Pre-1997 Models

temp and oil gauge question

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Old 03-08-2009, 09:53 PM
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temp and oil gauge question

I have a 94 F150 4x4 Reg Cab with the 5.0L, Auto everything.

The temp gauge is bouncing up and down from cool to almost hot and then back to the middle occasionally. It cools down to normal range once I get to about 65-70mph or so. What causes this and where do you think I should start. Also, my oil gauge doesn't sit in the middle like it used to. now it's closer to the Low side but still within normal range. (even after an oil change)

Both just recently started (seperate incidents) and have me somewhat concerned. Thank you for reading and dealing with a new guy.

Brandon
 
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Old 03-08-2009, 10:18 PM
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The thing to remember is that neither of these are true gauges, only switches. They register at certaint temps/pressures. So fluctuation is no big deal.

However, do not rely on either to be acurate measures of good pressure and temperature. The only way to measure either is for true oil and temperature gauges.
 
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Old 03-09-2009, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by GTRider245
The thing to remember is that neither of these are true gauges, only switches. They register at certaint temps/pressures. So fluctuation is no big deal.

However, do not rely on either to be acurate measures of good pressure and temperature. The only way to measure either is for true oil and temperature gauges.
The temperature sender is not a switch. It is a variable resister. The temperature gauge may not be accurate but is a good reference.

It sounds like he has a wiring problem in the cluster, maybe a bad ground.
 
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Old 03-09-2009, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by FX4nVegas
I have a 94 F150 4x4 Reg Cab with the 5.0L, Auto everything.

The temp gauge is bouncing up and down from cool to almost hot and then back to the middle occasionally. It cools down to normal range once I get to about 65-70mph or so. What causes this and where do you think I should start. Also, my oil gauge doesn't sit in the middle like it used to. now it's closer to the Low side but still within normal range. (even after an oil change)

Both just recently started (seperate incidents) and have me somewhat concerned. Thank you for reading and dealing with a new guy.

Brandon
Sounds like a bad ground or power source to the cluster.
Here is a diagram:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...r_oilGauge.jpg

/
 
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Old 03-10-2009, 12:26 AM
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I guess I should also mention that I'm not all that car savvy. I have been told before that the gauges are dummy gauges but, what made me concerend is that all of a sudden the gauges slowly move their way back and forth. If I accelerate hard (I experimented today), the temp gauge falls back to a cooler temp, but once I get into overdrive, it slowly makes its way toward the hot side, although doesn't ever actually hit the red.

Now What I also noticed, is that the truck doesn't run sluggish or smell hot when the gauge is reading hot. A friend of mine also mentioned a guage problem. Thanks for that diagram subford!
 
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Old 03-10-2009, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by FX4nVegas
I guess I should also mention that I'm not all that car savvy. I have been told before that the gauges are dummy gauges but, what made me concerend is that all of a sudden the gauges slowly move their way back and forth. If I accelerate hard (I experimented today), the temp gauge falls back to a cooler temp, but once I get into overdrive, it slowly makes its way toward the hot side, although doesn't ever actually hit the red.

Now What I also noticed, is that the truck doesn't run sluggish or smell hot when the gauge is reading hot. A friend of mine also mentioned a guage problem. Thanks for that diagram subford!
As I said above only the oil gauge is a dummy gauge as you can see in the diagram.
What does the fuel gauge do while the other two are doing this?
Sounds like it might also be a charging problem and your brushes are getting short in your alternator.
 
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Old 03-10-2009, 07:30 PM
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The fuel gauge will move also, but I thought that was because of the fuel sloshing around in the tank, but when it's topped off, it doesn't move at all. I'm the 3rd owner of this truck so I don't know if the alternator has been changed. The Voltage meter reads a little more than halfway. I really appreciate all your feedback on this.
 


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