Temp Gauge Discrepancy. Stock vs GlowShift

[Artago]

Hi all,

I have a GlowShift gauge and sensor where the sensor is installed in the same location as the dashboard sensor. I replaced the dash sensor because it's completely useless.

Anyways, so my problem is that the GlowShift gauge and DSMlink report completely different temps.

My gauge shows 195 but DSMlink reads anywhere from 205-215. They simply do not match up.

My question is, which one of these can I trust?

Is is possible the stock sensor is reading incorrectly?

Or could it be the Glowshift sensor?

How can I tell which one of these to replace?

Or do they simply read different because the sensors are in slightly different locations?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Boug]

Very interested in knowing the answer(s) to this question as I plan to also run the Glowshift gaugues.

 

[Artago]

Very interested in knowing the answer(s) to this question as I plan to also run the Glowshift gaugues.

Yeah me too. I need to know which one to trust.

The temp difference could just be due to the fact that they are in slightly different locations and seeing different temperature coolant. But that's probably not true since they are an inch or two apart.

Is there any way to test both sensors easily?

I know I could remove the sensor and put it in a pot of boiling water, take a reading and confirm it with a high precision temp sensor, but that's a lot of work.

Any thoughts? Could my stock sensor be reading inaccurately?

Tom

 

[92AWDHX40]

Well there are lots of gauges out there, if you see your coolant levels rise with any gauge you have time to shut the car down, oil pressure the same. A wideband is one that i would want to be more accurate than coolant levels for me just my 2 cents. ive used 2 glowshift gauges now problems with them.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

Take your radiator cap off cold, start the car and let it warm up. Put a thermometer in where you took the cap off, compare the thermometer to the Glowshift gauge and DSMlink readings and see whats closer

 

[Artago]

Take your radiator cap off cold, start the car and let it warm up. Put a thermometer in where you took the cap off, compare the thermometer to the Glowshift gauge and DSMlink readings and see whats closer

I like that idea, I'll give it a shot.

 

[proteusx301]

Another easy test is to check IAT and ECT after the car cold-soaks for a long period. Immediately after startup they should be within a couple degrees of each other. This could let you know if your stock ECT probe is reading correctly.

 

[turboglenn]

well, temperature sensors are just temperature controlled potentiometers that have resistance values for certain temps through the range and the gauge/ECU is usually setup based on those values..\

sensors can vary from the factory and vary with age.... DId you say they are readiong from the same sensor?

also the little sensor on the bottom of the t-stat housing always is sumberged, sometimes when the cars are lower on coolant the upper and larger sensor (might sometimes only be half submerged... hell if the car is so low on coolant that it won't get pushed up the waterneck at RPM then the dash gauge will read normal like nothings wrong and the car will be overheating liek crazy (just a possibility, and i've seen it before on a car with no coolant that was started and warmed up to the gauge read normal (it was just heat soaking) a laser tep gauge had the block and head at near 265* surface temp. So, the engine ended up way overheated when it was fairly new (but was ok for many years afterwardsthough)

also, sense the sneosrs are based on resistnace, a differenmce in wire, a poor solder joint or corroded plug could all cause the resistance value to be off a bit from it's real reading by the time th egauge picks it up, So , keeo the wires completly stock on the aftermarket gauges unless it says otherwise in the instructions as even that changes the value.. ( a prime example is the older Autometer EGT gauges, you could be 150* C' off if you were one of the ones who cut the wires as short as you could and then used crimp connectors insttead of soldering

basically all i'm saying is you can probably expect 3 sensors of the same brand to be off by 5* when tested side by side, because the gauge will have like a 15* variance and stay in the exact same "normal" or "middle" position. So unless you laser temp the area otr put a mercury thermometer in the coolan, or even a high quality electrical sensor probe clamped into the fluid at a radiator hose connection

the best test would be to get the specs on the sensors at a certain temp...bring some water to that temperature on the stove with the sensor in it and then test the Ohm's on it to see if it's correct.