Aftermarket temp gauge woes!!

[Mrbill]

I fitted an aftermarket temp gauge today and I think I might have a wee problem. Temps are reading way to low, never gets above 60 degrees according to the gauge!

Sensor fitted to top rad hose
Thermostat appears to be opening – heaters cooking hot etc. surely the temp would have to be way past 60 to open the thermostat right?

I am thinking that it might well be a dodgy gauge, what do you think???

[BUSHWHACKER]

Did you earth the sender?

[Tallyman]

I had something similar with mine when I first fitted the sender. I've got an alloy unit added to the centre of the top hose which is isolated from the car by way of the rubber hoses at each end. There is a threaded insert on mine to take a screw which fixes a round terminal connected by a wire to an earth point on the engine. That fixed the problem and mine is very accurate, although almost anything is better than the OE guage.

[Mrbill]

I thought I had earthed the sender Bushwhacker but of course I have the same alloy unit in the centre of the top hose like Tallyman. I wondered what the screw was for!

I am such a dumb ass at times!

Thanks Guys

[blackpoolsparks]

where did you mount the gauge inside the truck?

[Mrbill]

Yeah inside the truck on a wee dash pod Blackpool.

Thanks for the advice, it works but now I have to work out why I am running between 89-95 degrees!!! I would have thought 95 under normal driving a little high. You would think with bonnet vents, inter-cooler, body lift, new rad and a generally a well maintained coolant system would be better! I have never over heated in 2 years + now but I wonder what the temp would have been like without the mods Maybe the same but it does feel much cooler under the bonnet now at least.

I'll take the bitch out on a run tomorrow on the bigger road. I live on a slow single track road with one hill lending it's self to another so maybe this temp is normal for driving conditions like this, second gear.

Feels good having a gauge mind!

[dieselboy]

I need one of these I think. Would it be possible for you to put a few pics up?
I've looked online and am trying to stay clear of the boy racer style guages.
At what temp does the thermostat open?

[Mrbill]

Not worth taking pic's of really, it's a boy racer type gauge fitted in a dash pod. I did buy a pillar fitment but it was to large. I don't like where I have it at the moment but it will do for now.

Flippin great mind! I have been meaning to do this for ages but hate messing about with electrics so I put it off as long as I dare!

[Tallyman]

t why I am running between 89-95 degrees!!! I would have thought 95 under normal driving a little high. Feels good having a gauge mind!

Mine runs at about 90-92 in summer and around 88-90 in winter, except when towing the caravan, when it sits at about 95 normally but when I tow up hill, it can get up to 115 on a long climb but drops back quite quickly once on the flat again.

[Mrbill]

Mine runs at about 90-92 in summer and around 88-90 in winter, except when towing the caravan, when it sits at about 95 normally but when I tow up hill, it can get up to 115 on a long climb but drops back quite quickly once on the flat again.

That does make me feel better! She sits around 90 normal then when under boost jumps to around 95. I think I have one washer to many at the waste gate

I'm due a flush and stuff anyway so I might try a 3.0l 82 degrees thermostat.

Thanks Tallyman...

[dieselboy]

That does make me feel better! She sits around 90 normal then when under boost jumps to around 95. I think I have one washer to many at the waste gate

I'm due a flush and stuff anyway so I might try a 3.0l 82 degrees thermostat.

Thanks Tallyman...

If I remember correctly, my 3.0 thermostat is bigger than the 2.4 one!

[dieselboy]

Not worth taking pic's of really, it's a boy racer type gauge fitted in a dash pod. I did buy a pillar fitment but it was to large. I don't like where I have it at the moment but it will do for now.

Flippin great mind! I have been meaning to do this for ages but hate messing about with electrics so I put it off as long as I dare!

Do you have a link to one anyway? Would like to know prices

[Mrbill]

Do you have a link to one anyway? Would like to know prices

Thanks for the info on the thermostat, you have just saved me £16! i'll stick with the 2.4

It's Just a cheap gauge and probably won't last

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Water-Temperat...es_CarParts_SM

[dieselboy]

Gauge isnt bad at all! Price is good.
How did you mount / connect this to the cooling system? Does your original temp guage still work also?

[Hazzo]

Both work, the onboard one sits at normal from 40deg upwards on mine, the aftermarket one reads progressively from 40 - 90, but sits at 85 normal, up an incline it goes to just below 90 so I reckon this is normal temp for the 3.0l.

Guage I got comes from this site:http://www.rspec.co.uk/index.php?mai...fdb1088028355b

and fitting instructions included, mine sits slightly proud of the facia under the hard/soft switch where my immob and fog switch was, I relocated these in the knee space next to the steering column. H