Engine Temp Guage
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 214
Likes: 6
From: Mebane, NC
Engine Temp Guage
I've been taking baby steps getting the car back on the road. Short in town trips, maybe 5 miles. The temp gauge normally goes from the rest postition to under 100. Today after maybe 10 miles of stop and go, 35-45mph 2000-2300 rpm) the temp rose to the mark between 100 and 210 and stayed there. Finally got to open the car up, 60 -70mph (2500-2800 rpm) and the temp climbed to almost the red line in about 5 miles and stayed there until I slowed down. Got back to the 35mph zones and it cooled right down to just under the 210 mark.
No indication of a hot engine other than the gauge. It is a350 crate motor with about 1200 miles on it, think early '80s vintage in a '73. Air conditioning was not running. I remember reading, I think on the Wilcox site, about temp sensors being incompatible with various years gauges. When the car cools down enough I'll try to get a part number for the sender.
Any other thoughts?
No indication of a hot engine other than the gauge. It is a350 crate motor with about 1200 miles on it, think early '80s vintage in a '73. Air conditioning was not running. I remember reading, I think on the Wilcox site, about temp sensors being incompatible with various years gauges. When the car cools down enough I'll try to get a part number for the sender.
Any other thoughts?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 181
Likes: 11
From: Boiling Springs
I have no idea what year vette yours is, but for my 72 I use a ts6 standard sender. The problem for me was that I couldn't use that sender in my new heads, since the heads had a smaller intake. And the other spot on the intake was stuck, finally went and just stuck it in the pump, even though its not the best read spot. So, what I'm saying is if you have some different gage than the heads, and the sender is different. Then you might have my same problem
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
72 through 78 are the same. Corvette seems to be unique to other GM senders due to the gauge ohm requirements. I had the same problem with my 77 and its later model engine. Buy sending units to match the car, not the motor.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 214
Likes: 6
From: Mebane, NC
more info
Going through the wilcox troubleshooting guide. At the gauge, harness disconnected I read 90 ohms across the two middle posts. The fiber washer is in place on the inboard post. Ground is good, 12v is good, sender wire has continuity.
key off, when I hook the harness up and measure across the middle posts the ohms drop to 34-37. That doesn't seem right. Do I need to run a new ground wire?
key off, when I hook the harness up and measure across the middle posts the ohms drop to 34-37. That doesn't seem right. Do I need to run a new ground wire?
