problem, engine light and temp gauge
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Freshman User
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problem, engine light and temp gauge
here's the scoop, I'm driving home and the engine light comes on. Then I notice the temp gauge is maxxed out as well. I stopped and check under the hood and all seemed normal, So I drove on home, I checked the radiator and let it cool down but no change, the temp gauge doesnt move at all and engine light is still on, thermostat maybe, a sensor of some type ????
Senior User
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I don't know about other years, but from what I understand about my 86, the engine temp light and the gauge are different sender units (gauge is one wire, warning light is two wires). Given that, I suspect you might have an issue beyond a bad sensor.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
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That's exactly correct, but what the OP didn't tell us is what year is truck is and if it's the engine temp light that is on or just the 'check engine' light which I understand is on the later models to tell you to check your gauges. He may just have a bad gauge sender.
How would that work?
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Unlike modern vehicles with computers in between the sensors and the gauge, our trucks can pretty much only have one gauge per sender (you make things too complex and variant when you introduce more gauges). This does have an advantage in that if they both read "too hot" then you very likely have an issue (it is quite unlikely that both would fail high at the same time unless you had a pretty extreme short going on).
The location of the individual senders are showing in this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...mp-sensor.html
There is also a sensor hooked up to the injector pump for the cold idle.
The location of the individual senders are showing in this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...mp-sensor.html
There is also a sensor hooked up to the injector pump for the cold idle.
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yea I read that one too, the temp gauge is even pegged when the truck's off
its the engine light, not engine temp light
sorry man its an 87 f-250 6.9
its the engine light, not engine temp light
sorry man its an 87 f-250 6.9
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
driver side head temp sensor. unplug it and see if the light and gauge go out.
the sensors and connectors are not the best for sealing, and if you hit a puddle just rite water will short out the connector/sensor turning the light on and pegging the gauge.
i found this out after washing the engine on my 88. it would do it on all 6 of my trucks.
the only thing that will turn your check engine light on are high engine temp sensor or low oil pressure sensor.
and once the light would come on, it would take 2-3 days for it to dry out and go off.
the sensors and connectors are not the best for sealing, and if you hit a puddle just rite water will short out the connector/sensor turning the light on and pegging the gauge.
i found this out after washing the engine on my 88. it would do it on all 6 of my trucks.
the only thing that will turn your check engine light on are high engine temp sensor or low oil pressure sensor.
and once the light would come on, it would take 2-3 days for it to dry out and go off.
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Freshman User
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driver side head temp sensor. unplug it and see if the light and gauge go out.
the sensors and connectors are not the best for sealing, and if you hit a puddle just rite water will short out the connector/sensor turning the light on and pegging the gauge.
i found this out after washing the engine on my 88. it would do it on all 6 of my trucks.
the only thing that will turn your check engine light on are high engine temp sensor or low oil pressure sensor.
and once the light would come on, it would take 2-3 days for it to dry out and go off.
the sensors and connectors are not the best for sealing, and if you hit a puddle just rite water will short out the connector/sensor turning the light on and pegging the gauge.
i found this out after washing the engine on my 88. it would do it on all 6 of my trucks.
the only thing that will turn your check engine light on are high engine temp sensor or low oil pressure sensor.
and once the light would come on, it would take 2-3 days for it to dry out and go off.
will it kill me to drive it short distances for a couple of days, its gonna be 0 and below for a couple of days and I dont have a garage
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,422
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
good deal. i really don't think unplugging it will hurt, or you can try cleaning it with carb cleaner or some type of degreaser spray and compressed air and plugging it back in, or leave it connected and ignore it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Western Mass
I had the same thing happen. Was offroading without the fan installed one winter and the light went on. If I unplugged the overtemp sensor, everything worked fine and the temp sensor gauge worked like normal.
I ended up swapping the overtemp sensor with one from a spare engine, so not sure if it got splashed or what not, but didn't really care at that point.
I ended up swapping the overtemp sensor with one from a spare engine, so not sure if it got splashed or what not, but didn't really care at that point.
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