Water temp gauge

[JTEarp]

Hey everybody! I have a question for you 5.0 enthususists. I recently purchased a Teal 95 5.0 and enjoy driving it a lot. Today I noticed the water temp gauge was barely registering in the normal range. I thought this was odd after several hours of city driving. Well I checked under the hood and the upper radiator hose was very hot so to me I don't think I'm getting an accurate reading from the temp gauge. What do you guys think is the problem?

 

[Matt94GT]

well I know my car only gets to about the "O" in NORMAL usually just under actually. I think your fine, I would though hook up an aftermarket gauge just too see, worth the shot might as well get a oil pressure as well since the stock gauges are garbage.

 

[Monsterbishi]

Your thermostat could be stuck open, so it'd be worth checking that, even if it's ok I'd replace it as a matter of practice since there's no way of knowing if it's the factory original one or not - also a good excuse to put a 180 degree one in there.

They're cheap too, $15 tops.

It's easy enough to test the factory gauge sender too, just boil a cup of water and dunk the sender in that and see what the gauge goes up to.

 

[Cobra456hp]

you could be running a 160 thermo. I am and my car (while driving) doesnt get any hotter than 145-150 tops. 2 temp gauges and both are accurate. if im in traffic sitting it will go 180-185 no more. people that I have told this to say that it is B/S. but it is true and will stay that low as long as im moving.

 

[dnkapcorydnk]

Hey i just had the same prob. but a REALLY EASY and inexpensive fix Just go buy a new coolant temperature sending unit and a tube of blue loctite (in case u need to replace it again). Its located to the right of the distributor. just unscrew it and hook up the wire (dont forget the loctite part and give it 10 mins to set before u start the car" I think the sending unit was like 2$

 

[Eastcoast5.0]

I'd get a Autometer WT gauge. My stocker moves from n-o while the Autometer goes from 100-200...wayy more info with the Autometer.

 

[dnkapcorydnk]

does the autometer have a sending unit with it or does it plug into the stocker? I personally dont like aftermarket gauges so i dont know.

 

[Eastcoast5.0]

It comes with a sending unit...it screws right into the thermo housing.

 

[luke five oh]

Eh...my water temp gauge doesnt even work....I think theres a short somewhere or the sender is f-ed....it works every once in a while...but eh