It means you don't know how to use the meter (sorry, just kidding...) 200K is actually 200,000 ohms.

Pick a smaller range, like 200 (not 200K). Then it might read something like 135 (which would be a real good reading with a cold engine). Make that measurement with the wire disconnected, and it doesn't matter whether the key is turned on or off.

Then drive around to get the engine nice & warm. Measure again & look for it to measure about 40.

 

Agreed. I also previously wanted to say something regarding the logic of that.

 

I tried it on 200 originally but it would not read at all .
All of the ohm settings start with a number 1 on the screen and they give reading when i touch the sensor and ground but the 200 reading does not react at all when I touch them to those spots ( it just stays on 1)

 

If it measures less than 200, it should display something on the 200 range. So I'm guessing that the "200" range can measure from zero to 199.99 and your sender resistance is higher than that.

What about the 2000 range? For accuracy, you want to use the lowest range that gives you a reading.

For ANY of the ranges of your meter, what do they measure when you touch the 2 probes together to one another? Should be about zero. Some meters have a separate battery that only does the resistance measurement - is that OK??

The confusing thing is that it would take a LOW resistance to explain your gauge going up to mid-scale position when the engine is cold. So if you can verify the resistance is greater than 200 yet the gauge still goes to mid-scale; then it sounds like both the sender and the gauge are bad.

 

on the 2000 setting the reading that I get is 494

 

You'll need to set the meter on the 2000 scale to get a better reading. You should see a higher resistance (cold) going down to lower resistance (hot).

 

ooops.. wrong page. Do you see the resistance going down to about 50 ohms with engine hot?

 

I ran the car for about 20 minutes or so and tested it (when warmed up it gives a reading on the 200 setting) and it reads 92.8

Does anyone know what that indicates ?

 

Taking together these two posts; either:

• something is wrong with your meter (is there a fresh battery in it?) Have you tested it on something else, like a different resistor?
• something is wrong with how you're using or reading the meter (Is this a digital meter?)
• something is wrong with the sender unit
• something is wrong with the instrument gauge

It is still inconclusive, as you weren't able to get a reading at the 200 setting when cold; but, got really high resistance reading (if you read it correct) at the 2000 setting.

When cold it should be about 137 ohms or close to it. If the engine is at operating temperature, it should be about 30-46 ohms or close to it.

A reading of 494 at the 2000 setting should be equivalent to 494,000. If it was 494, the instrument temp. gauge should remain at the bottom as the this means the resistance is high (494 is even higher than 137 ohms.)

When the coolant temperature was warmed up, with the setting at 200, you got a resistance reading of 92.8 ohms. The proper range should be about 30-46 ohms. Your sending unit is still reading a somewhat higher resistance than what it should be at operating temperature. What is the temperature gauge showing when you got this reading of 92.8 ohms?

 

the temp gauge was reading near the redline when the reading on the meter was 92.8