Lancia Beta Water Temperature/Thermostat problem?

[BlimeyCharlie]

Hello all again,

Car cold starts fine, but water temperature gauge light is glowing warning me water is too hot, except is isn't...

Is this a duff thermostat? I'm assuming the thermostat is at bottom of radiator as well? Big nut and wire going into it.

Is that where the 'reading' of temp comes from that I see displayed on dashboard?

I've unconnected the wire from thermostat and it reads the same disconnected as connected (too hot).

One thing I will mention is that when I connected the battery up again I put it on wrong-way around for a couple of seconds, but everything works ok (he says!).

Tried swapping fuses, taking out all solenoids and putting back in again.

Have I messed something up, or is it the thermostat do we think?

Thanks for any help in advance!

[BlimeyCharlie]

Thank you kind Sir.

I guess my next question is how do I remedy this?
The gauge was working fine, and if I press the button on dash it shows the light, but needle goes much further into the 'red'.

When ignition switched on, it shows car too hot, even though car stone cold.

I ran the car up to temperature, with heater on, and parts of radiator not as hot as other pipes etc, leading me to conclude car thinks it is too hot, so acts accordingly...

Are we now looking at the 'things' that look like spark plugs but are not spark plugs?

I sound like a right fool, and I am.

Thanks again in advance!

[BlimeyCharlie]

Hello I'll take a photo in a minute, but I've made a breakthrough thanks to your advice about sender units etc.

The 2 sender units between spark plugs on top of cylinder head are where the problem appears to be, or more precisely the one nearest the cambelt end of head.

If I unplug the wire to that one, I have no warning light. If I plug wire in then I get a flickering light which then goes solid, indicating water too high.
Car not been started for 24 hours so of course stone cold.

I don't appear to have a 17mm socket (I think) to remove the actual unit from head, but that won't help as such today.

I'll take a photo and post anyway. Don't think it is wiring but can always test that.

Thanks again for your help but not solved it as such yet. See what you think to above findings if you don't mind.

[BlimeyCharlie]

Again, my sincere thanks for your time and help with this.

Your photo and explanation of the head makes sense with the photo there without the usual clutter of a working unit.

However, it appears to have cured itself...famous last words.

All I did was tap the unit with a hammer (via some wood and not too hard) and spray wd40 around where the unit sits in the head, hopefully to break any corrosion and establish a connection again.

Also charged the battery fully overnight before starting today. Flickered to start with (light but not needle in the water temp gauge) then went out. Guage works as it should when you press the button to check gauges working too.

Car up to temp and all working as it should.

99% sure it is my fault with the battery being put on wrong the other day though, as seems too much of a coincidence.
I also cleaned all connectors I could find. so might just be a combination of things.

Also, I would have taken out the temp sender, certainly to inspect/swap with the other side if the same, but didn't have the correct socket size. Thanks for pointing out I would (yet again) cause more problems doing this!

Of course it could come back again tomorrow but at least I know a lot more now about thermostat etc, as couldn't find location via usual searches on the web.

Thanks again. If any changes I'll post on here, but may have been lucky this time.