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1994.5 - 1997 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel  

Coolant Temp Gauge

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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:25 AM
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Coolant Temp Gauge

I wanted to see if there is anyone out there that can help me with this gauge issue. It stays pegged low and I've even tried using a wire with alligator clips to ground the sensor wire and see if that would do anything but it stays low. I replaced the sensor with a new one when I replaced my pump and hoses because it was doing that and the new sensor didn't help any. Is there anything else I need to check? Thanks in advance.
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:32 AM
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Thats the nature of the beast, they tend to run on the cool side. Do you drive her enough to get her up to temp?
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by z31freakify
Thats the nature of the beast, they tend to run on the cool side. Do you drive her enough to get her up to temp?
I took it for a spin after reinstalling everything and checking for any more leaks (None - ) but I may not have driven for long enough but I thought if I grounded out the sensor wire it would've pegged high. Am I wrong about that?
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by bellssn690
I took it for a spin after reinstalling everything and checking for any more leaks (None - ) but I may not have driven for long enough but I thought if I grounded out the sensor wire it would've pegged high. Am I wrong about that?
Nope that's right when you ground it goes high.
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:46 AM
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Some pics of what I saw

Here are a couple of pics of what I saw when I removed the pump. I don't like how rusty everything is and I got a good bit of rust flushed out but I don't think that would've been the cause of the sensor not giving a temperature reading. Also, when I ordered a new temp sensor it was a two-prong and the old one was a single so I bought a new single-prong and installed it. I'll be going back to work soon and I'll have a good 3-hour drive so I should be seeing the temp come up. If the wiring is broken would that keep the gauge pegged low? Or is there a fuse for it maybe?
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 09:50 AM
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That does looke rusty, mine didnt even looked like that when I replaced my water pump a few months back, flush it with disgilled water instead of water hose water.
 
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Old Mar 26, 2016 | 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by z31freakify
That does looke rusty, mine didnt even looked like that when I replaced my water pump a few months back, flush it with disgilled water instead of water hose water.
Yeah, I thought it looked pretty bad myself but I don't know of any way to get that cleaned out other than the flush I already did plus, the coolant filtration I also installed while I was at it. I'll post pics of my filter set up as soon as I get them on. I did notice that my heater isn't getting warm any more and also, my filter had air in it until I loosened it and coolant started filling it up. I hope I didn't install my hoses backwards. I have the top line on the filter housing teed off from the discharge line of the pump housing and the side line is teed at the bottom line at the radiator. Pics to follow.
 
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Old Apr 1, 2016 | 05:23 AM
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My factory gauge rides on the N or O of the scale marked in a range covering the word NORMAL. However, an aftermarket gauge shows around 200F. Mine doesn't run as cool as the gauge seems to indicate.
 
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