temperature gauge bad?
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New User
Joined: Feb 2004
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temperature gauge bad?
I have a 1995 Powerstroke that I have changed the thermostat, and temperature sending unit and my guage still reads erratically. Sometimes when I start my truck when it is cold, the guage stills reads at normal operating temperature and as the truck warms up, the gauge will go all the way into the red zone on the guage and then suddenly go down to normal temp. After driving truck at normal temp reading, then shutting the truck off, when I come back and restart it, the guage will be reading very high, and continue to go up into the red zone, and then go back down to normal. If I unplug the sending unit wire, the guage does not go down much. Help. Is there a way to test the gauge to determine is it is the problem? Or is there something I am missing?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 3
From: River Valley AR
Try to tap on the gauge. Mine sticks all the time in the morning. Maybe your gauge is getting a head start from where it left off the previous run. I have also seen low coolant levels cause the temp. guage to swing wildly. Is there any chance that air is still in the system?
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New User
Joined: Feb 2004
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Thank you for your response. I have tapped the guage, with no results. If I was to have air in the system, how would I know? How would I get it out? Also, is it normal for there to be no water in the upper radiator hose when the engine is cold?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,111
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I had a '95 gasser that the oil pressure guage would peg out on the high side. My dad when he owned it took it to the dealer and they replaced the sender with no changes. They told him that he would have to buy an entire dash cluster to fix it. $$$$$. I took it apart and found that there is a small resister on the back side of the guage that the soldering had broken of off and ALL the current for the guage was going through the guage, not the guage and the resister. I resoldered the connections and it worked perfectly after that. So... pull your dash cluster and look on the back of the guage with a magnifying glass and see if the soldering is cracked at the connector. If so resolder and I'll bet it's fixed.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 907
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From: West Haven, UT
The old shunt resistor eh? One thing I would recommend is anytime you have something out of your truck with soldered connections is to hit each solder joints with your soldering iron just to make sure you have no cold solder joints (one of the hardest problems to troubleshoot). Unless, of course, these trucks are going the way of most electronics and going to surface mount technology. Then you need to get yourself a good magnifying glass and a hot air soldering gun. Can run pretty expensive.
Excellent suggestion Kwik
Mike
Excellent suggestion Kwik
Mike
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 4
From: Goodyear, AZ
I have '96 PSD and mine does the same thing, usually in the morning, the gauge will stick reading the normal temp, and after a little warm up, it returns to cold until the engine does warm up to normal. Must be a Ford thing, lol.
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