Temp gage always hot

[Davisrats]

I have an 1980 V8 CJ. Once it is wormed up it always reads hot, I have tried all I can think of to fix the temp gage. I have changed the sender, checked the grounds and replaced the speedo assembly.

Any ideas? Know were to get an after market temp gage for an AMC engine?

[rick]

I think the temp sender on the early engines is the same as a GM. You should be able to use most aftermarket gauges for GM. Check with your local parts store to cross check the temp sender with other vehicles and they can tell you which gauge to buy. If I'm not mistaken, you can read the impedance on the sender and correlate it to temperature. I think this is in my CJ manual. I'll check when I get back in town.

Are you positive it is not really hot? How hot does it read? Is this an original V-8, or a swap? Is it a factory radiator? How about your thermostat?

[Dukes69]

Check it with a real, mechanical gauge. Maybe its really running hot.

[Davisrats]

It is not the original engine. The gage read the same with the old engine. The sending unit is a very small 1/4 inch or so. I put a deep fryer thermometer in the radiator and is reads about 160.

[Dukes69]

Originally posted by Davisrats
It is not the original engine. The gage read the same with the old engine. The sending unit is a very small 1/4 inch or so. I put a deep fryer thermometer in the radiator and is reads about 160.

The radiator WILL be cooler. Temp gauges measure engine tempature not radiator temp. I dont trust electric gauges . . . never have, never will. I still say check it with a mechanical gauge. if it shows it running cool, then it sounds like you have problems with the wiring.

[Davisrats]

That was half i my question, were can you get a mechanical gage for the little AMC sender hole? Or what other option do you have for the gage? 1980 CJ 1979 360

[Dukes69]

Originally posted by Davisrats
That was half i my question, were can you get a mechanical gage for the little AMC sender hole? Or what other option do you have for the gage? 1980 CJ 1979 360

most mechanical gauges come with adapters to fit different engines. Go to your local auto parts store and see what they have. If they dont have anything, check out www.summitracing.com or www.jegs.com. either one of those will have something that will fit. If anything you can always goto your local hardware store and get reducers.