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[GMCnet] Water Temp gauge calibration [message #315674] Sat, 08 April 2017 19:39 Go to next message
kelvin is currently offline  kelvin   United States
Messages: 608
Registered: February 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Karma: 0
Senior Member
Since installing my FiTech fuel injection I've displayed the water temp
on the handheld screen. This told me I was running 145° going down the
road with outside temps near 32°F. The VDO gauge on the dash was
registering ~180°.

I've taken this Christmas trip for over a decade now and just assumed
the GMC had a lousy heater. After covering half of my radiator with a
garbage bag I was please to find I had a pretty good heater. The FiTech
gauge was around 175-180° and the VDO gauge was now registering around
230°.

I have since installed a 195° thermostat and at 55°outside temps my
FiTech gauge says I'm running around ~185° and the VDO gauge is still at
230-ish.

Is there any way I can calibrate the VDO gauge to reflect what I think
is the correct coolant temp? Will a resistor inline change the signal
sent by that sender? A potentiometer so I can dial it in? I know just
enough about electrons to mostly stay out of trouble.

Thanks,

Kelvin
'73 23' in Eugene, OR


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Re: [GMCnet] Water Temp gauge calibration [message #315741 is a reply to message #315674] Sun, 09 April 2017 13:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roy1 is currently offline  roy1   United States
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
Senior Member
I suspect you may have the wrong VDO temperature sending unit for your gage. I would verify the part number on your gage and order a new sending unit. You could shoot the temperature sender with a lazer temp device to double check your findings.

Roy Keen Minden,NV 76 X Glenbrook
Re: [GMCnet] Water Temp gauge calibration [message #315747 is a reply to message #315741] Sun, 09 April 2017 16:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tphipps is currently offline  tphipps   United States
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
Senior Member
I purchased several VDO temp gauges; oil, trans. They both came with the same sensor, no difference in part number or function.
Tom, MS II


2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552 KA4CSG
Re: [GMCnet] Water Temp gauge calibration [message #315752 is a reply to message #315741] Sun, 09 April 2017 17:09 Go to previous message
kelvin is currently offline  kelvin   United States
Messages: 608
Registered: February 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Karma: 0
Senior Member
You do buy sensors based on the gauge. I have a 0-250° gauge and can
only assume I bought the 0-250 sender. I should probably see if I can
find the receipt, but I would hope I was smart enough to do that.

Kelvin

On 4/9/2017 11:00 AM, roy keen wrote:
> I suspect you may have the wrong VDO temperature sending unit for your gage. I would verify the part number on your gage and order a new sending unit.
> You could shoot the temperature sender with a lazer temp device to double check your findings.


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