Stock temp gauge goes up with electrical draw?

[Fett]

I have a stock cluster in my 88, with a 130amp alt upgrade. Under normal driving, the temp gauge never goes above half. But when I turn on my lights, the needle jumps up to about 3/4 the way up. Still below the red, but much higher than normal. Also when it is in the middle and I turn on my signal, the needle moves a tad when the blinker blinks. Basically it moves the same as my volt gauge.

I assume I have a ground issue somewhere, but I don't know where to start. Tomorrow I am going to the boneyard to find a Taurus fan and hopefully switch out to an electrical fan. While I am running all the wires I am going to clean, check, and make sure all my engine grounds are good.

Just wondered if anybody else ever had this issue and how they resolved it.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

The stock gages are only guesstimates regarding whatever they are supposed to display. Yours is a common problem that my '89 GT also had. I fixed it by using an aftermarket gage.

 

[RYC CUKR]

My 93 did the same thing. Ditched the stock and went with an autometer mechanical gauge.

 

[timewarped1972]

my 91 does it too.........when i turn on my lights the temp needle rises atleast a 1/16 maybe a tad more, and judging by the other posts, theres nothing wrong with it, ford just wanted us to think our cars run warmer at nite! my guess is it's something to do with where the instrument voltage regulator is in line with everything else...

 

[jrichker]

Check out #2 for the possible source for your problem.

Grounds are important to any electrical system, and especially to computers.

1.) The main power ground is from engine block to battery: it is the power ground for the starter & alternator.

2.) The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges. Any car that has a 3G alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects.

3.) The computer has its own dedicated power ground that comes off the ground pigtail on the battery ground wire. Due to it's proximity to the battery, it may become corroded by acid fumes from the battery. It is a black cylinder about 2 1/2" long by 1" diameter with a black/lt green wire.

4.) All the sensors have a common separate ground. This includes the TPS, ACT, EGE, BAP, & VSS

5.) The O2 sensor heaters have their own ground (HEGO ground) coming from the computer. This is different and separate from the O2 sensor ground. It is in the fuel injector wiring harness and comes out under the throttle body. It gets connected to a manifold or head bolt.

6.) The TFI module has 2 grounds: one for the foil shield around the wires and another for the module itself.

7.) The computer takes the shield ground for the TFI module and runs it from pin 20 to the chassis near the computer.

8.) The computer's main power ground (the one that comes from the battery ground wire) uses pins 40 & 60 for all the things it controls internally.

See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for help troubleshooting voltage drops across grounds