Temp gauge on 4000 Ford Gas

[smaijala]

Recently purchased a 3cyl gas 4000. No instruments working. Replaced instrument cluster-now everything works but the water temperature gauge. Replaced the sending unit with a sending unit from the "New Holland" dealer. Have good wiring w/ good continuity from sending unit to the gauge. Grounded the sending unit wire to the neg. on the battery and gauge pegs into the red. Would think that means the wiring and the gauge are good. It's a new sending unit too though? Any ideas on what the problem might be? How hot would the engine have to get to get this gauge to move? Maybe it's just not getting warmed up enough or is the sending unit bad? Any way to test that? It's only got one wire....

Any help is appreciated. This has the potential to be the first tractor I've ever owned that everything functioned on! Kind of excited, but reaching my wits end with this temp gauge...

 

[SandburRanch]

Recently purchased a 3cyl gas 4000. No instruments working. Replaced instrument cluster-now everything works but the water temperature gauge. Replaced the sending unit with a sending unit from the "New Holland" dealer. Have good wiring w/ good continuity from sending unit to the gauge. Grounded the sending unit wire to the neg. on the battery and gauge pegs into the red. Would think that means the wiring and the gauge are good. It's a new sending unit too though? Any ideas on what the problem might be? How hot would the engine have to get to get this gauge to move? Maybe it's just not getting warmed up enough or is the sending unit bad? Any way to test that? It's only got one wire....

Any help is appreciated. This has the potential to be the first tractor I've ever owned that everything functioned on! Kind of excited, but reaching my wits end with this temp gauge...

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I have no idea what temperature the sending unit is designed to start reading. Try placing your hand on the block in the area where the sending unit is located. If your hand isn't uncomfortable rather quickly the gauge may not indicate a temp. An alternate to check temperature is a temp. gun that's been popular for the last several years.

To test the sending unit, place it in a container of hot water of known temperature to see if the gauge will register. It may have to be in a metal container and grounded.

 

[whodat526]

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I have no idea what temperature the sending unit is designed to start reading. Try placing your hand on the block in the area where the sending unit is located. If your hand isn't uncomfortable rather quickly the gauge may not indicate a temp. An alternate to check temperature is a temp. gun that's been popular for the last several years.

To test the sending unit, place it in a container of hot water of known temperature to see if the gauge will register. It may have to be in a metal container and grounded.

i would have to agree test every thing separate. and just because the sender is new and from nh doesn't mean its good

 

[smaijala]

Thanks for the pointers guys, will try over the weekend--put it to work and try and get it good and warm. Supposed to be above freezing this weekend too, so that'll help.

 

[olds67]

I would first start by checking the continuity of the wire with a multimeter from your sender to the gauge to make sure you do not have a short. I know you said you did that with the battery but I didn't fully understand it. If that tests good you can test the sender with your multimeter by reading the ohms from a cold engine and then the ohms from the engine warmed up. There should be a large difference, maybe 200 ohms. If that is reading correctly then that will rule out the sending unit so check that your gauge is getting a good ground. If it is and your gauge is not reading, the gauge is bad. Hope that helps, good luck!

 

[Jbrink64]

Early Fords used a bi-metallic gauge, newer Fords used magnetic gauges. It is possible you're using a new style gauge, and an old style sender.

 

[smaijala]

I would first start by checking the continuity of the wire with a multimeter from your sender to the gauge to make sure you do not have a short. I know you said you did that with the battery but I didn't fully understand it. If that tests good you can test the sender with your multimeter by reading the ohms from a cold engine and then the ohms from the engine warmed up. There should be a large difference, maybe 200 ohms. If that is reading correctly then that will rule out the sending unit so check that your gauge is getting a good ground. If it is and your gauge is not reading, the gauge is bad. Hope that helps, good luck!

I checked continuity but didn't have a multimeter...just checked with a continuity meter. I've got a "good" wire all the way from the connection with the sending unit to the gauge. I also spoke with the place that I purchased the gauge cluster, he told me to take the sending unit end of the wire and ground it to my neg post on the battery....if the gauge moved it means the gauge was good. I did that and it worked. I'm by no means a mechanic, but it seems to me that it most likely in the sending unit, maybe it's a bad one. I'll try getting a new one again. If that doesn't work, is there a way to tell if a sending unit is compatible with my gauge or not?

 

[Jbrink64]

C4AH10884A is the # for the sending unit.

Your trouble shooting has been spot on. But try one more thing. You grounded the sender wire to the battery neg terminal, do the same test, but ground it to the hex (case) of the sender. Sometimes, if there's a lot of Teflon tape on the threads, there's not a good enough electrical connection between the sender and head.