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different coolant temp gauge senders?

rkneeshaw

CEG'er
Joined
Dec 6, 2001
Messages
471
Location
Petoskey, Michigan
My coolent temp guage sender died on me so I ordered a replacement from autozone. The temp guage used to read around N in normal when it was fully warmed up, now it reads at the L in normal when fully warmed up. Temp seems to be the same based on what hte ECU is telling me using LiveLink. So did I get a zetec temp gauge sender unit or something?
 
I replaced mine because the needle was reading beyond the red. Now the car reads between the M and the A in NORMAL. I don't know if that helps you at all of if that is where other people's read.
 
I doubt the factory (or replacement at that) sending units are very precise. Otherwise I'd imagine they'd put numbers on the gauge face.
It's not that they can't make them precise, it's the problem of the typical user. If it read actual temp, then people would come in because it's running a slightly different temperature than what they consider "normal" even though it's perfectly fine. Maybe it's the weather, drive cycle, using the A/C... As a result, they make it an idiot gage that just reads cold, normal, hot. It will read normal for a large range of acceptable temperatures.

It's unfortunate that you have to design it to the lowest common denominator but I think this has been done due to past experience with customers who don't know better.
 
The reason you are reading so much higher is cause you don't have any buildup on the sensor insulating it. The exact same thing happened to me but your running the same temp as before (assuming no air pockets)
 
Ordered an aftermarket for my SHO and it was off from the previous one. When it comes to that part go Motorcraft only.
 
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