aftermarket temp gauge problem

[fatt_owl2.9]

the previous owner of my truck installed Sunpro coolant temp and oil pressure gauges. They're in a neat little pod under the dash right in front of the shifter boot. They've always worked great, but a couple weeks ago the temp gauge just stopped working. I thought maybe it was an issue with the thermostat. So I replaced the thermostat, and that didn't fix it. The oil pressure gauge still works fine, so the only thing I can deduct is there's an issue with the sending unit for the temp gauge. I live in Palm Springs, CA and brutal heat is upon us, I really don't want to be without my temp gauge. Do any of you guys have a lot of experience with Sunpro gauges? Or any idea what could be causing this? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

-the fat owl

 

[fordwheelinman]

does the dash gauge not work?

 

[AllanD]

Those little sunpro and autoguage sets of mini-guages typically have
MECHANICAL temp and pressure guages and the temp guages is driven
by a capillary tube that runs to a mechanical sensor on the engine.

If the fluid leaks out it's dead, and dead forever...

I just robbed the pressure guage out of one of those mini guage sets

some idiot CUT the sealed tube for the temp guage.


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[fatt_owl2.9]

yes the original factory temp gauge still works, which is certainly better than nothing. But I got so used to my other gauge, and felt it was a better indicator of my engine's temperature.

The sending unit for the gauge was hacked into my upper radiator hose, and I can't understand how a loss of coolant could cause the sender to take a dump. So do they offer spare parts, do you think I could get a new sender and see if that works? I suppose I could contact Sunpro and see what they think....

 

[93Ranger4x4]

wait wait wait, its "hacked" into your upper radiator hose???
If i were you, i would just goto an auto parts store and pick up a new temp gauge, and find where your factory coolant sending unit is, drain your coolant, remove the factory sending unit, and put one of the adapters in there, run your tube the same way it was ran before, and thread it into the adapter and you should be good to go. I just recently did this myself, still tryin to get the oil pressure gauge hooked up(Ford picked a wonderful spot to put that bad boy ).

 

[fatt_owl2.9]

wait wait wait, its "hacked" into your upper radiator hose???
If i were you, i would just goto an auto parts store and pick up a new temp gauge, and find where your factory coolant sending unit is, drain your coolant, remove the factory sending unit, and put one of the adapters in there, run your tube the same way it was ran before, and thread it into the adapter and you should be good to go. I just recently did this myself, still tryin to get the oil pressure gauge hooked up(Ford picked a wonderful spot to put that bad boy ).

lol no I didn't hack it, the previous owner did. So I can get a new sunpro gauge, get an adapter, and run it out of the factory temp sending unit? I'm kinda confused...

 

[Jspafford]

wait wait wait, its "hacked" into your upper radiator hose???
If i were you, i would just goto an auto parts store and pick up a new temp gauge, and find where your factory coolant sending unit is, drain your coolant, remove the factory sending unit, and put one of the adapters in there, run your tube the same way it was ran before, and thread it into the adapter and you should be good to go. I just recently did this myself, still tryin to get the oil pressure gauge hooked up(Ford picked a wonderful spot to put that bad boy ).

I put a T in for the oil PSI guage, but just disconnected the temp sensor. My oil guage still works in the dash, but the temp is always on cold.

Best investment yet!

lol no I didn't hack it, the previous owner did. So I can get a new sunpro gauge, get an adapter, and run it out of the factory temp sending unit? I'm kinda confused...

You can disconnect the sending unit for the factory sensor. The guage in the dash will read cold, but the computer uses another sensor to actually read off of. There is a dedicated sending unit for the guage only.

Unthread it from the block, thread in your new sending unit attached to the guage and voila.