Non functioning temp gauge

[Tim]

My '93L arrived with a non functional temperature gauge.

I have replaced the sensor (note - carb'd and efi sensors don't interchange!) with one from a handy abandoned Protege, and the gauge still doesn't work.

The wire leading to the sensor is Ok, which makes me wonder if there's a problem with the cluster.

Is there any way to test to see if the gauge works? Would shorting the wire to the engine block work?

Also, in the event the wiring is bad can I run a wire directly to the cluster or does it pass through the computer on the way?


Thanks!

Tim

[25Horseplay]

Tach dash or regular dash? I might have that gauge.

[Tim]

That was fast!

Regular dash.

[25Horseplay]

I will look, if I do you can have it.

[Tim]

Cool, that would be awesome.

[Tim]

So does the wire go straight from the sensor to the temp gauge? Or does it pass through stuff on the way?

No one answered that question and I'm uncomfortable driving around with a non-functional temp gauge.

[F3BZ]

essentially-yes but through the 10 amp 'meter' fuse when the ign sw is in the on or run position. are u sure the protege sensor is good? remove sensor from the t-stat housing. place in hot water @ 175 degree and measure resistance between the sensor body and the terminal. should be about 49-58 ohms. testing the guage would involve removing the cluster connector. a PIA if u can avoid it.

[Tim]

I ended up swapping clusters to see if it made a difference and it didn't.

However, I noticed the big bunch of wires around the core support, which got damaged in a wreck, looked a bit rough so I ran a piece of wire from the temp sensor to an undamaged section of the wire harness and tapped into the wire to the temp gauge.

That fixed it, but what I learned in the process may be useful down the road....

[rain406]

Can you explain more how to do this? Mine doesn't work either (I've switched clusters), and I don't even know where the temp sensor is at?

[Tim]

Can you explain more how to do this? Mine doesn't work either (I've switched clusters), and I don't even know where the temp sensor is at?

The temp sensor is just below the thermostat housing on the head. It's small and has 1 wire going to it.

I just unwrapped the harness until I got to an undamaged section and spliced in the new wire.