Temperature Gauge Reporting Wrong Temp?

[spanky1205]

First thing, before you have started your truck for the day, what is the ambient temperature?
Get in your truck and turn your key to the 'on', not 'start' position. Where is your Temp Gauge pointer now?

What I'm getting at is, the 'baseline' or initial position of your gauge pointer should be well below the 100 level or first mark.

If not, I'd pull the gauge lens, carefully pull off the pointer and move it to a more appropriate reading.

Then base any further troubleshooting from there. I would not buy the 3-gauge setup you hinted at earlier.

I will look at the gauge the next time I get a chance. I wish I would have picked up an IR Temp gauge and payed attention to the temps of different points of the block before starting the project, rather than after. Live and learn, hopefully next time I will remember. I picked up a different coolant sensor that starts and stops the fan at lower temperatures, this will cause the fan to run more but it keeps my temperature gauge closer to a "normal" reading. I am hoping to take the truck on a drive this week rather than just idling in the driveway. Thanks again for all of the help.