Temp gauge no worky. 80 Regal

[HAFROD]

Guys, I can't get my stock temp gauge to work in my 1980 Regal. The green wire is plugged into the sensor on the engine. When I turn key on, the gauge needle goes to 100. It never moves off it. I swapped out the gauge and it is doing exactly the same. I pulled the gauge back out of cluster and the right side spade is 12 volts on my power probe. The other two are not reading voltage. I'm assuming those would be ohms??? Any way to test my coolant temp sender? I have an aftermarket mechanical temp gauge and when engine gets to operating temp, the factory gauge reads 100. Help

 

[pagrunt]

Knowing there are two 3/8" NPT gauge senders-one with the button & one with a blade that also looks like the warning light switch-do you have right one? I'm guessing/trying to remember that you have the '80 & later heads on the engine. But if it got '79 & older with 1/2" NPT senders, there is only one each for gauge & light, it might be a bad sender.

 

[MrSony]

Bad/wrong sender is my guess. You can test the resistance it has at a given temp.
But for the price of a temp gun (if you dont already have one) and a meter you could buy 2 or 3 sending units.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

I had this issue with my 81 I just put the engine back in turned out I ordered the 84+ sender on accident I went back and ordered the older style and now it works perfect

 

[pontiacgp]

this should help you to test the sender