temp gauge problem

[rickrmf]

This is relation to a previous thread. I put an Explorer gauge cluster in my Mazda B4000, to get green lighting to match a Ford radio I installed. I thought I had everything working. The only problem now is the temp gauge starts out way below the "C", and never goes above the little icon in the middle of the gauge. I did put a sender from an Explorer in. I took the wire of the sender and grounded it to the block, and it goes above the red over temp mark. With the wire of it goes below the line below the c mark. I'm pretty sure the Explorer was a 4.0 like my Mazda. Could I have the wrong sender? Do you know if the sender determines the sweep of the gauge? Is there a way to tell which sender belongs with this gauge? The truck is not overheating or running bad. Any info or help on this is appreciated.
Thanks, Rickrmf

 

[adsm08]

try grounding to the battery, not the block. Sounds kinda like a resistance issue to me.

 

[CopyKat]

Grounding the wire going to the sender will peg the guage. When connected and after driving, If it's not going past the middle of the sweep everything is working fine. The guage is an idiot light of sorts it's not a real guage. if it moves a fraction of an inch everything is working fine. If it get's into the red that means it's overheating. If your really worried about it then get an aftermarket mechanical guage and wire it in.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I am guessing it is the sending unit if the guage pegs when you ground the wire it has to be the sending unit is it out of the same year as your guage cluster or what did you seal the threads with maybe cranking the sender tighter will give it a better ground the tighter the better.