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Coolant gauge is not working...

A

aircougar

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
587
Location
Chicopee, MA
After replacing the Coolant sending switch, and the temperature sensor that are both located on the water Crossover pipe between the heads...I still do not have a working Coolant temp gauge!!

I even jumped the temp sender switch with a wire from the sender to the white/red wire after the harness connector next to the driver side strut tower... and still nothing.
I figured something may have happened to the connector/wiring when I put the newer motor into the CSVT, but I still can't trace down the problem.

I checked the fuses before, but I would figure that I would lose all of the gauge cluster if the fuse went out...

I need some suggestions...anything that you have run into that is similar to this will help me out, thanks!!
 
Today I checked the gauge cluster itself, and it seems to be connected properly and no wires or circuits are damaged in that area...

What is going on?
 
As I write this, my mechanic is working on the same thing. He replaced the sensor, but the gauge still doesn't operate. He's running some tests now. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm getting sick of everything always being a computer diagnostics mess.
 
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I got my car and, for the first time since owning it, have a working gauge. It seems one of the two previous owners pried the instrument gauge open with a screwdriver and damaged the circuit board that controls the gauge cluster. Impressively, the mechanic was able to restore the board with a little solder. He said it's possible that vibration or bumps could break the soldered connections, but I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. In the mean time, it's nice to see that needle holding steady at 1/3.
 
That's great that yours has been fixed! I pulled mine out of the car and inspected all the circuit connections and they seem OK...

Hopefully something will present itself soon!
 
Check a junk yard or ebay. I just replaced my cluster because the odometer was not working. Only takes about 15 minutes to replace. You can request one from junk yards with close to the mileage that your car has. It cost me about $40
 
Can we use any Contour cluster, and just switch the gauge faces???
I would think that we can...
I have done it a few times on Cougars, but didn't know if the SVT had something else in the cluster that the SE or other models don't have...

I know silly thinking!! But thanks for the tip...I'll check it out!
 
Don't know what the difference is in them but there are alot of different part numbers. They look the same. Need to know manufacture date to get right one.
 
After a very long time, I FINALLY figured out what the problem was!!

I orignally had an Aluminum Water Crossover pipe between the heads, that has the Coolant temp sender and temp sensor on it....
Well that was on the stock Cougar motor I had put in for 2 months to first get the car running (had SVT cams, UIM, LIM, TB etc...)

I then installed a complete SVT motor back into the SVT Contour, but used a Black Plastic Water crossover pipe, that used a Push-in style Coolant Temp sender and Coolant Temp sensor...There is a clip that holds them in place, much like the clip that holds the Slave cylinder fluid line in place (only bigger)

Because the Sender was located in Plastic, and still was only using the 1-wire connector that is on the stock Harness, THERE WAS NO GROUND FOR THE COOLANT SENDER !!! :)

I hooked up a ring terminal to a 3 foot length of wire, and an Alligator clip to the other side, Grounded the terminal to a ground at the Battery tray, and clipped the Alligator clip to the Clip that holds the sender in place, and VOILA!! My Coolant Gauge is WORKING again!!

The idea just popped into my head while I was waiting for a customer to show up for work on his Jeep... I had time since he was running late... i couldn't believe it was THAT simple!! After 10 months of wondering, gauge cluster replacements, wire checks, and resistor checks...that's all it was!

YAY! :)
 
Sometimes, it is simple,but made complicated by making a lot of changes to your car. That explains why a 2 wire sensor was used later. Congratulations:cool:
 
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