7.3 temperature gauge dropping under load

[92gold]

looks exactly like the gauge I was looking at, only difference is I was looking at the chrome and black one to match my pillar gauges. Any ideas on where to mount the gauge besides the pillar? My pillar is already full of gauges. Also, I know there’s two temperature sensors in on the engine. Which one should I pull out and replace with this mechanical gauge or should I install a T fitting?

 

[Cubey]

looks exactly like the gauge I was looking at, only difference is I was looking at the chrome and black one to match my pillar gauges. Any ideas on where to mount the gauge besides the pillar? My pillar is already full of gauges

I had a B&M transmission temperature gauge in a solo pod (that came with it) held on the RV dashboard with some stick on velcro. It stayed put fine, never fell off.

I pulled it from the RV before I sold it, and it's in the van pillar pod now.

The upper transmission one was just zip tied up there. It was ugly but it was functional.

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Someone home made this gauge pod for the center of the van (the mini set is all broken, sadly). Pyro was moved to the pillar pod for easier viewing.

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These are nice if you want to have gauges in front of you. I have been eyeing this myself.

Amazon.com

A more basic version for 3, but you can find 1 and 4 versions also

Amazon.com: GlowShift Universal Fitment Black Triple Gauge Console Dashboard Pod Holder - Fits Any Make/Model Car or Truck - ABS Plastic - Mounts (3) 2-1/16" (52mm) Gauges to Vehicle's Dash : Automotive

Buy GlowShift Universal Fitment Black Triple Gauge Console Dashboard Pod Holder - Fits Any Make/Model Car or Truck - ABS Plastic - Mounts (3) 2-1/16" (52mm) Gauges to Vehicle's Dash: Housing Pods - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

Or these single ones are an option too. that style is available in 3 also if you search.

Amazon.com: GlowShift Universal Fitment Black Single Gauge Swivel Dashboard Pod Holder - Fits Any Make/Model Car or Truck- Swivels 360 Degrees - ABS Plastic - Mounts (1) 2-1/16" (52mm) Gauge to Vehicle's Dash : Automotive

Buy GlowShift Universal Fitment Black Single Gauge Swivel Dashboard Pod Holder - Fits Any Make/Model Car or Truck- Swivels 360 Degrees - ABS Plastic - Mounts (1) 2-1/16" (52mm) Gauge to Vehicle's Dash: Housing Pods - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

 

[Cubey]

And yes, you can get black with chrome (7242) for about the same price.

https://a.co/d/cmTslHe

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Which one should I pull out and replace with this mechanical gauge or should I install a T fitting?

Here's what I did. I installed the aftermarket sender in the location for the stock gauge sender, in the block. I don't like dead gauges, so I removed the plug from the top of my water pump and put the sender for the stock gauge there. I lengthened the wire so it would reach and it works. My stock gauge has never been accurate so I use it as a quick reference.

 

[Clb]

Get a real gauge, like I said. They're $30 for an Equus mechanical one and takes about 30 minutes to install. You can wire up the backlight later, if you don't want to immediately. It doesn't need any wiring done for the temperature reading. No need to drain any coolant either. Install it in the dummy light port or the stock gauge port. It'll work in either one and they are near each other. You're probably wasting your time trying to make the stock gauge work.

This ^^^
Any co mingling of oil/coolant?

Now that we fixed the gauge issue, we need to source the cause of the soft hose.
Is it eating coolant?

 

[92gold]

This ^^^
Any co mingling of oil/coolant?

Now that we fixed the gauge issue, we need to source the cause of the soft hose.
Is it eating coolant?

No oil in the coolant, no coolant in the oil. I don’t notice any coolant disappearing. There has been a few times that I’ve taken the cap off and there was a little piece of rubber floating in there. Each time I’ve taken it out. It hasn’t been doing that lately however. Coolant was flushed in November and hoses were checked along with a brand new motorcraft thermostat.

 

[Clb]

I got nuthin
This is gunna be an eppic discovery...

 

[92gold]

Coolant is still almost the exact purple color it was after I mixed it. Truck uses some oil but it has 290k on it never been opened up and I drive it about 1.5k miles a week

 

[92gold]

Only a quart every 2 or 3 weeks

 

[92gold]

Tried putting in the mechanical gauge but couldn’t get any of the 3 coolant ports unscrewed, they’re all seized in there. While I was trying to take the one out in front by the exhaust manifold I cleaned the terminal and post the sensor hooks onto, and put it all back together for the day. I’ve been driving it for two days and the gauge has been completely normal, not dropping and staying steady. Yesterday I drove 4 hours with a slide in camper in the bed and up a mountain pass and the gauge still didn’t move even at 3/4 throttle 2800 rpm for a sustained amount of time. I haven’t checked to see if it’s still de pressurizing or not, but is it possible that terminal was loose and when the fan clutch engaged it would blow the terminal off a little?

 

[Black dawg]

Yes, most likey bad connection at the sender. Really common with that style.
Intermittent loss of pressure is probably the cap.

 

[Clb]

Longshot
Any chance of air intrusion in the rad?
Huge l o n g s h o t

I wonder, could the sender have a dead spot?

Now after a long hot run hit the useless senders with penetrant each time till it's able to get removed.
I recall there being 1 somewhere like h2o pump or block drain...

Oxidation will attack a dry connection given time.
That is what nolox is for, to bad the eom's don't know what it is...

 

[92gold]

here’s an update. Truck has been running good and hasn’t had any issues with this since, hoses have been staying pressurized and temperature has been staying steady.

 

[chadyee84]

Truck is a 1992 7.3 idi with ats 093 turbo kit. Truck runs great besides its little air intrusion issue through the selector valve on cold starts. Put a new motorcraft thermostat in in November along with Napa anti freeze with SCA already formulated in. Has a champion aluminum radiator. Truck always runs with the temperature gauge right below the N. Recently when going up the grade or under heavy acceleration the temperature gauge will drop down almost all the way to cold, then when I let off the gas a little to go down the guage will come back but up to the o, and will sometimes fluctuate between colder than normal and warmer than normal. After it does this if I look under the hood and squeeze the upper rad hose it is soft and I can pull the radiator cap off and there isn’t hardly any pressure if any. No oil in coolant, no coolant in oil, doesn’t seem to be leaking or loosing any coolant either. I was thinking maybe it’s the cap but I’m skeptical as it only does this when it’s under a load with around 3/4 throttle. Holds pressure for hours with the truck off if it doesn’t do this before I put it away.

I’m having the same issue, except mine will show it’s running hot. When I press on the gas it will drop back down the the middle. It drives me crazy thinking the engine is overheating, but my aftermarket gauge shows it at 180-220 depending on how I’m driving so it seems to just be a weird issue.