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New to forum, just purchased a 78 Vette and of course got it home and found a number of things that need attention. First thing I want to fix is the temp guage. It's stuck just before the red on the dial.
Needle doesn't move whether I'm driving or parked, hot or cold. Thinking it's the guage? Anything I can do to check before tearing the cluster out?
Thanks in advance
Wayne
Nice car.. lots of threads on this..
i would personally get ir gun and see what your new ride is running for temperature at thermostat housing hose when hot..
great vendors and resources here (this is one see sponsors) http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/c...re-gauge-info/
and great guys on here..mine reads 155f but is really 180f..oem t stat was 195f...
keep al posted and pics always good
1. The gauge is bad
2. There is no power to the gauge
3. The temp sending unit which is on the driver's side cylinder head right near plug #2 behind the alternator is bad towards the front of the engine.
Be advised that the OEM temp sending unit is very difficult to correctly match if you source an aftermarket one BUT Willcox , I believe, does sell correctly calibrated aftermarket sending units.
I still have my OEM gauge and OEM sending unit on my 78 and it is dead on representing the exact engine temp which in my case after years improving the cooling is about 175-180 degrees max. You will often read of others that state their gauges are only an approximate of the real engine temp, but in my case, the gauge is super accurate....
Probably NOT the gauge. Usually a wiring issue. When the sending unit goes bad, the temp reading is way off...but it still reads. I'm thinking the gauge is getting no power. If other gauges are no reading, it could be as simple as a bad fuse.
Your gauge is electric. If it's not getting power, it won't move no matter what you hook up to it....nor what you don't hook up to it. A non-powered electric gauge will just sit there.
Ordered printed circuit board, took two weeks and a complaint to post office, but gauge is now working. Made the mistake of ordering it from Corvette Mods. Took them about a week to finally ship it. Then post office lost it for awhile in Texas.
All put back together now.
Buying one at Willcox for $70 dollars as opposed to $44 at Corvette Mods didn't make sense at the time. I like Willcox for their info but the prices are just too high. After purchasing from CM, I found one on Ebay for $35. I will continue to shop around and compare prices but CM is off my list of vendors for good.
Temp guage
