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        General >> Problems >> engine temp gauge
        
(Message started by: edbanger on Feb 19^th, 2007, 6:38pm)

Title: engine temp gauge
Post by edbanger on Feb 19^th, 2007, 6:38pm

:Dhello everyone. i finally have a R reg 2.3 ultima . loving it so far tho its only been a few days. wonderfull to know there is a web forum full of knowlagable people.
my main concern is the temp gauge on the dash. on start up the needle moves to the bottom of the blue section where it stays.i have only driven it locally but for more than 30 min.the heater warms up very quickly.the rads heating up as normal. i am guessing its the temp gauge sender, near the thermostate? anyone got any ideas? also when the engine is hot i cannot get the oil filler cap off.yet when its cold its really easy. is that normal.
im planning on flushing the cooling system,replace the thermostate and sender at the weekend, even if its only to give me piece of mind.i get paronoid.
are the scorpio cooling systems easy to bleed?
i will leave my other questions till another time. thanks to anyone who can help.
;D

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by Jim on Feb 20^th, 2007, 12:58am

There are two sender units, one for the gauge, one for the electronics. On my 2.3 its the one nearest the front. Caution....the sender is in the plastic inlet manifold, do not over tighten.

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by edbanger on Feb 21^st, 2007, 5:27pm

thanks mate. i thourght it was that one. do you think thats likely to be my problem.?

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by TiberiuS on Feb 21^st, 2007, 6:13pm

I couldn't loosen the oil filler cap on mine when hot, maybe it's a built in safety feature, not sure.

Jonnycab knows a good way of bleeding the cooling system if you have any stubborn airlocks but normally you just remove the filler cap on the cold engine and let the engine idle up to temp, with the car facing uphill if possible.

New thermostat on a car of this age is always a good idea, good insurance just in case it ever sticks shut rather than open :)

Regards, Bruce.

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by Mummra on Feb 21^st, 2007, 6:13pm

I had the same problem with mine, if I remember correctly the easiest way to check is remove the connector from the sender and put a wire link between the two pins on the connector and then turn on the ignition and the needle should shoot straight up to the red. If it does then the wiring and the gauge are fine just leaving the sender as the fault, new one about £18 from FMD.

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by edbanger on Feb 22^nd, 2007, 5:55pm

;D
nice one guys thanks for your help. i will let you know how it all pans out. you say you had the same prob with yours. did you manage to sort it?

Title: Re: engine temp gauge
Post by harry.m1byt on Feb 22^nd, 2007, 9:59pm

I don't know the 2.3 engine, but you can check a thermostat is not stuck open without dismantling. Just feel the top hose as it warms up, it should remain cold then suddenly warm up when the 'stat opens.

I thought the temperature sender on all engine varients was a single pin with a rubber cap? If so shorting the pin to earth should cause the reading to rise to maximum (red). If it fails to do that, it could mean - a layer of oxidation on the terminal at the sender, a faulty guage or try the following, which solved mine...

Follow the cable loom as it comes off the engine to a multi-plug which is located on the inner wing off side, down below, just above the chassis. The plug and socket, which looks like a square black box, are bolted together by a single bolt through the middle. Undo the the bolt and as it unscrews it withdraws the plug for you. Check the pins for oxidation and then work it in and out a few times to clear any oxidation. My reading wandered about between cold and normal due to a tiny amount of oxidation on the pins of this plug.