Temperature gauge fluctuating

[Tim W]

The intake gasket isnt that difficult. You just have brackets and stuff to remove amd more than likely a broken bolt or two (after you break it) There are some good videos on you tube that take you through the steps

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[JSlezak83]

Probably unrelated, but has anyone noticed as these trucks age, the gauge on the dash reads lower? This is something that has bugged me for years, and has been noted on several trucks.

My ‘02 S10 for example, at operating temp read about 1 tick under the 210 mark on the gauge. As the truck aged it slowly dropped to only about the first large hash mark, or the 1/4 position.

This is where my 2000 CCDRW operates at now. I’ve swapped to a Denali cluster, and there is no change, so it’s not the air core motor. It doesn’t fluctuate, but it’s annoying to me that it isn’t working the way it once did.

I wonder if the temp sender increases resistance over time. I guess a new one is cheap enough to try.

 

[Oldblue98]

And if it is the intake gasket how difficult is it and how long did it take you to do yours?

Payed to get mine done, $350.00

 

[White96k2500]

Payed to get mine done, $350.00

What state are you in?

 

[Oldblue98]

What state are you in?

Florida

 

[stutaeng]

Probably unrelated, but has anyone noticed as these trucks age, the gauge on the dash reads lower? This is something that has bugged me for years, and has been noted on several trucks.

My ‘02 S10 for example, at operating temp read about 1 tick under the 210 mark on the gauge. As the truck aged it slowly dropped to only about the first large hash mark, or the 1/4 position.

This is where my 2000 CCDRW operates at now. I’ve swapped to a Denali cluster, and there is no change, so it’s not the air core motor. It doesn’t fluctuate, but it’s annoying to me that it isn’t working the way it once did.

I wonder if the temp sender increases resistance over time. I guess a new one is cheap enough to try.

My '00 K3500 SRW CCLB (206k miles) only reads at the "quarter point" on the temp. cluster, which is around 155F. I have a P0174 code intermittently and the freeze frame shows the temperature around 192F and closed loop. I don't think the low reading on the cluster is the cause of the lean code, but just got the temp. sender ready to replace and hopefully will fix the low reading.

On my '99 Silverado (256k miles) with 4.3 the temperature shows around "7/16" mark on the cluster temp. gauge, so that's closer to 190F. That's consistent with your readings...

 

[Jerryred94silvy]

I’m having some similar issues. Only mine happened AFTER I flushed the motor. Radiator and overflow tank are filled to the correct amounts and the radiator is brand new. My engine would normally run 1-2 lines above 100 (seems too cool but I chalked it up to old technology). After I flushed and bled the system the gauge will creep up past 210, hang there for a second, and then go back down to just above 100. I’m thinking: 1)I didn’t flush the system well enough and the rad is clogged. 2)the thermostat has gotten sticky.
It was 48* outside this morning when it started this up....and it wasn’t doing this in the 90* weather we had all last week lol. What do y’all think?

 

[scottydl]

Mine did that when the water pump was leaking, as the coolant wasn't circulating well enough and engine would get hot. Then suddenly it'd be like the coolant would rush through and temp would drop again. Is your heater air inside the vehicle consistently warm? Any sign or smell of leaking coolant anywhere?

Hard to say if the temp change outside made anything happen, or if that's a coincidence. Check the thermostat, make sure it's turned the right way and had a seal/rubber gasket around it.

 

[Jerryred94silvy]

I’ll check the heater temp consistency in the morning. And I haven’t noticed any leaks, other than just seepage, and I’ve never smelled any coolant other than when I spill it all over the driveway lol. I think the outside temp was just a coincidence. I just found it ironic that it started running hot on the coolest day we’ve had in months.

 

[scottydl]

Yeah not unless it's related to the heater core, maybe a blockage that got knocked loose or something when the weather got cold and you turned the heat on. That's why I asked if your interior temp is properly warm and consistent.