect some movement in the gauge. Also noticed monday when I had the car on and idle for some time while I scrapped off tons of ice, the gauge was at the middle but the ECT/PCM was reporting that the car wasn't even warmed up yet (I watched the temps rise from 150 to operating temp as I left my house).

So with that being said I am assuming the sending unit/switch needs to be replaced OR the gauge is broken. Since the switch appears to be pretty cheap, and the installation process seems pretty idiot proof, my question is does anyone have a recommended brand/part number for this?

thx.

 

[koda2000]

The needle should roughly be (and stay) in the center of the TEMP gauge at normal operating temp. It sounds like your gauge is now working properly. The Ford temp gauge is a bit like the oil pressure gauge. That is to say it's not really a gauge. As long as your coolant temp is w/in the normal range, the needle will stay in about the center of the gauge. That's the way it works on all my Explorers/Mountaineers. The only time I've seen the needle in a different position is when I had a thermostat that was stuck open. 179-199 degrees is probably considered normal op temp, so the needle doesn't move. I believe Ford does this to not freak people out when they see their gauge needles move.

 

[shadowless127]

The needle should roughly be (and stay) in the center of the TEMP gauge at normal operating temp. It sounds like your gauge is now working properly. The Ford temp gauge is a bit like the oil pressure gauge. That is to say it's not really a gauge. As long as your coolant temp is w/in the normal range, the needle will stay in about the center of the gauge. That's the way it works on all my Explorers/Mountaineers. The only time I've seen the needle in a different position is when I had a thermostat that was stuck open. 179-199 degrees is probably considered normal op temp, so the needle doesn't move.

206, 210, and 214 aren't normal op temps, and when my X was hitting those temps it didn't move, yet last Sunday as I was driving home on the highway with the ECT reading 183 solid I watched the needle move to almost fully straight up, then back down to the middle with ZERO temperature change. I probably should've added that in my OP.