Temperature Gauge Help

[BigLee]

Any advice appreciated here.

 

I have a Dolomite temp gauge fitted mated to a sierra temp sender. This is how I bought car. Gauge was reading nearly off the scale, so I thought I would improve matters by fitting RH Coolman radiator (thought It couldn't do any harm and must be more efficient than the single core rad fitted).

 

Temp gauge still reads off scale So I guess sender not matched to gauge. Starts to kick out water from Coolman overflow pipe just as guage goes right off scale and no fan operating.

 

I now have 91 degree temp switch installed in top hose which is now kicking in fan automatically and I have removed viscous fan from lump. Anyone suggest lower temperature switch?

 

I have not had too much time to test or tinker so see if it stays cool, but is there any way that voltage from sender can be reduced or Dolomite temp guage can be calibrated to show mid point or just above when fan kicks in at 91 degrees. ( Assuming that it's staying cool)

 

Do Ford make any other temp senders or can a resistor be installed from sender to gauge?

 

Cheers

 

Lee

[Guest Ianz]

Lee

I think you'll need to experiment with senders,,,,,possibly start off with a Capri

white top,as I believe most ford senders are interchangeable the only exception being the capri which is different.

 

Cheers Ian

[Big Jim]

Ford make at least 8 different ones (more if you count the round terminal and the spade terminal as different ones.)

So it's a matter of going down to the scrap yard with your spanner, and seeing how many different ones you can get, then trying them.

And it doesn't send power to the gauge, it earths as a resistor that breaks down as the temp increases.

[Guest Bazwaz]

Hi Lee,

If you want to eliminate the possibility of your gauge being at fault i have a spare one you can try. I've also got a white top sender as well. If they're any use let me know and i'll drop them off at your house.

Barry.

[IanS]

The very first question should be what voltage is your system regulated to? A meter from the Guage live (positive wire) should average 8 to 10 volts. If a modern reg is fitted there will be a steady voltage, if an old reg is fitted then the voltage will switch from 12+ volts to 0 volts every 1 to 5 seconds.

 

The symptoms suggest that no voltage reg is fitted in which case the guage will always read high.

 

You can fit the old lucas bimetal instrument reg or you can fit a modern electronic one.

If you fit the modern one you will probably have to do some assembly work as mostly they are integral with the instrument cluster.

 

Ian

 

P.S I too have a ford sender and a Dolomite guage and they work properly together with an old lucas instrument reg.

[BigLee]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I'n nearly 100 % sure there is an old lucas volt reg fitted but I'll get the multimeter out and check.

 

Gauge seems to work fine. It reads cold when cold and creeps up to 3 quarters then hovers a bit, then creeps a bit more. As i've said don't know yet if gauge is spot on and temp is getting too high. but seems to read just over 3 quarters at 91 degrees, which I would think is about OK as that is when temp switch kicks in.

 

If it is just running "warm" I'll do some more investigation. Might be thermostat not opening fully, which I belive is supposed to be at about 83 degrees.

 

If car runs fine and doesn't overheat I'll try different sender. Offer of white top sender to try appreciated Barry. I'll prob take you up on that, but away this weekend.

 

Be in touch.

 

Thanks for the support

 

Lee