How to troubleshoot a temperature gage

jolinari · December 27, 2005, 01:27:15 AM

hey guys,

Would like to know where do i start looking to troubleshoot my temperature gage...it was working all fine and realised at the end of the day that it had ceased...
what could it be? sensor? gage itself? where do i look exactly?

thanks guys

MADVET · December 27, 2005, 09:09:50 AM

Start first at the sender as it's the easiest to gain access to. It's mounted at the front of the engine on the intake manifold just near the thermostat housing. Check that the wire hasn't come adrift or that it's loose with a poor conection. If all seems fine you may need to get a new sender. This is the most common point of failure.

jolinari · December 27, 2005, 01:00:39 PM

ur legend! wil look into it today o tomorrow

jolinari · December 27, 2005, 01:13:46 PM

oh sorry forgot to mention it is a C3 72 vette....

QuoteOriginally posted by jolinari
hey guys,

Would like to know where do i start looking to troubleshoot my temperature gage...it was working all fine and realised at the end of the day that it had ceased...
what could it be? sensor? gage itself? where do i look exactly?

thanks guys

69VETTE · December 27, 2005, 05:47:45 PM

Joe,

I told you that after the drive .... all that bumpy driving (we coped through National Park) we did the other day... its for sure something had to come loose...

I hope you find the problem... if not we can have another look together bro...;40

jolinari · December 27, 2005, 08:30:46 PM

cool Michael...i will be down the warehouse tomorrow to fix few things...horn.vaccum,door lock NOW and the temperature gage
have to admit i am not very technical person but i want get into it...get to know the car
will give u a buzz 2morow midday
ciao

Cameron 77C3 · December 28, 2005, 03:15:24 PM

With the ignition on and someone watching the temp gauge, briefly and i mean briefly touch the temp sensor wire to earth [engine block, intake manifold, head, etc etc]. DO NOT HOLD WIRE ON THE EARTH, JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH IT. If the gauge moves it's the sensor end that is faulty. If it does not move problem is somewhere between sensor and gauge. Could be connector at back of centre console. I'm betting on sensor or connection to sensor.

Sensor is nothing but a resistor that changes it's value as temperature changes and your temp gauge is nothing but a volt meter connected to earth via the temp sensor. As temp goes up and down resistance of sensor changes and gauge reads the different voltage. This is why sometimes if you put a lot of teflon tape on a temp sensor it will not read as you are insulating it from the manifold [earth].

Lets us know how ya go.

This should have been posted in the Tech section of the forum. Either HERE or HERE Just for future reference :22

Admin may consider moving it to correct section??

jolinari · December 28, 2005, 05:00:44 PM

It is all done thanks for the help!!! it was loose indeed
I worked it out with Michael today;38

69VETTE · December 28, 2005, 08:15:46 PM

Can i say red is freekin hot..... cause it is you know....

jolinari · December 29, 2005, 12:42:42 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by 69VETTE
Can i say red is freekin hot..... cause it is you know....

mmm dont get u ! is ur comment related to the above subject?

69 DIRTY RAT · December 29, 2005, 10:16:04 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by 69VETTE
Can i say red is freekin hot..... cause it is you know....

YES but BLACK absorbs heat.........which absorbs RED (color of heat)!!!!!!!!!
hehehehehe
WHITE reflects heat so it becomes COOOOOOOOL!
Combine those .......and you have one COOOOOL/HOT lookin Vette!
OOPS I didnt say that, forget what I just said!!!!! Hope nobody reads this!

Cameron 77C3 · December 29, 2005, 12:40:04 PM

Now be care full driving down a road with lines down the middle. You might blend in.

jolinari · January 08, 2006, 12:49:57 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Cameron 77C3
With the ignition on and someone watching the temp gauge, briefly and i mean briefly touch the temp sensor wire to earth [engine block, intake manifold, head, etc etc]. DO NOT HOLD WIRE ON THE EARTH, JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH IT. If the gauge moves it's the sensor end that is faulty. If it does not move problem is somewhere between sensor and gauge. Could be connector at back of centre console. I'm betting on sensor or connection to sensor.

Sensor is nothing but a resistor that changes it's value as temperature changes and your temp gauge is nothing but a volt meter connected to earth via the temp sensor. As temp goes up and down resistance of sensor changes and gauge reads the different voltage. This is why sometimes if you put a lot of teflon tape on a temp sensor it will not read as you are insulating it from the manifold [earth].

Lets us know how ya go.

This should have been posted in the Tech section of the forum. Either HERE or HERE Just for future reference :22

Admin may consider moving it to correct section??

All done Cameron thanks for the tip...the cable was loose indeed!!!