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I had the same problem with my 54 - stock gauge with aftermarket sender. Read hot with motor at 190deg. Since the gauge operates off of a small electrical current from the sender, I installed a 0-500ohm variable resister in series with the sender. By varying the resister I found the gauge would read mid scale at about 190deg with 100ohms. I replaced the variable with a 1 watt 100ohm resister and the gauge reads mid scale at 190deg. Good luck with yours - Ken
[QUOTE=rwg51f2;11604438]Ross,
Thanks for the response.
Seems to me that gauges designed for POS. ground might not work when asked to function with a NEG ground system ? Never really messed with, just hopin 'to add input which might help. Been wrong B-4 though, just ask my (Ex) wife.
William you want to make sure that you have put a volt reducer in all the gauges and also on the fuel sending unit as well. You can find these on e bay most of the time at a reasonable cost. They are easy to hook up and reliable. If 12 volts is allowed to travel through the 6 volt gauges they will be toast. When I changed my 239 to a 12 volt system I had the pleasure of talking to Julie and she informed me to do the same before hooking up 12 volts and I had only one problem and it was with the temp gauge. With all the help from Julie and other members on the forum I finally put in a mechanical gauge and the temp was right on. I never could get the two sending units to act right no matter what I did. I relied on the mechanical gauge and drove the truck till I made a stupid mistake and sold the truck. Wish I had it back....
I realize this is an old thread but I have always had the same problem that 51f1truck has with the stock temp. gauge.No matter what I have tryed it reads at about the third mark or close to "H".My truck is not running that hot and has never boiled over!My question is can I install a variable resistor in the wire coming from the sending units to gauge and adjust the gauge reading?
Russ, I have the same problem. My gauge and sender are new (Mid-Fifty repos). I'm anxious to hear if it's possible to make a small correction with an in-line resistor.
Before I tried that, I would try calibating the gauge unit per the manual. It requires pulling the unit out, which is no fun (disconnect the battery first). Then use a fresh "D" cell battery across the terminals of the gauge unit. It should read 1/2 scale. If not make small adjustments to the unit thru the holes in the back. I think (don't remember) the one on the right is the place to start, in pic below. Just make sure the needle goes to full "H" when power is removed.
I have an extra gauge.My question is can I hook it up to work without installing it in truck so I can try and make an adjustment on it?I might be wrong but I dont think a resistor will work because of the way the two temp. senders are set up.I have a double contact on the passenger side and a single contact on drivers side with cross over wire.
I have a spare temp gauge.If I wanted to test it how could I wire it up under the hood to read the temp like the one in the dash?I have tryed different ways with no results?
Thanks Ross,I found the bottom left adjustment on gauge moves the needle from the park position to the left or right.I don't know exactly what the other adjustment does.I am just trying a little trial and error on this spare gauge I have.
I guess I was adjustig for the "H".With a fresh D cell battery I the needle sits between the first and middle mark.With no power on gauge I moved the needle back towards the ""C".I have not hooked up to truck to see what I have and compare reading to the one in my dash.So in other words with no power on gauge it does not go as far to the "H" side if this makes sense?
03-18-2016, 04:22 PM
