Troubleshooting the temperature gauge

[VIOLENT\6]

The temperature gauge bis not working on Junior's "65" Valiant.

I assume the sender works as a ground?

If I ground the wire & the gauge doesn't respond, them the proper assumtion would be that the sender is not the problem?

 

[C130 Chief]

does the gas gauge work? If yes, the temp gauge is bad, if no, the instrument voltage regulator is suspect.

 

[VIOLENT\6]

does the gas gauge work? If yes, the temp gauge is bad, if no, the instrument voltage regulator is suspect.

Yep, the gas gauge works. Everything in the dash but the temp gauge.

If the gauge is good, will it respond when I ground the temp gauge wire?

 

[69signetv8]

Add-on
Also, to ensure it's "not" a power issue, confirm first by doing a voltage reading or use a probe light at the sender units wire. If there's a reading or the light comes on you know your wiring run is fine. No sence in ripping the cluster out if it's the sender or open circuit at the balkhead.

 

[69signetv8]

Yep, the gas gauge works. Everything in the dash but the temp gauge.

If the gauge is good, will it respond when I ground the temp gauge wire?

Yes it should!

 

[VIOLENT\6]

Add-on
Also, to ensure it's "not" a power issue, confirm first by doing a voltage reading or use a probe light at the sender units wire. If there's a reading or the light comes on you know your wiring run is fine. No sence in ripping the cluster out if it's the sender or open circuit at the balkhead.

Okay, so the sender is the ground correct?

I should be able to take an Ohm reading @ the sender & depending on the coolant temperature I sould show some continuity.

I can then test the wiring back to the firewall.

If that checks out, I then remove the cluster & check for voltage on the hot side of the gauge & continuity to ground on the cold side.

If all that checks out, then the gauge is bad. :sad1:

In a worst case scenerio, how do I go about replacing a bad temp guage?

 

[C130 Chief]

or just see if the wire to (at) the sender gives you about 9v positive.