is it possible to rebuild temp gauge?? (1 Viewer)

[LOOMER]

My temp gauge seems inopertive. I've replaced temp sender twice hoping that was the issue. Still doesn't work. I've got good power, good wire from gauge to sender, and good sender. This leaves me to believe the gauge is at fault. When off gauge is pegged hot, when i disconnect the sending unit key on guage pegs hot, if i ground out sending unit wire pegs cold, and when warm and running under normal conditions gauge pegs cold. It doesn't move off the bottom.


Is the gauge fixable?
Can you just buy a new one? I want to stick w/stock look.



thanks

 

[FF LC FREAK]

Are you sure your rig is warming up? Has the gauge ever worked since you have had it? You could have a thermostat that is stuck open. Or, the gasket on top of the thermostat could be missing. Since your gauge moves when sending current to it, it could mean that something else is going on besides a bad gauge. Stick a meat thermometer in the radiator and see if it is warm after running it for awhile.

Also, as others have said, the LC gauge is one step above an idiot light. With no numbers, it is hard to say where you are running. An aftermarket gauge with real numbers is the way to go.

Good luck!

 

[LOOMER]

I've also replaced thermostat and all water hoses. Water is flowing thru and the heaters, work great.

 

[FF LC FREAK]

Are you sure you put the top gasket on the thermostat. No top gasket means that the coolant bypasses the thermostat and never warms up. Just because the heater works does not mean that the rig is warming up to optimum operating temps. As I said before, since there are no numbers on the stock gauge, you don't know at what temp the gauge starts reading. I'm not saying that you are wrong. It just seems to me that if the gauge moves, something else might be the cause of your problems. The meat thermometer trick will tell you what temp your coolant is at in the radiator. If it is 170-210, you know that your gauge is bad. Just stick the thermometer in through the front next to the radiator coils. It is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new gauge.

If you need a new gauge, I believe they are still available from Toyota. Give CDan a call and he can get one shipped out to you - 1-800-432-6668.

If you want to spend more and buy from the internet, many sites have temp gauges. Here are a couple:

SOR - http://www.sor.com/sor/cat180.tam?xax=22386&page.ctx=cat180.tam

CCoT - http://coolfj40.stores.yahoo.net/guages.html

I would still try the meat thermomter just to make sure it is your gauge that is malfunctioning. Like I said, it is cheaper than buying a new gauge.

Good luck!