Club 80-90 Forums

My 1986 DG engined van isn't showing any temperature on the gauge. The needle never moves... a recent problem which I'm keen to sort for obvious reasons!

So to diagnose the problem I've shorted together the 2 wires going to the sender and when you turn on the ignition the needle goes straight up into the red! So the cables and the instruments are working fine. Now if I measure the resistance between the sensor terminals at cold I'm getting 10K ohms. Is this typical when cold?

How do things typically fail? The last one of these I had fail (albeit on another vehicle 20 years ago), the temperature gauge permanently went into the red!

Anyway this is the sender:





I'm guessing I need a new one, but how do I do this? It is something like:

- Remove that rusty looking clip
- pull the sender out
- put a new one on (maybe with a new seal)
- hold it in place with a new clip

Sorry if what's an obvious question, but I get this correct without too much leaking coolant and ordering things I forgot the first time around

Thanks

Mark

Yep, you have already answered your question really.

I'm not sure if they come with a clip, iirc Brickwerks list the clips separately but also iirc, when I bought one (a few years ago) I ordered a clip separately, only to find the sender came with a washer and clip. Best to check I think the newer style clips are plastic.

You don't loose much coolant really, but maybe best to bleed it afterwards.

Got the parts from JK and as you say the clip to hold the sender in place is a plastic thing.

So I've changed it (did it quickly so I didn't loose too much coolant) and it's permanently dripping out of the sender!

I was hoping it would be an easy job, but there is no such thing... especially when it's freezing outside!

So what have I done wrong? I'm guessing that I'm supposed to use some sort of sealant and should have drained the system too?

No need to drain the system.
Did you clean up the seat in the housing where the "O" ring seal fits ?
Did you fit a new "O" ring ?
Personally I did not use any sealant when I did mine (twice over the years) but if someone else has done so in the past it may be a bit of that causing the leak. I am hoping that JK's poor reputation for the quality of parts has not come into play here (Their "Dalek" caps and header tanks being prime examples).

New o ring required..
No sealant needed

New supplier of quality parts..I suggest Brickwerks not the camping supplier.

Just don't lie under the van with your mouth open when you pull it out, and release the pressure in the system first by removing the dalek cap. Antifreeze tastes vile and I could still taste it after my tea!!! I had the new one ready with seal in place and some silicone grease on the seal in my other hand. Unfortunately the old one came out leaving the seal in place which had to be fished out with a finger!!! By this time I was soaked and dying of antifreeze poisoning due to the open mouth!!!