my engine temp gauge is good for about the first ten minutes of driving then it starts climbing from cold to red hot in a couple minutes, after a while it will go down to half way, then go back up, I checked the radiator cap and it is not hot at all when the temp gauge is at the max. I drove it for about an hour the other day and it still runs fine while it was reading max temp. is there a thermostat sensor? is my thermostat sticking then eventually opening? is the gauge jacked up, if anyone has had this issue or has answers please help!!! I am sick of seeing it say the car is runnunig hot!! 
engine temp guage
- Thread starter jake_1977_77
- Start date
Sense you dont know if gauge/thermostat/or temp sensor are working properly I owuld start by confirming your engine isnt getting to hot...check with one of those infared thermometers if you have one hadny when the gauge says its hot just check temp on block. If its high then I woudl start by checking thermostat..sounds like it may not be opening and fluid is just bypassing. If its not hot then I would replace sensor (cheaper part then gauge) and then move onto gauge...factory gauges have been known to have issues.
onefstsnake
New Member
Yours is doing the exact opposite of mine.
Ill start the car and the factory temp gauge needle is so far down you cant even see it. After 45min of driving it rises to the 130* mark and stays there. But my auto meter gauge will be at 180-195* This is with a new sender on the factory gauge...
Ill start the car and the factory temp gauge needle is so far down you cant even see it. After 45min of driving it rises to the 130* mark and stays there. But my auto meter gauge will be at 180-195* This is with a new sender on the factory gauge...
my engine temp gauge is good for about the first ten minutes of driving then it starts climbing from cold to red hot in a couple minutes, after a while it will go down to half way, then go back up, I checked the radiator cap and it is not hot at all when the temp gauge is at the max. I drove it for about an hour the other day and it still runs fine while it was reading max temp. is there a thermostat sensor? is my thermostat sticking then eventually opening? is the gauge jacked up, if anyone has had this issue or has answers please help!!! I am sick of seeing it say the car is runnunig hot!!
Possible causes:
1) Air in cooling system.
2) Radiatior and/or heater core may be plugged.
3) Low coolant...duh!
4) Bad radiator cap, this will cause your cooling system not to pressurize, hence your coolant will not flow.
5) System Leak: Pressurize system with a cooling system tester and check for leaks.
5) Thermostat stuck closed.
6) Water Pump failure.
7) Bad mechanical fan clutch. Rheostat(coil) on fan not sensing air temp through radiator or clutch not engaging.
Most definitely, get a real gauge! An autometer preferably. I actually have my factory coolant sender T-ed in with the autometer coolant sender. When the cluster temp gauge reads 130, the autometer gauge is already at 150!
Lastfox, if you should have things apart at some point, you might want to simply relocate the stock sender to another locale and get your AM sending unit buried in the lower intake. Having temperature sending units or sensors in a Tee is not something I like to see, as the coolant tends to pool in the alcove, thus temp changes are more of the radiant variety. Having the probe in the actual flow of coolant is kinda nice if you can do it.
I'm with you about how bad the stock gauge sucks. Mine read ~35*F too cool at operating temps. The stock gauges have hysteresis built into them but it can be rediculous.
I'm with you about how bad the stock gauge sucks. Mine read ~35*F too cool at operating temps. The stock gauges have hysteresis built into them but it can be rediculous.
I'll check it out next time I'm under the hood.Similar threads
