Temperature Guage
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Temperature Guage
66 Plymouth Satellite temp gauge will basically work, but once the car is warmed up, it will wander to hot and back to normal and back and forth. When you shoot the radiator its at 160 degrees. What's wrong with my temperature gauge? Bad ground? Bad circuit board? Thanks
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Bob: Thanks for checking in. I'm not sure what you mean by where is the sender? The total system is stock from the sender in the block to the gauge in the dash. I've replaced the thermostat and sender in the block.
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From: Kansas
I think what RacerHog is asking is if the temperature sending unit is installed in the stock location which would be on the intake manifold (V8) and hasn’t been relocated elsewhere (for example the thermostat housing).
I myself am wondering if the issue is with the voltage limiter which is basically a mechanical voltage regulator that pulses 12 voltages to “try” and send an approximation of a 5 volt reference to the gauges. I’m wondering if it’s holding it’s contacts closed for too long which would cause the gauge reading to spike, but I would think it would affect all the gauges (fuel, oil pressure) assuming their otherwise functional.
The voltage limiter is a three legged metal box that lives on the back of the instrument cluster. Replacements are readily available including electronic retrofit units which provide a more consistent 12V pulse.
Other things to check. Disconnect the temp. sender wire and monitor the ohm reading manually with a digital multimeter to see if it's stable or fluctuates and if the ohm readings makes sense based on ohm range/temperature specifications.
I myself am wondering if the issue is with the voltage limiter which is basically a mechanical voltage regulator that pulses 12 voltages to “try” and send an approximation of a 5 volt reference to the gauges. I’m wondering if it’s holding it’s contacts closed for too long which would cause the gauge reading to spike, but I would think it would affect all the gauges (fuel, oil pressure) assuming their otherwise functional.
The voltage limiter is a three legged metal box that lives on the back of the instrument cluster. Replacements are readily available including electronic retrofit units which provide a more consistent 12V pulse.
Other things to check. Disconnect the temp. sender wire and monitor the ohm reading manually with a digital multimeter to see if it's stable or fluctuates and if the ohm readings makes sense based on ohm range/temperature specifications.
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I've had that happen too. Those gauges just 'press' into those clips so the stud contacts the copper clips. I would upgrade to one of the Real Time Engineering voltage limiters. I had some gauges burn up before because the contacts in that mechanical limiter stuck.
192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1
192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1
Last edited by dkoxla; Feb 26, 2026 at 04:08 AM.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 4
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I think what RacerHog is asking is if the temperature sending unit is installed in the stock location which would be on the intake manifold (V8) and hasn’t been relocated elsewhere (for example the thermostat housing).
I myself am wondering if the issue is with the voltage limiter which is basically a mechanical voltage regulator that pulses 12 voltages to “try” and send an approximation of a 5 volt reference to the gauges. I’m wondering if it’s holding it’s contacts closed for too long which would cause the gauge reading to spike, but I would think it would affect all the gauges (fuel, oil pressure) assuming their otherwise functional.
The voltage limiter is a three legged metal box that lives on the back of the instrument cluster. Replacements are readily available including electronic retrofit units which provide a more consistent 12V pulse.
Other things to check. Disconnect the temp. sender wire and monitor the ohm reading manually with a digital multimeter to see if it's stable or fluctuates and if the ohm readings makes sense based on ohm range/temperature specifications.
I myself am wondering if the issue is with the voltage limiter which is basically a mechanical voltage regulator that pulses 12 voltages to “try” and send an approximation of a 5 volt reference to the gauges. I’m wondering if it’s holding it’s contacts closed for too long which would cause the gauge reading to spike, but I would think it would affect all the gauges (fuel, oil pressure) assuming their otherwise functional.
The voltage limiter is a three legged metal box that lives on the back of the instrument cluster. Replacements are readily available including electronic retrofit units which provide a more consistent 12V pulse.
Other things to check. Disconnect the temp. sender wire and monitor the ohm reading manually with a digital multimeter to see if it's stable or fluctuates and if the ohm readings makes sense based on ohm range/temperature specifications.
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