Analog Coolant gauge Reading high
#1
Analog Coolant gauge Reading high
I have been around for a while but this is my first post. I am not new to corvettes i have had a C3 for about 7 years but recently inherited a 94 corvette from my father last year. The car has not been driven much since than but i recently started getting the car ready to put back on the road. So here is the issue i am having.
After the car has been idling for about 15 minutes the analog guage is beyond 260. The wire that went to the sensor was burnt and i have replace it withe a new wire and weatherpak connector. i replaced the temp sensor with a new AC DELCO unit 213-77. i also grounded the sensor wire and the gauage did go all the way to 260
Here are some reading i took today after 20 minutes idling
engine temp on digital gauge was 197
Analog gauge was beyond 260
Oil temp was 176
upper radiator hose was 164
Lower radiator hose was 149
Water pump was 181
Passenger cylinder head was 190
I did cycle the A/C on when the temp reached 205 on the digital gauge and the fan came on and temps went down on the digital gauge to 188 in a few minutes.
I know these gauges do not follow the digital one but something just is not right and the car is not over heating and the analog gauge is beyond 260 when the digital gauge is reading 170. i know the topic has been discussed allot but i am stuck and don' know what to try next.
After the car has been idling for about 15 minutes the analog guage is beyond 260. The wire that went to the sensor was burnt and i have replace it withe a new wire and weatherpak connector. i replaced the temp sensor with a new AC DELCO unit 213-77. i also grounded the sensor wire and the gauage did go all the way to 260
Here are some reading i took today after 20 minutes idling
engine temp on digital gauge was 197
Analog gauge was beyond 260
Oil temp was 176
upper radiator hose was 164
Lower radiator hose was 149
Water pump was 181
Passenger cylinder head was 190
I did cycle the A/C on when the temp reached 205 on the digital gauge and the fan came on and temps went down on the digital gauge to 188 in a few minutes.
I know these gauges do not follow the digital one but something just is not right and the car is not over heating and the analog gauge is beyond 260 when the digital gauge is reading 170. i know the topic has been discussed allot but i am stuck and don' know what to try next.
#2
213-77 certainly appears to be correct for the '94 and it did as expected when you grounded the sender so hopefully your purchase was local and you exchange the sender for starters. You purchased the correct connector for the sender OR you tried to make do with something "other than"? You did buy only a single wire connector?
That sender has the larger pin in the center only as a guide/indexing and the smaller pin is actually the sender pin.
If an exchange doesn't correct the issue then it's a gauge issue in the cluster!
That sender has the larger pin in the center only as a guide/indexing and the smaller pin is actually the sender pin.
If an exchange doesn't correct the issue then it's a gauge issue in the cluster!
Last edited by WVZR-1; 02-22-2017 at 03:50 PM.
#3
Zen Vet Master Level VII
If you car is reading correctly with the gun but your analog gauges are off, you have a problem with 1)the sender, 2) the gauge, 3) some grounding issue.
Try grounding your instrument cluster "better" if your sender is new. If the cluster will not ground, you need a new gauge (or at least take it apart, clean and re ground)
Try grounding your instrument cluster "better" if your sender is new. If the cluster will not ground, you need a new gauge (or at least take it apart, clean and re ground)
#4
Melting Slicks
Yes this has been discussed a lot and here's the general consensus: the analog engine temp gauge in these cars should generally be ignored. The scale is not linear and the numbers are misleading. (It's working as designed but it wasn't designed very well.)
Go by the digital gauge, which (by your description) your car is running perfectly OK temps.
When my digital gauge shows 225F (which is within normal temp range), the analog gauge is near the shaded area indicating it's nearly overheating, which is not true.
Go by the digital gauge, which (by your description) your car is running perfectly OK temps.
When my digital gauge shows 225F (which is within normal temp range), the analog gauge is near the shaded area indicating it's nearly overheating, which is not true.
#5
Thanks for the quick responses.
The temp sensor i took out was doing the same thing so i don't think the new one i put in the the issue. The new connector i put on was the correct one wire connector for the temp sensor. I did do a resistance test on the wire and the readings were normal and the wire is not grounded between the sensor and gauge. So i think it might be the gauge but since it can't be changed out without changing or repairing the entire gauge cluster i think for now i will just ignore it or unplug it and just keep an eye on the digital.
The temp sensor i took out was doing the same thing so i don't think the new one i put in the the issue. The new connector i put on was the correct one wire connector for the temp sensor. I did do a resistance test on the wire and the readings were normal and the wire is not grounded between the sensor and gauge. So i think it might be the gauge but since it can't be changed out without changing or repairing the entire gauge cluster i think for now i will just ignore it or unplug it and just keep an eye on the digital.
#6
My 94 has been off since new the analog lies just use the digital.
#7
Race Director
Yes this has been discussed a lot and here's the general consensus: the analog engine temp gauge in these cars should generally be ignored. The scale is not linear and the numbers are misleading. (It's working as designed but it wasn't designed very well.)
Go by the digital gauge, which (by your description) your car is running perfectly OK temps.
When my digital gauge shows 225F (which is within normal temp range), the analog gauge is near the shaded area indicating it's nearly overheating, which is not true.
Go by the digital gauge, which (by your description) your car is running perfectly OK temps.
When my digital gauge shows 225F (which is within normal temp range), the analog gauge is near the shaded area indicating it's nearly overheating, which is not true.