New coolant temp sender faulty?

[KnightHawk434th]

Well I've been reading and have come to the conclusion i either got a faulty sensor or a short somewhere. Here is the scoop:

I installed an aftermarket water temp gauge awhile back and has been running fine thus far. Recently my cluster gauge has been going out (bouncing around...sometimes no reading) so I replaced it with a new one, and once installed the cluster gauge read 3/4 way to hot but my aftermarket gauge read ~190 and kind of fluctuated between 180 and 195 (only got up to 200 when I got on it, but quickly settled out). Soon as I saw 3/4 I popped my hood and checked my coolant levels, all checked out with no leaks anywhere, but for safety measure I added some with the heater on full blast (got maybe a cup or 2 in before it came out the neck). Now since this is a brand new sensor, will it take time to settle out? Other than the cluster, the temp seems to be normal which is why I'm stumped. Any idera? Am I truly looking at a short in the wiring?

 

[RSTeclipse97]

I cant answer your question but would definately like to here what others think. When i first put my turbo on my needle would jump around, and would do so by giving or leaving off the gas. Now on cool days the temp reads fine but on hot days i can drive and not boost and the needle goes all the way and never comes down. I figured the manifold being so close to the sensor screwed it up cause i have poped the hood repeatedly and it is never boiling over or running bad at all and my coolant is as full as it can get. So my opinion is a bad sensor

 

[324vr4]

Try doing a logger run and see what your temp sensor actually says...I was trying to start my GVR4 one afternoon and got it started and then turned it off and it wouldn't start after that and reeked of fuel so I did a data logger and it stated my sensor was reading like -61.4 degrees causing my ECU to throw more fuel into the car. I replaced the coolant temp sensor and my car started RIGHT up and have had no problems since...it may be a faulty wire or in my case it was the metal spade ont he sensor itself moved around giving my ECU wrong info...replace the sensor and see what happens...may be jsut as simple as that...