Dash Temp Sensor - First Generation Forum

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Dash Temp Sensor
Sunday, July 14, 2013 9:14 AM
Drove around for a while in the heat today (87 degrees and humid). The T-Stat opens and fan comes on as expected - before and after running. The turbo timer works fine.

My dash gauge just gets a hair over 100 degrees and sits there. I unplugged the sensor on the head and the gauge bottoms out. I am guessing my sending unit is bad. I would not think the heater core block would have any impact on this.

Any thoughts or comments?





Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Sunday, July 14, 2013 7:43 PM
With it being fuel injected it should have a sensor for the gauge and one for the ECM. The easiest way would be to warm up the engineand compare the gauge readiing to that of the ECM. They should be relatively close. If not then you probably have a bad sender.



Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Sunday, July 14, 2013 8:03 PM
Could also ground out and add 12v to the wire and see if the gauge changes. Or when the fan turns on unplug the fan for a few minutes and see if the temp climbs.




On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Sunday, July 14, 2013 8:10 PM
How about pulling the T-Stat out and going for a short drive....see what happens?


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Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Sunday, July 14, 2013 10:42 PM
Agree with rob just take the temp sender wire off run a wire to the end of the plug IF it is a dual terminal plug just loop it to ground,if not wire to plug then to metal it should peg the gauge.If it does peg out hot then replace the sending unit.If it were to go backwards to the cold that would indicate a false reading gauge(or bad gauge).



Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 4:15 PM
ok, I played around this a bit more today. I didn't want to but the sender without being sure. I figured at around 90 degrees out side that Parts Galore would be a good bet. I found a clean brake line for my Camaro off of a 66k 93 that was in there (what a shame).

At any rate. I was unable to locate the early style sender that was stock on my 84 (spade style) shown here:



I found one that worked off of a 91 Grand Am with a 4 cylinder. Upon reading it looks like the design was changed in 85 to the style shown here:



So I swapped it and jumped it to the new wire (no splices yet) at no change. I grounded the sending unit wire and the gauge goes to the bottom. Here is what the manual says:



So two sending units and neither one works?




Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 4:36 PM
I also tried adding 12v to the wire and no change to the gauge either...






Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 4:56 PM
so, I think the way this is supposed to work is the gauge should bottom out when unplugged. Then top out when grounded. When grounded the gauge moves up slightly. It looks like I get to tear into my ip and replace the gauge. Orlen - does the gauge work on that ip you sent me?




Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 6:08 PM
.....Lordy that's a $54 question, Paul.....I have no clue. Maybe you could try hooking up a 12v (transistor) battery to it and see what happens before you swing for the cheap seats.....

You have just finished putting the Bird back together and suddenly are having electrical issues. Sounds a wee bit suspicious....May I suggest checking your Ground cables?Perhaps there is one dangling somewhere.....



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Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 7:13 PM
Orlen-

Looking at the shop manual it seems like if it was a ground problem I would lose them all. Nothing has changed, it just stopped working. It most likely has been that way since reassembly. I was more concerned about leaking than temps when we first got her back together.

I have your ip apart. It looks like I could pull the one side out and do a swap rather quickly. The worst that could happen is no change to what I have now. if that is the case I swap my original sender back in and am out only $5.




Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 8:50 PM
ok, swapped gauge. Still no change. Back to stock sender and put it back together. Scratching head at present.





Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 8:56 PM
Anyone else bypassed their heater core and had strange stuff happen?




Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Friday, July 19, 2013 10:49 PM
Did you replace your flux lines? Napa sells the sensor for $40. If you have a multimeter check the resistance on the sensor. Put it in hot water and check it again. It should change. Put on e end on the outside and one on the metal peg.




On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Saturday, July 20, 2013 7:02 AM
Flux lines?

I ended up shopping around to see if I could get something local. That did not work. I found the sender on rock auto for $26 shipped so I am getting it.

Hopefully that is it. The upside is I was able to detail my ip on the inside




Re: Dash Temp Sensor
Saturday, July 20, 2013 7:21 AM
Paul,, Checked my 84 Cav manual and it has the same troubleshooting procedure. Could it be a crushed/weak wire in the harness?





Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 6:29 PM
Yep - bad sender. That is what I get for being cheap. Should have just followed the manual in the first place and ponied up.




Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 6:41 PM
Yep Paul...... Been there! Should have replaced my steering rack when I had the engine out. Checked it tonight and it is leeking bad.

Glad you got it fixed.









Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 7:00 PM
The Rack isn't too bad a deal breaker John. I actually just swapped in used ones in both my cars, and they doing great! ( I still have a few hanging around just in case...LoL) I'd recommend replacing the heater core hoses if they are old while you are in the neighborhood. They are super easy to get to when the rack is out. Of course you might have already did this while you had the engine out.



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Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 5:12 PM
Ta Daaa!






Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 7:44 PM
Yea!!

awwwww.....

You didn't give us a pretty photo - one wit some healthy revs and a happy Turbo Boost Gauge Paul!! LoL



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Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 10:49 PM
Paul great that the gauge works.I however think you need to remove the cluster cover and polish the clear lens with some meguairs plastx polish! This will help reduce the swirls on the plastic and make it look new and shiny.Granted a lot of auto polishes will do the same but this product is designed for plastic lens and pretty much any light on the outside of a car.I find the normal car wax does help but a true polish ( I like meguairs the best) is the what I stick with for any clear lens I have used to luster up.Aside from the clean fanatic in me high lighting the what,how and suggesting brands is done.Btw the meguairs polish comes in a burgundy bottle and the plastX comes in a white bottle and more focused on headlights since most cars today have the overated clear big as ----- headlight lens to keep shiny from yellowing,dulling,etc.Cool the gauge works now the easy work shining the cluster rings!!




Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 11:35 PM
not sure why this pic makes it look so crappy. It actually looks really nice.

I will get one (have someone else take it) with the revs up and boost on so everyone is happy. I will also post a video of a second or third gear drive by.




Re: Dash Temp Sensor - Fixed
Thursday, August 15, 2013 4:07 AM
Maybe its just the camera angle but it looks like you have no oil pressure.



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