Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I have replaced my temperature gauge twice now and it keeps dieing after a day or two.

Is it possible that it's the sender unit and how can I test it please?
Anyone know or had this problem before?

cheers

Just put in my 3rd gauge, did the short and test trick off the sender wire and all good with the gauge. Found a broken strand on the sender wire so cut the wire back and put on a new spade fitting.
I don't want to connect the two until i'm sure the sender unit is ok...getting replacement gauges is getting expensive!

Any other ideas appreciated

hey mate,

I'm guessing that by the information in your post that it is an electric temp gauge and not the old bulb style.
all you need to do is earth out the wire to it by just toching it on the engine block, if the gauge reads to max temp then there is nothing wrong with the gauge, and you probably wasted a lot of money on new gauges.
Replace the sender and you should have no more problems.

cheers Pratty

Hi

Yep gauge is elec...i've had 2 gauges snuff it completely, did the test you mentioned and gauges did not go to max temp. I have put in a 3rd temp gauge and disconnected the sender...earthed out the gauge and it went to max temp as you said so this gauge is ok.
So I guess the common sense thing to do is put in a new sender and if the gauge snuffs it again then I know it's not the sender - but if it's not the sender then what is it possibly?

dodgy batch of gauges?

dunno mate, have rung around this morning and i can get a new sender for under 20 bucks so i'll put in a new one and reconnect the gauge wire and see what happens.

G'day,

the test i gave you to do is the best and easiest test you can do to diagnose which part is faulty, without getting out the multimeter.
Are you still using the factory gauge or have you fitted aftermarket one.
If using aftermarket what brand of gauge are you using?

Cheers

Yep - still using hi tech extremely accurate & versatile factory original designed to cover all temperatures between C & H

Will put new sender in when it gets here and let you know how things go.
cheers

Update!

Put in a brand new spankers sender...the ole working second hand temp gauge gave up life around 30 minutes later..may it R.I.P.

Guess it's off to the auto sparkie when in town next. Am off into the heart of the southern alps for a club trip this weekend, prob tenting if the hut is full, going into Lake Tekapo and they already have 3 feet of snow there at the mo AND it's snowing at the moment..even here in Akaroa.

Will post a pic or two when i get back.

I've decided to put in an after market gauge and my dash space is limited due to radio's etc and I've got roll/pitch/altimeter gauges above the rear vision mirror so thats out.

Would be great to put a new temp gauge and oil pressure gauge where the existing temp/oil pressure gauges are but the gauges would have to be pretty small in diameter

Anyone got a pic or two of what you have done or ideas in general please?

cheers

Ive got a mechanical VDO temp gauge (basic cheap one) sitting on the dash mat inbetween the A pillar and the dash cluster. I was going to mount it but it sits there and never moves. The probe goes into the center of the top rad hose in a steel section with the hoses either side. I checked its accuracy with high $$ probes that i was able to borrow and found that it was spot on. The thing that i liked about the mech gauge is that there were no elec issues that could be confusing the gauge, when it starts overheating it really is, bring on the summer again, might be time for that new alloy rad.

The sender unit just varies it's resistance to earth, it can't really damage a meter no matter how broken it is.
You're not doing something like putting 12v gauges in a 24v truck are you?

ANDREWGQ 351 wrote:Ive got a mechanical VDO temp gauge (basic cheap one) sitting on the dash mat inbetween the A pillar and the dash cluster. I was going to mount it but it sits there and never moves. The probe goes into the center of the top rad hose in a steel section with the hoses either side. I checked its accuracy with high $$ probes that i was able to borrow and found that it was spot on. The thing that i liked about the mech gauge is that there were no elec issues that could be confusing the gauge, when it starts overheating it really is, bring on the summer again, might be time for that new alloy rad.

Is it possible to use joiners or reducers to tap the 'probe or sender' into the existing point at the thermostat housing - it must be surely?

Now that spot you mentioned is booked for the installation of a boost gauge....one day!

festy wrote:The sender unit just varies it's resistance to earth, it can't really damage a meter no matter how broken it is.
You're not doing something like putting 12v gauges in a 24v truck are you?

No no...have used 24v gauges from Safari's always. Just haven't fixed this problem from when i put a new sender in as mentioned above somewhere. The engine doesn't overheat or have any probs and i do pretty damn heavy towing (1.5-2.5T) around the hills at least twice a week.

can anyone recommend a brand of aftermarket gauge and sender that fits straight into a GQ TD42. I bought one today from supercrap (thats my first problem) and the sender doesnt fit the housing and I couldnt get an adaptor to suit it.

so anyone who has fitted a temp gauge and the sender fitted properly, can you post up the brand/model #....thanks

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... 04#1524104

There are some nice ones on this thread.