Temp Gauge
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New User
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: EAST COAST
Temp Gauge
i have a 88 bronco e/b 5.8. i just got it a month ago and the temp gauge doesnt work. when i turn the key on it drops all the way to the left and never goes up from there. im not sure what to look for. is it the gauge, sending unit or simply a wire off. i dont know where to look. but im willing if i knew where to look for what. if anyone can advise me, that would be great. im 41 and this is my first ford. ive been converted. i love the truck.
thanks
Upper Case edited out by FTE
thanks
Upper Case edited out by FTE
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 772
Likes: 1
Welcome to the FTE.
in times to come you will also hate that truck with all you have. But, like a good wife, you'll make up and love it again.
As for the temp gauge, your smarter than you give yourself credit. You listed all the possible problems. Most likely it is a bad sending unit. Buy a manual for you truck at a autoparts store, hayes, chilton, etc. and it will list the location of the sending unit. (Sorry I can't remember right now)
in times to come you will also hate that truck with all you have. But, like a good wife, you'll make up and love it again.
As for the temp gauge, your smarter than you give yourself credit. You listed all the possible problems. Most likely it is a bad sending unit. Buy a manual for you truck at a autoparts store, hayes, chilton, etc. and it will list the location of the sending unit. (Sorry I can't remember right now)
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 57,025
Likes: 2,756
From: Virginia
If it's fuel injected, I don't know where it is either. But the carbed models(and possibly the fuel injected too) usually placed the sensor on the intake manifold behind the thermostat housing. If you see a sensor mounted in a water passage with one wire coming off of it, that's most likely it, but I would recommend looking at a wiring diagram to double check the color of the wire.
Once you find the sensor, get someone to turn the ignition key on, but don't start the truck. Take the wire off the sensor and ground it. They should see the guage swing all the way in one direction. Then take the wire off ground and let it hang in the air. The needle on the guage should swing the other way full scale. If it does, then your wiring and guage are working, and it may be the sensor is bad, or not making a good ground through the threads.
Once you find the sensor, get someone to turn the ignition key on, but don't start the truck. Take the wire off the sensor and ground it. They should see the guage swing all the way in one direction. Then take the wire off ground and let it hang in the air. The needle on the guage should swing the other way full scale. If it does, then your wiring and guage are working, and it may be the sensor is bad, or not making a good ground through the threads.
