The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hey! I've just been busy installing a trans temp autometer gauge. The temp sender is placed in the side of the deep trans pan; no problems.

But at the gauge side; installed everything where it supposed to be so I would think there's no problem. But as soon as I put the ignition on, the pointer goes fully to the right side. Disconnected the wire from the gauge to the ignition and it stays left (=cold side) but as soon as that wire contacts the ignition wire it goes 'hot'.

The wire leads together with the +wire of the light to the ignition. While the light works normal, the gauge does not. Any suggestions?

Was thinking myself that the sender in the oil pan, which should be selfgrounding, doesn't give good ground as I used 'plumberstape' around the threat. But if I connects a wire from the header, pan, whatever, to the outside of the sender it doesn't help either... Am I missing something here beside electrical knowlegde?

Sounds like you have wired it up wrong Hans. Either that or the temp sender is short circuit. Test the sender.

Make sure you have not got the temp sender and the live wire connections on the back of the gauge mixed up or touching.

As said I'm not good at electricals so please help me out here... How/what to test the sender? For example if the sender is grounding itself? But how... I know, stupid questions.

First make sure you have not got the wires on the back of the gauge fitted to the wrong connectors. The battery DOES NOT connect to the signal terminal. Make sure your connecters here are not touching and causing a short.

Then test the temp sender Disconnect the wire from the sender to the gauge and put an ohm meter between the sender terminal and chassis ground. if I remember right it should have a very high resistance when cold and a lower resistance when hot.

You can always try another temp sender. It should be the same as the temp sender in your water pump.

It's working. I checked the resistance as you said Dave, when cold it's high. Right again. So I figured it has to be grounding the sender. So I placed a lock between the sender and the pan. And it works. thx