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Re: Temp Gauge Reading High

To: kstewart@wwdc.com, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Temp Gauge Reading High
From: DANMAS@aol.com
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1999 21:42:09 EDT
In a message dated 6/1/99 8:40:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, kstewart@wwdc.com 
writes:

> 70 Spit Mk3
>  Turn the key to power on...but not the starter...wait...temp gauge rises to
>  over half way. Start the car...temp gauge quickly rises to the top end peg.
>  No signs of overheating. Change the gauge (one from my TR4 parts car) same
>  result. Seems like everything is registering high...but why?
>  
>  I thought that if the sensor failed, the gauge usually read '0'. Is it
>  possible that this could be a bad sensor? What say you O Wise Spitfire
>  Wizards?

Keith,

The sensors can fail both open and short. If they short, you get your 
symptoms. If they open, you get zero. Another possibility is a short to 
ground in the sensor lead, which will also give you a high reading -- usually 
more than full scale. To the top end peg, as you are getting. Pull the lead 
from your sender and see what happens. If the symptoms are cured, it was the 
sensor -- if not, there is a short to ground in the wiring to the sensor.

Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN

'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
                    http://members.aol.com/danmas/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74

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