Temp gauge

[rockytop1]

I have 09 Massey 1533. Temp gauge not working. How do I Ck and see if gauge is bad or sending unit ??
And also if it is the gauge can I just add an aftermarket gauge instead of replacing whole cluster which are around $750. Thx in advance.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I'd buy the aftermarket gauge and whatever fittings needed to install the new gauges sending unit, hook it to the new gauge and see that it works and then install the new gauge wherever you want.

SR

 

[lpakiz]

Unhook the wire at the sender, turn on ignition, note gauge needle reading.
Then ground the loose wire to a good ground. (Note that the tank itself is not necessarily a good ground. Use the frame or engine.) Note if gauge needle moves.
If the needle moves from one extreme to the other extreme, dash gauge and wiring is probably good and you need a new tank sender, altho it's possible that the connection to the sender or the tank itself wasn't properly grounded.
Following this procedure prevents expending the labor to actually R and R the sender until it's the proven problem.

 

[JWR]

I have 09 Massey 1533. Temp gauge not working. How do I Ck and see if gauge is bad or sending unit ??
And also if it is the gauge can I just add an aftermarket gauge instead of replacing whole cluster which are around $750. Thx in advance.

Don't go buying anything at the moment. First find the temp sensor (usually looks like an oil plug in the side of the head with a single wire to it.) Make sure the wire is connected well and trace it back as far as you can, making sure it is not loose or cut or chewed in half. I do not have the experience to know if the sensor creates a "variable path to ground" from the gage but I think it does -- the path to ground varying in resistance with the temperature. So (if all the wiring seems ok and well connected) you could try pulling loose the wire to the sensor and grounding it while watching the gage with the engine running. It should go from nothing to full scale when grounded I think.

If nothing else I would certainly buy a new sensor and replace the original rather than even thinking about replacing the $750 gage cluster which cannot be justified unless there is a lot more wrong than just temp sensing. As Sawyer said, if all that fails, just buy an aftermarket gage and install it somewhere handy away from the factory cluster.

 

[rockytop1]

Unhook the wire at the sender, turn on ignition, note gauge needle reading.
Then ground the loose wire to a good ground. (Note that the tank itself is not necessarily a good ground. Use the frame or engine.) Note if gauge needle moves.
If the needle moves from one extreme to the other extreme, dash gauge and wiring is probably good and you need a new tank sender, altho it's possible that the connection to the sender or the tank itself wasn't properly grounded.
Following this procedure prevents expending the labor to actually R and R the sender until it's the proven problem.

Thx I’ll give it a try next day off