temp gauge question
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New User
Joined: Mar 2003
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temp gauge question
on my 92 f150 302 the temp gauge used to stay around or below "n" on normal. it started lately fluctuating up and down quite abit. i replaced the temp sending unit with a new motorcraft one. now it runs on "ma" in normal. i replacrd the thermostat today and it still runs on "ma". so i bought a borg warner sending unit a tried it runs same place. i read on here before about people saying that n on normal was x-temperature, and the rest of the letters were certain temps. i think a and l were up there about 260degrees. according to there numbers i would think my truck is getting over hot. so i used a 3m hand held laser temp. and read the temp a the thermostat. at the front of the stat it read about 186 on the metal. on the back it ranged around 196 to 201 on the metal. the radiator cap was around 78. the hose comind to the top of radiator was 143 to 158. the bottom hose was about 103. so my question is even though my gauge inside the truck is reading higher than normal, do you think its actually hotter than normal?
thanks
thanks
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 537
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From: Alabama
From what I have read on FTE, I think the only way to get an accurate temp reading in degrees is to install an actual temperature gauge. Without taking temp readings and coordinating them to the stock gauge I don't know how you could equate temps to letters. I have a '90 and it has a 190 degree thermostat, so the temp would have to be 190 for it to open, more or less. I have never checked my actual temps, but yours don't really sound abnormal to me.
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well i believe i have more of a problem than where the new gauge reads. it has started to get hotter going up mtns and cools off going down other side. i pretty sure the radiator is plugging up. the inlet side of the radiator is quite abit hotter than opposite side. the radiator cap is way to cool. i removed the cap while engine was running and thermostat open and i had no coolant movement. i guess with 160,000mi it could use a new radiator. i figure where the temp gauge reads could be just the difference in the sending unit ohms and not a big issue anyway. im going to change rads this coming tues. hope it does the trick. thanks for the other info.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Last edited by 4x4lowandslow; Oct 20, 2004 at 10:42 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 98
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From: East Coast
You could always pull out the thermostat all together. Just takes one more part out of the equation and is easily done. What's your antifreeze mixture? Got a good fan/clutch? Water pump leaking or making noise? Check the bottom of water pump (weep hole) to see if there is some leakage indicating pump failure. Hope this helps.
