Temperature gauge

[bboystyles]

for sum random reason my temperature gauge fluctuates massivly. it will be on normal or below normal then all of a sudden its at the second line from the top, but then it goes back down. what culd it be?

[Morton]

Could be a sticky thermostat or a faulty Coolant Temp Sensor. Try replacing both $40 all up if you're unlucky.

[fnlow1]

More likely to be a sticky temp guage IMO. Fix to this problem has been made a sticky in this section

[fnlow1]

Here: Solution to Sticky fuel/temp guages

[Morton]

I would hesitate to say that it's sticky. There's still something causing the gauge to reach two bars from max, and that's a worry.

Unless that gauge literally "jumps" up and down. Like someone's flicking it.

But I think by "suddenly" he means "i didn't look at it for two minutes, and then it was hot"... right?

[bboystyles]

yer, its more after i accellerate hard that it just goes from normal all the way up, then bout 20 seconds later goes back down.

[Morton]

wow, it heats up that fast? Man, can you give more details about exactly where on the gauge the dial moves from/to, and how long it takes to go up when you boot it?

I know my car runs hot when I climb hills with a bit of spirit, but it doesn't happen INSTANTLY.

[bboystyles]

ill get a pic of it 2moro wen it happens lol

but is pretty much bout 30 seconds after a hard accelleration. it never did this until monday. culd it be a slight blockage in the radiator hoses maybe?

[Morton]

wow, and it goes up from... half way to three quarters? roughly?

[bboystyles]

more like 1/4 (which is where it usually is) to 3/4. but as i sed if dusnt stay there for that long...

[Morton]

far out that's spastic

I'd be changing both my temp sensors (behind the alternator) and my thermostat. All three are cheap as chips, and worth changing anyway. Then see how the car reacts

Don't forget to buy a new thermo housing gasket if one isn't included with your thermostat.

[bboystyles]

aiite mate, cheers. do u think it needs to be done asap? or can i leave it for next saturday?

[rockboy1331]

yup my 91 vp is doing exactly the same thing will do recom fixes thanks all

[vnv8driver]

could be many things, first on the list to check is the coolant level and operation of the thermo fan. if its neither of these it could be the motor earthing itself out on the temp gauge circuit, check all the main straps, other causes include fsulty temp sensor (either the gauge sensor or the actual temp sensor), blocked radiator, stuck thermostat or worn fins on the water pump.

[crazyspoon05]

Also check radiator and overflow bottle caps, if either of these are stuffed the system can't pressurise correctly

[Zuicider]

what dash are u running in your ute?

[bboystyles]

wow lol i fixed it like agggggges ago. wen i was gappin my fuel bowzer pipe i accidently coverd up a small breather hole for the fuel fumes or watnot to leave. so by covering that up it caused the temp to rise and fall whenever it was tryna release the fumes....or sumin along those lines. but all i no is i cleared it up nd its been good.

[VicCop]

Just came across this thread as I'm currently having the same problem with a VN I've got.

bboystyles, what exactly did you do?

I only bought it a few months ago with a full roadworthy. The thing I'm quite annoyed at is that it appears to have no coolant in it, only water last time I checked.

It's only done it once before when I found that there was hardly anything in it in the way of cooling fluids. I threw water into it and it stopped this behaviour. However today it started again. Thing is the engine didn't seen incredibly hot and there was nothing in the way of steam of hissing that I noticed. Nothing that would indicate that it's running hotter than usual.

Immediately after shut off tonight I gently (and carefully) started to release the reservoir cap and of course steam hissed out everywhere, but I understand that it's supposed to do this?

Can someone enlighten me please?

[vnv8driver]

is the thermo fan coming on when it should?

[bboystyles]

well i was repairing my fuel bowzer connection and was gapping the thing, nd got the gap filler over the top of a breather tube comin off the bowzer. this is wat caused my problem, because wen i cleaned it up (being a few days later) the problem went away.

by the sounds of ur problem i wuld say sumins wrong wit ur radiator more than anything. maybe a blocked hose....im not sure

[VicCop]

is the thermo fan coming on when it should?

Negative to that.

I dropped into the mechanic across from work today and had a chat to him. I was asked about the fan and I don't believe it has been working.

He had a feel of the radiator hoses and noticed a significant temperature difference between them and has said it's probably the thermostat. It's going back there on Friday.

We'll start with the thermostat and go from there.

[jas98]

id say thermostat mate....had same problem with mine