Need Help 1995 Convertible 3.8 Temp Gauge still not working and alarm system is draining my battery

starstruck106

New Member
Apr 6, 2019
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Idaho
I have a 1995 3.8 Convertible that I recently had a belt break on while driving in heavy winter conditions. The belt was replaced and I have driven maybe 400 miles since that time. About two weeks ago the gauges for fuel and temperature stopped working (just the ones on the left) I had this problem before and fixed it by replacing a fuse. The temperature gauge is all the way over to the right and the fuel just moves to whatever random position and moves around frequently. Last night I pulled into the carport and heard a bubbling gurgling sound from the engine the lower hose to the radiator had no pressure I replaced the fuses under the steering wheel and the thermostat but the temperature gauge is still not working. I did note that when the plug was not in (not sure what it is called) (located on the top of the motor) the gauge went down and when it was plugged back in it immediately went back up way past the H as far as it can go. Any ideas on how to fix this or if it is the plug or possibly something else? I don't want to waste time on guessing and buying and replacing unnecessary parts etc. . . if it is something simple.

Additional problem - my alarm two years ago suddenly started going off for no reason and making entirely different siren type sounds then it had ever made before. I could not get it to shut off (I might mention around this time my lights in my car would come on and the emergency lights would flash while driving or even when the car was off and no one was in it and drain the battery). A friend of mine jumped out to disconnect the battery to shut the alarm off but instead, she pulled the alarm part making the noise (the box) out from under the hood and smashed it on the concrete (she said it looked rigged and thought someone had put it there for some reason). I capped off the two wires that had connected it and did not have a problem with it except once in a while until this year when my alarm light kept flashing and I would hear a ticking noise from the back of the car in the trunk that lasts for maybe a half hour. This has been apparently draining the battery because every time that stupid light located by the shifter flashes and that ticking noise starts I end up with a dead battery and have no clue why. It starts in spurts may last a week or two where it drains the battery then it will stop and maybe a month or two or six will go by then it does it again. Any ideas?
 
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Place a piece of cardboard under the engine kinda forward so it is under the radiator/front part of the engine. This will show if you have a leak. Check the coolant level in the radiator and over flow tank when cold. Fill radiator to the top and the tank about half way. If you find no spots of coolant on the cardboard and the cooling system full drive it a little to get it up to temp and look for leaks or if it is still gurgling.
 
I feel the need to advise you to get a repair manual for the car, I fool around with v8s so I'm trying not to confuse you.
I believe there is a thingy on the intake manifold that would be used to bleed air from the cooling system. Not sure what it looks like, google can help here. I believe the temp sender is different from 5.0 too.
get a repair manual for your year, model stang. I like books with lots of pictures. :rolleyes:
 
I feel the need to advise you to get a repair manual for the car, I fool around with v8s so I'm trying not to confuse you.
I believe there is a thingy on the intake manifold that would be used to bleed air from the cooling system. Not sure what it looks like, google can help here. I believe the temp sender is different from 5.0 too.
get a repair manual for your year, model stang. I like books with lots of pictures. :rolleyes:

I have a shop manual but it doesn't tell you things that people learn from experience on every item. I replaced the thermostat and temperature sensor and the gauge still reads high and when you check the voltage it pegs out on the sensor not sure what it is supposed to read or what to look at next.
 
Ok, first there are sensors and there are senders. Your temp gauge uses a sender and a single wire, if you ground the sender wire then turn the ignition on the gauge will go to the hot side, then gauge is good.
 
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Ok, first there are sensors and there are senders. Your temp gauge uses a sender and a single wire, if you ground the sender wire then turn the ignition on the gauge will go to the hot side, then the gauge is good.
Thank you it goes to the hot side but stays there unless I unplug the sensor I just replaced then it moves down to C, I plug it back in and up it goes. I checked all connections and did have corrosion on the battery terminal ground but everything looks good but it still says the big H.
 
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Thank you it goes to the hot side but stays there unless I unplug the sensor I just replaced then it moves down to C, I plug it back in and up it goes. I checked all connections and did have corrosion on the battery terminal ground but everything looks good but it still says the big H.
I am beginning to think that this car should have been named Christine - the electrical on it seems to go haywire every so often always something different like it is possessed or something.