Maybe This'll Fix That Stinkin' Temp Gauge

[Blazer_Boy]

Maybe This\'ll Fix That Stinkin\' Temp Gauge

Yes its me again whining about my temp gauge again. Hey, its cold out and I haven't ordered my sheet metal yet so I gotta keep entertained. Well to clue in ya in its an '82 K5 w/crate 350. The temp gauge always reads high, 'bout 210 at idle and 245 at highway speeds. I went and got a new sender but the crate motor accepts the old style senders like on the 78's. Since I can't get the correct sender in there so it sends the proper current maybe I can work around that. Would putting a resistor inline help to knock my gauge back to a normal reading (I've checked the gauge, put in a different one and ground the wire lead on the header and it pegged out so its OK). The only trick is what size resistor and can it stand the heat.

Two lines wide, twelve yards long, sixty-five tons of American pride....Canyanero!

 

[Grim-Reaper]

Re: Maybe This\'ll Fix That Stinkin\' Temp Gauge

Uhhhhhh Get a aftermarket gage and make sure that booger isn't overheating. The sender on a 85 is the same threads as a 75 that I can garantee. Then engine didn't make any major changes till FI in 87. 86 was an odd year I hear. I think even the new engine run the same size threads. I know it's still in the same place on the side of the head. There may be a difference in the load the gages run but I'm not sure that happend till the new body in 92. In most shop manuals there is a way to test senders do that. It will give you a Ohm's rating for certain temps and once it's back in the engine you can use that rating with an Ohm meter to see what the engine is running. The only other thing I can think may have happend is you were give the temp sender for the ECU one FI equiped vehicles. they run 2 senders. one for the ECU and one for the gage.

Diging it in the dirt with my K5's
Grim-Reaper
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://grimsk5s.coloradok5.com/>http://grimsk5s.coloradok5.com/</A>

 

[Blazer_Boy]

Re: Maybe This\'ll Fix That Stinkin\' Temp Gauge

Hmm, you might be on to something there with the change over when they recieved FI. The one I looked at on my dads '89 Jimmy had the smaller threads. The unit they sold me has the smaller threads too. Our '81 with a '78 motor has the larger thread sender and it always read a little hot too. The end of the sender looks different too. All the ones I've seen have a button type, whereas the one I bought has a flat prong. I'm not to happy with that store because the guy at the store treated me like I was some kinda retard. Who's the retard though when the customer asked for a temp sender and the employee comes back with a pressure sender. I also feel I got raped by the $27 price tag. I went there because they are the Delco dealer but they didnt even have the Delco sender, had to get an after market. Oh well, Northern Autoparts (big national distributor) is next door. I always get treated nice over there and they have good prices. I really need to find something better to worry about, lol. Later

Two lanes wide, twelve yards long, sixty-five tons of American pride....Canyanero!