temp gauge starts at the middle when cold then works its way to hot

[zimzum308]

i replaced the thermostat, sender sensor, gauge sensor, refilled the coolant and now i am out of ideas. would there be a short some where in the gauge sensor cable? and how could this be tested? maybe a fuse somewhere or maybe a new way to wire in an aftermarket one

 

[yavapaires]

i replaced the thermostat, sender sensor, gauge sensor, refilled the coolant and now i am out of ideas. would there be a short some where in the gauge sensor cable? and how could this be tested? maybe a fuse somewhere or maybe a new way to wire in an aftermarket one

What does the gauge do when you unhook the sending unit? Maybe the gauge is at fault.

 

[zimzum308]

stays in the middle when i unplug the gauge sensor. but when i unplug it and ground the cable to something near by when i turn the key it goes straight to hot. stuck bezel ?

 

[drbenz]

Looks like you have a guage problem.

 

[zimzum308]

i figured as much, now im trying to figure out how to reset it or if there is a fuse, or if it would be easier to just re-wire it. i have not found any diagrams anywhere

 

[yavapaires]

i figured as much, now im trying to figure out how to reset it or if there is a fuse, or if it would be easier to just re-wire it. i have not found any diagrams anywhere

Well, if the gauge goes to full hot when you ground the sending unit wire, that tells me the gauge is working. I would suspect a faulty sending unit. Just because it is new, doesn't mean it is good. Could be the wrong sending unit in the box.

 

[yavapaires]

Well, if the gauge goes to full hot when you ground the sending unit wire, that tells me the gauge is working. I would suspect a faulty sending unit. Just because it is new, doesn't mean it is good. Could be the wrong sending unit in the box.

Also, did you use teflon tape or thread sealant. Maybe too much causing poor connection between sending unit and engine.

 

[zimzum308]

just used a tiny bit of blue rtv on the sender sensor but not the gauge sensor since it came with its own red stuff on the thread. i can turn the car on and off when its "hot" . before i replaced both sensors the car would stall as soon as i turn the car on when it was on "hot". i would have to wait about 20 minutes if i ever made a pit stop anywhere. i also noticed that two of the light bulbs in my dash started working again

 

[clubraydel2004]

hi can u tell me how did u solve your problem im having the same issue with mine. i would really appreciate it. the Gauge starts at the middle when cold and it works its way up. changed almost everything already the gauges, sending temp senson, the gauge sensor and still nothing. please helpppp

 

[koda2000]

sounds like a faulty gauge to me. there's no reset (unless you call pulling the needle off a reset) and no fuse. i'd just replace the gauge.

 

[clubraydel2004]

Solution

Ok i just fixed the problem and i will tell u guys what it was just in case u run into the same problem. It was a the sending unit, not that it was bad but the wrong one. I just replaced the engine and mine is a 97 but i put a 96 engine on it cause its the same 5.0 but the wiring harnes its different so i left the 96 engine sending unit and the computer i guess reads this sending unit wrong so i connected my snap on computer on it and was telling me the temperature was around 190 which is normal but the gauge was over heated around 240 in the red area. So what i had to do was cut the wire and connector of the 97 5.0 engine and put it on this engine 96 one that i just intalled with the temp sending unif of the 97 engine so the computer of the car reads it right and that way i solve the problem. So i guess that the one that started this post was changing engines too lol.

 

[koda2000]

Ok i just fixed the problem and i will tell u guys what it was just in case u run into the same problem. It was a the sending unit, not that it was bad but the wrong one. I just replaced the engine and mine is a 97 but i put a 96 engine on it cause its the same 5.0 but the wiring harnes its different so i left the 96 engine sending unit and the computer i guess reads this sending unit wrong so i connected my snap on computer on it and was telling me the temperature was around 190 which is normal but the gauge was over heated around 240 in the red area. So what i had to do was cut the wire and connector of the 97 5.0 engine and put it on this engine 96 one that i just intalled with the temp sending unif of the 97 engine so the computer of the car reads it right and that way i solve the problem. So i guess that the one that started this post was changing engines too lol.

your comments make sense. the temp gauge (as well as the fuel and oil pressure gauges) all work on OHMs resistance as reported by their senders. a wrong or bad sender will give you the wrong reading.