So I finally see the shop I wanted to take my truck to was empty today and I drive over to it. The gauge was way up past H and when I pulled in and parked I noticed fluid running all over under the truck. F#%k, I open the hood and the heater line had come loose and was spewing coolant all over the engine (talk about feeling like an idiot). I stuffed it back on and told Dean "the guy" about the troubles I've been having and he got his infrared senor gun and it was only at 172 at that point. I explained all the work I did and he thought and thought and thought and then suggested I check the regulator on the instrument cluster. So I'm taking the donor part and I'll try it tomorrow to see if thats it. wish me luck

 

My heating problem in my 64 was this, I live in So. Cal. temperature gets hot, damn hot. Then there's my truck, every summer that needle would rise then rise...... then I pull over have a Gatorade and let my truck cool down. Of course I'm talking rush hour traffic in So. Cal.
Last year I said enough, I'm going to keep this old yblock cool no matter what. I started out with the thermostat, no difference. Next flush the block, have my radiator rotted out and put on a shroud, No difference.
I found a NOS temperature gauge put that on you guess it, no difference.
My gauge was reading hot but no coolant anywhere. I bought a infared sensor and my temp was normal. I removed the cap and watched the coolant circulate not well but it circulated.
I bought a new radiator from U.S. Radiator new hoses fresh coolant, and guess what? that's right my temp reading was still HOT!!
Last fix attempt, put electric fans on. I met with the owners of "the fanman" I first met them at the f100 Western Nationals.
I discussed my issue with them, and was told lets see what we can do.
After installing my electric fans with a 195* sensor I sat in my truck and watched the needle move, at 195* on my gauge the electric fans did not kick on. When my temperature hit 225* I shut it down, there has to be something wrong with their sensor.
These guys were great, they replaced that sensor then the owner asked me to stand in front of my truck while he used the infrared on it. We both watched the temp on the gun rise at about 193* the fans kicked on, the temperature started declining as it was suppose to. We let it cycle a couple of times to make sure I was happy.
The owners son was in the drivers seat all this time. When he got out he told me and his dad that for a second he got nervous, the temp on my gauge went to 230* and never dropped until the fans kicked on. when that happened the temp dropped to 220* then back up.
If it wasn't for that I'd still be chasing the temp gremlin.
I don't know if I can ever fix my gauge issue, but at least I know everything is working like it should.
I threw a lot of money at this problem, and in the long run I guess it was worth it. I have a new cooling system and being stuck in traffic doesn't bother me anymore.

 

GANGSTAKER. If your aftermarket gauge is electric put a resister in-line to the gauge to drop it to read correct.

 

67, I am sorry for your continuing anguish. Here are three questions for you to ponder:
1) Has the fuel gauge been reading abnormally high?
2) How far are the mechanical fan blades from the radiator?
3) Have you run the vehicle without a thermostat?
You will figure out where I am going.
Also, why don't you do a resistance check from the sender + to the block when the thing appears to be overheating? You will read a few ohms. Post up the number. We cool guys will check it against our readings and come back.
And by all means, let us know how this thing ends up.

 

No after market gauge. I have the original gauge for my truck, the new one is identical just found one that was NOS and installed it.
Tell me more about a resister. Do it in a P.M.
Don't want to this to long. Sorry guy's/gal's.

 

Gang, no problem on the hijack.
Go to Radio Shack, get a rheostat, 0-10 ohms will do fine. Hook it up in series with the sender wire and dial it when the engine is at temp to center the gauge. Unhook it, either measure the resistance of the setting yourself if you have the ohmeter or take it back to the store and have the guy measure it. Buy a resistor of that value as Jefa said.
You can make the gauges read lower cheaply. Higher is an expensive problem.

 

Just get one like this?

 

It looks to me that what you put up is a slide rheostat. That will work. Hook it up, slide until you get the right answer, lock it up. I think a 10-20 maximum resistance will work just fine.
Anybody else?

 

Thanks' CougarJohn, Today was a good day I learned something new. I hate electrical stuff, especially trying to put that little puff of smoke back in the wires after I touched something. Just kidding.

 

Well, since you asked. I was thinking of googleing for the equation but a Rheostat was a simple,yet, brilliant idea. So then I was thinking of a cheap Rheostat or L-pad. Like the picture below. Trouble is the pic is of the back side of one at Radio Shack. Not the front side so you would see the shaft you'd be turning to correct the guage.
*



25-Ohm 3-Watt Rheostat

Model: 271-265

| Catalog #: 271-265
<DL class=price><DT class=orig-price>$4.49</DT><DD class=orig-price-hidden>$4.49</DD></DL>
<IFRAME style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 71px; HEIGHT: 20px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id=f2dbdb48e1cbd44 class=fb_ltr title="Like this content on Facebook." src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?api_key=203998659616415&locale=en_US&sdk= joey&channel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.facebook.c om%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D26%23cb% 3Df17bbcd53d6979%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww .radioshack.com%252Ff1805c0ae5d6f9c%26domain%3Dwww .radioshack.com%26relation%3Dparent.parent&href=ht tp%3A%2F%2Fwww.radioshack.com%2Fproduct%2Findex.js p%3FproductId%3D2062299&node_type=1&width=100&layo ut=button_count&colorscheme=light&show_faces=false &extended_social_context=false" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency name=f2bdd80c635c606 scrolling=no></IFRAME>

<IFRAME style="POSITION: static; WIDTH: 90px; HEIGHT: 20px; VISIBILITY: visible; TOP: 0px; LEFT: 0px" id=I0_1376599961562 title=+1 tabIndex=0 marginHeight=0 src="https://apis.google.com/_/+1/fastbutton?bsv=o&usegapi=1&size=medium&hl=en-US&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radioshack.com&url=http %3A%2F%2Fwww.radioshack.com%2Fproduct%2Findex.jsp% 3FproductId%3D2062299&gsrc=3p&ic=1&jsh=m%3B%2F_%2F scs%2Fapps-static%2F_%2Fjs%2Fk%3Doz.gapi.en_US.JJ9pBIExfuE.O% 2Fm%3D__features__%2Fam%3DEQ%2Frt%3Dj%2Fd%3D1%2Frs %3DAItRSTONXURaQPtBr0mcgfvDcb4H0W-WjQ#_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2 C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart%2Concircled&id=I0_137659 9961562&parent=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radioshack.com&pfn ame=&rpctoken=30358677" frameBorder=0 width="100%" allowTransparency name=I0_1376599961562 marginWidth=0 scrolling=no data-gapiattached="true"></IFRAME>







<FORM method=post name=orderForm action=/cartHandler/index.jsp target=_self> </FORM><FIELDSET id=to-store sizcache="167" sizset="107"><LEGEND>BUY ONLINE</LEGEND>Out of Stock Online
Sign up for our back-in-stock email notification


</FIELDSET>
<FIELDSET id=in-store sizcache="167" sizset="108"><LEGEND>FIND IT IN-STORE</LEGEND>

</FIELDSET>




Need more help?

See technical specifications
See features of this product

 

0-25 ohms with that wattage rating will work. 25 is high. I would suggest 1-10 if you can find one. Get the thing, put it in on a 0 ohm setting, take the truck up to tempertare, move the slide until you center the gauge. And then, get the rheostat out and replace it with hard 1 watt resistors. The store guy will fix you up with what you need to get what is on the rheostat. You may need a combo of series-parallel.
The rheostat will not survive for long in the engine environment. The resistors will live forever.

 

The Thermostat spring assembly goes into manifold Right! Right! I use just a cheap AC vent thermometer just about 5 bucks at auto parts stores. Also to remove the air from the block remove upper intake heater hose until water coolant comes out. Now days most all Thermostats are made in china so just, I'd check yours in a pan of hot boiling water if your wife will let you operate the stove that is. I'd run a set of the manual oil psi & water temp gauges under the dash then you'll really know what's going on with your engine..orich