VS fix for temperature gauge showing between 1/2 & 3/4 on idle

[VS_Commodore_101]

Apparently there is known issue with some pre 97 Commodores, where the gauge will read between ½ and ¾ on idle / stop-start driving. I have this problem with my 96 VS. Apparently Holden’s fix is to upgrade the gauge temperature sender unit to part #92063571 worth $10.
However as this is a gauge issue only it’s not necessary and it is fine fine to run the motor with the gauge reading between 1/2 and 3/4 on Commodores with the known issue.

[HoldenOnn]

Are you asking if its fine to run the car without buying the new part? Or are you advising us about the fix and not to worry about spending the money?

[HamaTime™]

hmmm...I was thinking the same thing ^^^^

[VS_Commodore_101]

Sorry about not being clear about this, I am new to the forum. I'm not asking for advice, rather I'm letting you guys know about the advice I received from Holden in relation to the issue I'm having (along with a lot of others on the VS forum)

Further to this, I found some additional info on this from the web:

Temperature sender unit - The temperature sender unit used in VS V6's was caried over from VR's, but the location was changed to a hotter part of the engine. This may cause higher temperature readings on the gauge before the thermo fan cuts in. In mid 1997, the sender unit was revised to suit the new engine position and engine temperatures, which show a lower reading on the guage before thermo fan activation.

[ephect]

where was this new location?

wasnt there a revised temp sensor for the VS? i believe the correct one is actually 5mm longer than most in the VS engine..

[aceventura]

When my sender died, Holden sold me one that was 5mm longer than the one in it. At normal operating temp the gauge started reading just over 1/2 with the new sender (compared to just over 1/4 when the original sender was operating normally). I went back to Holden and told them the new one was reading strange, and they ordered a shorter one in. Whacked it in, everything was back to normal. Sat on 1/4 when cruising, low-fan kicked in at 1/2

In hindsight, I think it was more likely I was given a dodgy sender, than it actually being the wrong type.

Anyway, in regards to the temperature, it was stated in another thread, that:

The gauge moves off cold at 60 degrees
At the 1/4 mark ~98 degrees
At the 1/2 mark ~104 degrees (where the low-fan kicks in).
At the 3/4 mark ~106 degrees (this is my guess - my high fan cuts in here)

Straight away you should see that these gauges aren't linear. I would hazard a guess that other cars do not have this sensitivity around the operating temperature, and is the reason that you don't see such deflections in other cars. I don't see that there is a problem as such with the cooling on the VS, just that the gauge is so sensitive - but I could be wrong.