North American Turbocoupe Organization



Temp Gauge acting strange....when lights are on?
Cracker137 Offline
Member
#1
So I was driving home, I just replaced the thermostat and the water, My temp gauge was riding on the N-O of Normal...what is really weird to me is when i turned my headlights off it went down to around the R-M and when i put them back on it went back up. Whats going on here?
1987 Thunderbird TC
-T3 Turbo
-K&N
-3G 130 Amp
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Chas K 88 Offline
Member
#2
I'd be interested in a good answer to this as well because I noticed my temp gauge reads higher when the lights are on.
Chas K
Current setup - 88 T-bird, 5 speed, vacuum assist master cylinder, T3/T4 50 trim turbo from Bo-port, oil feed & return lines, 3” turbo down elbow, 3" to 2.5" dual exhaust and PiMPx from Stinger 255LPH fuel pump, CD, trip-minder, RR , K&N, 140 MPH speedo conversion (thanks Jeff K).
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turbospoolin23 Offline
Senior Member
#3
My temp gauge also reads higher when lights are on, it's close to the red sometimes even dips into the red.
87 TC 5 spd... 17X9 Cobra R's, .60/.63 SVO T3 Turbo, Large NPR, Manual Boost Controller, AEM Wideband, BPV, K&N Cone, Walbro 255, Kirban AFPR, 3G Alternator Conversion, Short Throw Shifter, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Magnaflow Catalytic Converter & Muffler.
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UglyBird85 Offline
Senior Member
#4
Mine did too and it worried me so I just got an autometer electronic temp gauge. Comes with a new sending unit and everything. Car rarely gets above 195 degrees and I ALWAYS drive with my lights on.
---Justin

87 Burgundy TC 5spd. K&N Cone filter-Walboro 255HP-.60/.63 Garret T3-Gillis @ 18psi.
SHELF: NPR FMIC-Ford Racing 42# injectors-Tripminder-
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#5
Did the oil pressure and gas gauge go up and down with the temp gauge? If so it's the IVR. I've noticed over the years that a load on the system (headlight etc) can make it act up.
Pete Dunham


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turbospoolin23 Offline
Senior Member
#6
Delete (double post)
87 TC 5 spd... 17X9 Cobra R's, .60/.63 SVO T3 Turbo, Large NPR, Manual Boost Controller, AEM Wideband, BPV, K&N Cone, Walbro 255, Kirban AFPR, 3G Alternator Conversion, Short Throw Shifter, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Magnaflow Catalytic Converter & Muffler.
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turbospoolin23 Offline
Senior Member
#7
only my temp gauge goes up when lights are on, it doesn't effect any other gauges. My oil pressure gauge goes way down when I'm at idle, lights don't effect it. I also have aftermarket gauges and all is good. My fuel gauge doesn't work at all, I think I need a new sender.
87 TC 5 spd... 17X9 Cobra R's, .60/.63 SVO T3 Turbo, Large NPR, Manual Boost Controller, AEM Wideband, BPV, K&N Cone, Walbro 255, Kirban AFPR, 3G Alternator Conversion, Short Throw Shifter, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Magnaflow Catalytic Converter & Muffler.
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Cracker137 Offline
Member
#8
No the only gauge that reacted on mine was the temp gauge, that why I really wasnt thinking IVR since it was only the one gauge...right now im testing my alternator to see if its good since im pretty sure its a problem with the gauge vs the engine actually overheating....seems like its common problem though from the other responses.
1987 Thunderbird TC
-T3 Turbo
-K&N
-3G 130 Amp
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alanjlambert1472 Offline
Member
#9
Yeah, come to think of it mine mostly runs higher at night... could be a headlight thing too..

Also mine seems to creep down when the car sits at idle..back almost to normal, then it goes back up slowly as I start driving..

But still it isn't overheating, as per the engine block being normal temp and the heat taking the normal time to get warm.
1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo coupe
all stock, hacksaw muffler delete, 124k miles.

1985 Ford Thunderbird Elan 5.0, 172k miles, shift kit, true duals, stock otherwise. **SOLD**
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Kerry Offline
Junior Member
#10
My TC doesn't do this but I think it must be sort of a ford thing. I have two fox body mustangs and they both run at least two notches higher when the headlights are on.
Kerry
1988 Turbo Coupe
5 speed
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