temp gauge question

[64valianttav]

Just got my 64 valiant out for a drive after being parked for winter. I replaced my thermostat last fall and that fixed the temp guage before, because it was actually cold all the time.my gauge is reading ice cold all the time again. Do thermostats go out that easy? that sitting a few months in the cold it wont work? or do i needa do some more messing around to figure it out

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Have someone sit in the car and with the Key on and ground the wire going to the sending unit on the engine and see if the temp gauge moves. Only ground it until it moves don't peg the gauge if it does.

 

[cudamark]

Probably not a thermostat problem. Sounds like the sending unit for the temp gauge or the gauge itself. When a thermostat goes bad, it usually sticks closed and the engine overheats. If it sticks open, it just takes forever for the engine to reach normal temp. If your engine is reaching normal temp and the gauge just isn't reading that, check the temp gauge circuit from sender to gauge. Do as OMM mentioned to test the gauge and wiring. If the gauge now moves with the sender wire grounded, the sender is bad, or not grounded properly.