Temperature gauge

Temperature gauge

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Discussion

quattrophenia

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

197 months

Tuesday 1st September 2015
quotequote all
Evening all,

Does any one know:-

A. How to test the temp gauge once off the car to see if it is faulty?
B. What make/number the temperature gauge is and who stocks it. Nothing coming up from the usual suspects.
C. How to remove the aluminium bezzle and the TVR metal face of the dial. Just in case I have to swap them over on to a new unit.

I have put a new sender unit in. Cleaned the connectors on the sender unit. Checked all the fluids. removed the dash top and checked the connectors to the temp gauge, but it still sits on 55oC when warmed up and wont reach more than 60 full stop and sometimes it doesn't even register on the gauge. The gauge itself is now my last option.
It looks fairly similar to the oil gauge and they are only about £35 new.
Thanks in advance.

ukdj

1,004 posts

183 months

Tuesday 1st September 2015
quotequote all
quattrophenia said:
Evening all,

Does any one know:-

A. How to test the temp gauge once off the car to see if it is faulty?

You can rig up a test supply 12v + Earth to the unit along with a resistor in the line to the sender connector on the gauge, use these resistance values as a guide :-

0C (32°F) 5700-5900 Ohms
20C (68°F) 2400-2600 Ohms
40C (104°F) 1100-1300 Ohms
60C (140°F) 500-700 Ohms
80C (176°F) 300-400 Ohms
100C (212°F) 150-200 Ohms

B. What make/number the temperature gauge is and who stocks it. Nothing coming up from the usual suspects.

Sounds like a caerbont gauge available here http://www.caigauge.com/

if not then it is most likely an ETB gauge available here http://www.etbinstruments.com/


C. How to remove the aluminium bezzle and the TVR metal face of the dial. Just in case I have to swap them over on to a new unit.

you have to prize the bezel up from the rear, use a small jewellers screwdriver or similar to get you started and work your way around slowly, the bezel will then come away followed by the glass, removing the screws from the rear of the unit will free the gauge from the pod, removing the face should then be pretty simple and obvious.

Although if getting a new gauge it should come whole and not require a transplant from your existing gauge.
Regards

UKDJ

quattrophenia

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

197 months

Tuesday 1st September 2015
quotequote all
Thanks very much Paul.
I'm sure all that info will be appreciated by many more on here over the coming years.

ukdj

1,004 posts

183 months

Wednesday 2nd September 2015
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dont overly worry if your gauge isnt entirely accurate (get to know what your gauge usually reads and worry if it changes), they all seem to be out by a few degrees here or there and the sender isnt ideally placed to give an accurate reading being it is located in the top of the block and can sometimes sit in a pocket of air instead of the coolant!

be aware that if you send your gauge back to CAI/speedycables for calibration/repair it may be gone some time, they do a grand job but have a reputation for a very sloooooooow turnaround.

quattrophenia

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

197 months

Wednesday 2nd September 2015
quotequote all
That's what I'm afraid of!
My gauge had always been consistent if not 100% accurate. ie 80oC on the run and 85-90oC in traffic, but at least that would alert me if it suddenly shot up to 100oC. It is currently either not moving at all or at best 50-55oC on a run and maybe 60 in traffic.
There are some things you accept with TVR's but knowing the temp gauge is unreliable makes me increasingly paranoid!

ukdj

1,004 posts

183 months

Wednesday 2nd September 2015
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Rovergauge reading will give you a more accurate reading and potentially put your fears to rest that it's not something more serious.

Sardonicus

18,928 posts

220 months

Wednesday 2nd September 2015
quotequote all
When mine did that it was nothing more than the failed OE TVR sender I did the mod to use the already fitted LR sender and have never looked back that was over 8 years ago nice consistent readings it may not be super accurate either side of normal running temp but it will indicate any unusual behavior and thats all that matters wink

Earl Grey

1,370 posts

209 months

Wednesday 2nd September 2015
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Also from a previous topic i opened.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Meandraft

18 posts

102 months

Friday 4th September 2015
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I've read this subject to death recently as my 4.0 constantly indicates 100deg + but the fans cut in and out ok. I've now inserted a 1000 ohm variable resistor in line with the temperature sender switch and adjusted it so that the gauge now shows something that replicates what the fans are doing.

quattrophenia

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

197 months

Sunday 13th September 2015
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Only me again!

I have just bought the following temp sender and spend half an hour getting access to the old one (what a pain in the ass that is!).



I was just about to remove the old one below when it became obvious that the one in my car is different to the replacement. Despite having the same spade connector for the temp sender wire to connect to, the sender unit itself appears to be about twice as long and included about a 1 inch brass fitting after the nut. Does the sender unit screw directly into the block, or does it screw into the brass fitting in the photo? I only ask because it appears that mine is one solid unit although I haven't tried to separate the 2 yet.



Sardonicus

18,928 posts

220 months

Sunday 13th September 2015
quotequote all
That sender you purchased unscrews from the brass adapter in shot, they have just omitted the sealing washer by the looks so it appears to be one big unit wink

quattrophenia

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

197 months

Sunday 13th September 2015
quotequote all
I was hoping you were going to say that! Thanks muchly.