Replacing a temperature sending unit
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,668
Likes: 1,159
From: Tolland, CT
Click on the "User CP" on the blue bar up top, Then, on the left side menu, go down a little, you'll see the "edit signature" tab.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/usercp.php
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1,174
No worries there. The gauge is quite robust and leads a sheltered life in the dash. The sender, on the other hand, gets abused with repeated hot/cold cycles in a harsh environment. If you really wanted to, you could test the system and confirm the sender is at fault, but even I'd shotgun something simple like that. It would be a different story if a sender was expensive or difficult to replace.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
Not sure I follow your line of thinking. The diesel thermostat may be physically different from gas engines, but it operates in the same temperature range. RockAuto showed diesel and gas engines both use 195F thermostats as original, with optional 180F.
No worries there. The gauge is quite robust and leads a sheltered life in the dash. The sender, on the other hand, gets abused with repeated hot/cold cycles in a harsh environment. If you really wanted to, you could test the system and confirm the sender is at fault, but even I'd shotgun something simple like that. It would be a different story if a sender was expensive or difficult to replace.
No worries there. The gauge is quite robust and leads a sheltered life in the dash. The sender, on the other hand, gets abused with repeated hot/cold cycles in a harsh environment. If you really wanted to, you could test the system and confirm the sender is at fault, but even I'd shotgun something simple like that. It would be a different story if a sender was expensive or difficult to replace.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
Click on the "User CP" on the blue bar up top, Then, on the left side menu, go down a little, you'll see the "edit signature" tab.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/usercp.php
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/usercp.php
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1,174
Anybody heard from Dave? Should we send out a search party? I'm kinda worried. Maybe I can pinch hit on his behalf, you know, just to keep the universe in alignment:
"Get rid of those stock gauges and put in a mechanical gauge with numbers so you can trust it."
How did I do?
"Get rid of those stock gauges and put in a mechanical gauge with numbers so you can trust it."
How did I do?
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
Anybody heard from Dave? Should we send out a search party? I'm kinda worried. Maybe I can pinch hit on his behalf, you know, just to keep the universe in alignment:
"Get rid of those stock gauges and put in a mechanical gauge with numbers so you can trust it."
How did I do?
"Get rid of those stock gauges and put in a mechanical gauge with numbers so you can trust it."
How did I do?
Not too bad but it might be better to let Dave be Dave.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
I was reticent to change out my sending unit. It loyally alerted me to temperature issues multiple times. This verified by my infrared finger tips on the top radiator hose, not available at harbor freight. And I've logged millions of miles on multiple vehicles and I have never had a sending unit go south. You get a little attached to these loyal soldiers guarding your engine condition. Nearly 7 decades and never needed to change one out. Now that's reliability!
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1,174
Point well taken, just trying to help. The following scenario ran through my mind. Let's say Dave was injured in a gardening accident or something like that. He's barely alive but too weak to yell for help. Fortunately, he's got his phone. With his last bit of strength, he's able to send out a message for help. While waiting for help to arrive, he decides to check in at the forum. He sees a thread about stock temperature gauges but his strength is fading fast. He furiously tries to type out something about installing a mechanical gauge, but the stress is too much and it puts him over the edge, succumbing to his injuries. I couldn't live with that on my conscience.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,992
Likes: 2,741
From: Virginia
Come on over to the dark side. It's wild watching the gauge read about 200F with a 195F thermostat. What is really neat is the speed of the mechanical gauge. You can actually see the gauge go up then down several times as the thermostat opens, the cold water from the radiator hits the engine and the thermostat closes. Then the thermostat opens again, the cold water hits it again, but it takes a little longer for it to close back. And then it finally opens for the last time and hovers around 190-200F. The colder it is outside, the more times it will bounce before it settles in.
Stock gauge is too slow to see that.
Mechanical oil pressure gauge is the same way. Cold start jumps up to 50 or 60 psi. As it warms up that drops to around 40 psi, depends on the condition of your engine. Hot idle the pressure drops to around 20 psi. Rev the engine the pressure instantly jumps up to 40. Stock gauge is too slow to show that also.
Stock gauge is too slow to see that.
Mechanical oil pressure gauge is the same way. Cold start jumps up to 50 or 60 psi. As it warms up that drops to around 40 psi, depends on the condition of your engine. Hot idle the pressure drops to around 20 psi. Rev the engine the pressure instantly jumps up to 40. Stock gauge is too slow to show that also.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
I'm not anti aftermarket mechanical guages. Sounds like a fun toy if you don't screw up the stock look and guages. Gotta have the stock guages. But always the problem with aftermarket guages is placement, cost and looks. I haven't see a decent looking installation yet.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,992
Likes: 2,741
From: Virginia
People have their different priorities, I respect that. I prefer function over looks, but in my personal opinion, I do not think gauges hanging under the dash looks that bad. I just bought a old cb radio the other day at Goodwill. Big chrome front one. I want to hang that under the dash also and hook it up. But I will never use it, just for looks. That is what they did in the 80's and 90's.
I found a set of white wagon wheels and put them on my f250. Had to do something to get rid of the 16.5 wheels, and the white wagon wheels while not my favorite, are period correct for that truck also.
I found a set of white wagon wheels and put them on my f250. Had to do something to get rid of the 16.5 wheels, and the white wagon wheels while not my favorite, are period correct for that truck also.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
That's the beauty of pride in ownership, everyone gets to satisfy their own likes. I don't like the hanging guages or the CB radio look. But you do so go for it. The door post guages are also hideous to me. If you don't have AC you might customize the dash and fit some guages in clean and flush faced. That'd be the least obtrusive on a stock look. But then many people want pure stock especially as our trucks get older when vintage stock will be more valuable.
Thread Starter
|
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,248
Did the third and final DI flush today and installed the new sending unit. Top hose and radiator hot like they're supposed to be and with the new sending unit installed reading smack dab in the middle of NORMAL. Splits the R and the M perfectly.
Sometimes you get these near simultaneous failures and it makes you wonder. I'm gonna have to give the dead sender a 21 gun salute just as any loyal soldier would deserve. Gave one last warning before succumbing to enemy fire!
Sometimes you get these near simultaneous failures and it makes you wonder. I'm gonna have to give the dead sender a 21 gun salute just as any loyal soldier would deserve. Gave one last warning before succumbing to enemy fire!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
habbythetabby
1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
2
Apr 7, 2023 09:29 AM
iwals
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
2
Nov 10, 2021 09:51 PM
zwit10
1967 - 1972 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
3
Dec 16, 2012 01:59 PM
robin22m
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
1
Aug 9, 2005 09:11 PM