Temp Gauge Working Intermittently - Suggestions?

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69cudaownr

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Hi Guys,
My temp gauge does not always work. Sometimes it will stop working while driving and then start working again. The other gauges in the cluster are working fine. What should I be considering first; the gauge itself that's the problem, a ground wire or the circuit board? Is there a way to test what the cause may be?
Thanks
 
Hi Guys,
My temp gauge does not always work. Sometimes it will stop working while driving and then start working again. The other gauges in the cluster are working fine. What should I be considering first; the gauge itself that's the problem, a ground wire or the circuit board? Is there a way to test what the cause may be?
Thanks


it could be the voltage regulator on the back of the gauge, if your year had one, it could be a bad sending unit. on the block.

But you could also bypass the unit and buy a a/m temp gauge .
 
Think in terms of the "end to end" functional circuit path

Sender........can be bad, any of them can, right out of the box
Sender wire connector........can be broken inside the molded wire junction
In through the bulkhead connector-----that terminal can be corroded/ dirty/ loose
To the PC board connector. The connector itself, or the board pins CAN BE LOOSE where they are riveted to the board. Clean them up and solder them.

The gauge nuts are "fake" sheet metal deals, replace with real nuts. The PC board can be corroded where the studs/ nuts make contact. Loosen / tightn the nut a few times to "scrub" it clean

The gauge itself can be bad.
 
it could be the voltage regulator on the back of the gauge, if your year had one, it could be a bad sending unit. on the block.

But you could also bypass the unit and buy a a/m temp gauge .

No, the IVR regulates both temp and fuel on a standard cluster, and also the oil pressure on a Ralleye cluster
 
If you pull the cluster you should go "clear through" it, generally

PC connector pins can be loose, and can be fixed by soldering

IVR connctor is spring loaded contacts pressed into the board. Solder bridges across them to the PC board traces

Already mentioned the gauge nuts

Replace IVR with a solid state one like RTE

Use eraser, etc, to clean up the traces where the lamp sockets fit, and bend the socket tabs for better contact
 
Hi Guys,
My temp gauge does not always work. Sometimes it will stop working while driving and then start working again. The other gauges in the cluster are working fine. What should I be considering first; the gauge itself that's the problem, a ground wire or the circuit board? Is there a way to test what the cause may be?
Thanks
Bad connection, faulty sender, air pocket.
If the fuel gauge works fine that would rule out the volt limiter.. though you try jiggling wires after warming it up. Shut off with key on/acc.

Also with the key on try grounding the sending wire off of the sender and see if the gauge pegs
 
If the gauge works fine until the water gets hot I would suspect temperature related. Since the sender is the hottest piece of the circuit, a new sender could be my first move. I dont always start by throwing parts at a problem but... a small part that doesn't cost a lot and is easy enough to replace just might save me a whole lot of trouble. Some instrument panels are more difficult to R&R than others.
If you do end up pulling the panel and find a loose nut behind the gauge, same 10-32 hex nuts and internal toothed washers as found on the AMP gauge will work on all of them. Just dont over tighten. If the stud should turn it will break the fiber board it is sweged into.
 
Update; The plug end at the sensor was a little loose. However, I decided to change the sensor based on "Redfish" response being the problem was heat sensitive. Plus, all other dash gauges are working well leaving me to believe I have good connections in the dash.
Problem fixed; The plug end fit more snug on the new sensor and my operating temperature is now sitting nicely between the "low" temp line and the "hot" temp line. My temp gauge was always on the low side with the old sensor. Thanks for your help guys.
 
I have a 68 Dart. I noticed my temp gauge working intermittently a few rides ago. Now, it doesn't work at all. My fuel gauge works. I grounded the sender cap and the gauge did nothing. I checked the volts at the sender cap and it fluctuates between 0 and 5. Is that normal or does it indicate a problem?

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