Temp Gauge

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Oct 8, 2003 | 08:23 AM

Sluggercat2

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Temp Gauge

Hi folks
I own a 87 F150 XLT with a 302. My temp gauge quit so thinking it was the sending unit I replaced it. That wasn't the problem. I checked the wire to the firewall and it looked fine and there are no burnt fuses. Any Ideas? With the heat we get here in central TX a guy needs his temperture gauge to work.

Thanks
Rick

Oct 8, 2003 | 09:24 AM

fishin1976

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Which temp sender did you replace? There are two of them.

One that sends info back to the computer, and one that is the actual sender for the guage. The one behind the distributer, in the lower intake manifold is the one for the computer. The other one is in the passengers side of the block. I think towards the rear. The guage sender has only one wire. the computer one has at least two if not three.

Oct 8, 2003 | 09:39 AM

95BlackF150

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buy a set of Mechanical gauges not those electic ones

Oct 10, 2003 | 05:04 PM

Sluggercat2

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The one I replaced was a 2 wire by the radiator hoses on the front of the engine. Where on the block is the other located?

Thanks
Rick

Oct 10, 2003 | 07:19 PM

marragtop

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Joined: May 2002

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From: Baltimore

If you ground the sending unit wire, it should peg the gauge to hot. If so, then it's not the gauge.

Oct 10, 2003 | 08:13 PM

Mats87f_1505OH

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Joined: Dec 2002

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From: Canada

I've had similar troubles with my temp guage, it never seem to go past cold, My wiring was good, my guage was good(by grounding the wire) i bought a new sender since that was the problem.

The guys are right about grounding it to check your guage, just don't hold it there to long grounded cause you can blow the guage.

unfortunatly you replaced the wrong sender. The one you replaced is the Coolant Temperature sender) for the computer. this one tells the computer to go off of the high idle upon start up.

The one to check is the one on your lower intake manifold with one wire going to it with a rubber angle shaped connector.

what i did was added a T to this place and added a mechanical guage. Its quite surprising to see how inaqurate the stock guage is. well hope this helps.

also make sure if your replacing your sender to use some teflon tape and some Blue RTV sealant to seal the sender/manifold surfaces up to prevent a leak.

Oct 14, 2003 | 02:35 PM

Sluggercat2

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Checked the gauge and it worked fine so I'll order a sending unit and a mech gauge/T.

Thanks all
Rick

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Oct 18, 2003 | 05:47 PM

92 Red F150

Mountain Pass

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 146

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From: Southern Illinois

Glad to hear that my temp guage isn't the only one that reads strange. All summer long, my guage needle always read low. Fully warmed up, the needle rarely touched the letter N on the word Normal. It would have to take a really hot day, A/C on and be hammering the gas pedal to get the needle to even touch the letter N on the guage. I was beginning to think that the thermostat was partially stuck open. I'm glad to hear that this is where they normally run. On a side note, now that cooler weather has arrived, I am impressed with how fast I get heat coming out the vents after a cold start. Especially with the fact that this is an all iron motor. Ford did their homework here. Charles