Temp gauge issue (NOT ELECTRICAL)

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May 16, 2023 | 07:43 PM

Slumdog

Thread Starter

4wd Low

Joined: May 2023

Posts: 14

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Temp gauge issue (NOT ELECTRICAL)

Hey guys recently bought a 94 f250 for 2k with 103k on the clock. It's got the 5.8 efi and the eod4 I think it's called? Anyways I have an issue with my temp gauge. The needle doesn't go up all the way. You're probably thinking "yeah wait for it to heat up duh" when the engine is cold it sits in the area as if the truck was off. Once it heats up (after a drive etc) it moves up to just below the starting line in the gauge. Od switch is disconnected and fuses checked(originally didn't work at all. Changed the fuse and its doing this) the cluster was rebuilt by the previous owner. More info that may help. The radio has the clock on, however no buttons work. There's no door buzzer either. The battery and fuel gauge work and I'm 70% sure the oil gauge works as well. Any ideas? Do I need to pull the clustee out? Thank you so much!

May 16, 2023 | 07:59 PM

hav24wheel

FTE Chapter Leader

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 11,273

Likes: 100

From: North Dakota

Alot of times the factory temp gauge will not move very high into the “normal” range unless the motor is overheating. Than it will climb to the high side.

May 16, 2023 | 10:45 PM

Moongypsy

Mountain Pass

Joined: Nov 2021

Posts: 227

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I've heard it said that these gauges aren't the most accurate. Even before the engine swap my temperature gauge sat low and my oil pressure gauge sat high, but I got used to it.

May 17, 2023 | 12:41 AM

My4Fordtrucks

Hotshot

Joined: Jun 2015

Posts: 12,880

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Take the wire off the temp sending unit. With the key on, ground out the wire. The needle should peg to hot.

May 17, 2023 | 05:26 AM

manicmechanic007

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2020

Posts: 10,554

Likes: 2,670

From: Near Salt Lake City

That is the test, ground the wire and the gauge pegs.
Needs a new thermostat?
An infrared temperature thermometer is what I use to check radiator temp and t stat housing temps
Install a capillary tube gauge if you want accuracy.
007
Every hotrod, every time gets one

May 18, 2023 | 07:53 AM

tim73

Mountain Pass

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 136

Likes: 3

Are you sure the truck is getting up to temp? Guess you need to know for sure if it’s the instrumentation or if it’s the truck not getting up to operating temp. If it were me, I’d find out what the range on the temp sending unit is…I’m pretty sure it’s just a single wire unit. Then test the resistance. That should give you an idea at least where on the gauge it should show. Then I’d prolly use a temp gun to see how hot the thermostat housing is. Will let you know if it’s getting warm enough…190-200ish. If it were a 96+ I’d check engine coolant temp via obd2. But I don’t know how, or even if it is available to check on an older truck.