Hello Gents & Ladies,

I need some of your expertise on this one ... my 1989 honda accord lx (carb) temperture gauge has a mind of it's own.

Symptoms:
[ul][*]Temp gauge will work when the car is idling, say when I warm it up in the morning.[*]Then once I start driving the temp gauge stops working and drops to the same level as when the car is not running.[*]Temp gauge is intermittent while driving. sometimes I think it's triggered by something I am doing.
[/ul]As a result my heater will not get hot until the temp gauge moves up.
Is it my thermostat? maybe the main relay? please help ......

thanks

 

Are the cooling fans running all the time?
There should be a difference of temp on the top and bottom radiator hoses until the engine warms enough to open the T-stat.

The temp gauge sending unit is located at the passengerside of the head under the Dist. [single wire] You can ground the connector then get in the car and turn on the key, the temp gauge will start to rise......Do Not let it peg out though.

Isuspect from your description a faulty T-stat frozen open or non existant, the clue is your statement "As a result my heater will not get hot until the temp gauge moves up."

 

Thank you for the advice, I have purchased the t-stat for about $10. Before I put it in can I please ask you for some of your thoughts on the following:

[ul][*]The when I start the car and it idles the gauge works and heat is hot, as soon I start driving the gauge automatically stops working and the heat goes from nice and hot to warmish......... why??[*]If the t-stat is dead or dieing woldnt the car over heat? - my car is not over heating (thank god)[/ul]
Thanks again!