Tristin

I have a 1992 f150 super cab with a 302, e40d and 4x4 i recently replaced my thermostat because the gasket was leaking, i ended up snapping the engine coolant temperature sensor, somehow the inside of the sensor got super coreded and basically just popped right off where the bolt starts that goes into the engine. so i went up to napa and replaced it.
i got everything all buttoned up and finished no leaks or anything but now my temp guage either isint working or isint reading right, when i turn my truck on the temp guages moves a little bit but doesent go up any further, and it seems like my truck is defiently getting warm.
I put rvt the thermostat and waterpump grey stuff on the threads, idk if that has any effect on it grounding or somthing and also is it possible that i didint screw it in far enough because i didint have 1 inch wrench or socket with me so i had to use vice grips but it doesent leak or anything.
Is it possible i got a bad sensor or thermostat from napa im out of ideas.
The temp guages worked perfectly fine before this!!

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

There's a sensor and a sender.
The Sensor (above the thermostat, screwed into the standpipe, usually) sends a signal to the computer.
The Sender is on top of the intake manifold, driver's side 1/3 of the way back roughly. That is what sends a signal to your gauge.
The 2 things are totally unrelated to each other.
I don't see how you could have broke the sender for the gauge by changing the thermostat so I would assume that if your gauge is suddenly reading cooler than before, then your engine is probably running cooler.
What thermostat did you put in ? 192 right ?

Tristin

I broke the coolant sensor above the thermostat and i put it the normal 195 temp thermostat.
as for it running cooler my guage doesent even read its getting warm at all, i wonder if the thermostat i put in is stuck open or somthing and it worked perfectly fine before all this.. stopped working right after i changed thermostat and sensor.. you think the sendor would quicidently go out right after i fixed them two problems??

88xlt

How well does your heater work now? How hot does the top of the engine and top radiator hose feel?

The top radiator hose won't feel hot until the thermostat opens if the thermostat is working. I would think the engine would get hot enough to move the temperature gauge some even if the thermostat is not closing at all.

Tristin

My heater still works fine, pretty warm, i feel like its not as hot as before but its hard to say because its been real cold this week.
Radiator hose is deffiently gettin warm.
The guage will barely move even after driving a couple hours.

Tristin

bump

88xlt

If you want to get to the bottom of this you could either get one of those things you could point at the top hose or thermostat housing and it will show the temperature, or replace the sending unit for the gauge. Just a suggestion.

Tristin

Put another new thermostat in fixed problem