Electrical: 51 Champion Temperature Sending Unit

[okc63avanti]

When I purchased my 51 Champion this summer the temp gauge wasn't working. I opened hood and found the wire disconnected from the sending unit. With wire reconnected & engine on the gauge moves all the way to hot and pegs out, so I left the wire off to protect the gauge. I ordered a new sending unit from a Stude vendor part #530127 for 6 volts because my car has original 6V system. Replaced the sending unit with the new one today and when started the needle on the gauge also pegs out at hot.

Both the old and new sending units (off the block) when tested with a ohm meter with one contact on terminal nut and the other on the threads of the sending unit read about the same resistance of approx. 140 ohms.

Question: Does this mean my gauge is bad?

Thanks

[greyben]

The dash gauge is quite likely bad. The 140 ohm reading is about right for the sending unit at room temp. Sending units rarely go bad, the dash unit does. It probably has an internal short to ground. It might be repairable, but it would be delicate work.

[okc63avanti]

Maybe next winter I'll pull the entire dash panel and gauges and send them off for restoration. Any recommendations for someone who does this work for a reasonable price with a decent turn around?

[Dwain G.]

Measure resistance in the gauge itself by disconnecting all wires from it. An ohmmeter connected to both terminals should read about 60Ω. From IGN terminal to gauge housing about 100Ω. The cold sender reading sounds about right. If you get readings similar to these, the gauge should be okay. Work on the grounds next.
Repair or replace the engine-to-frame ground cable first, then check the gauge readings. If not fixed, install a body-to-engine ground strap from somewhere on the firewall to back of engine and recheck gauge. Lastly, it may be necessary to attach a ground wire from one of the gauge retaining screws to the firewall.

[dpson]

Studebaker International lists NOS 1951 Champion dash temperature guages (part number 530051) for $45 and if you shop around I'll bet there are other vendors out there that sell them for less than that.

[deco_droid]

I'm looking at this issue as well. I had pulled all the gauges out to clean and detail, but when I put them back in, the temp gauge now just sits on cold. I sketched the wiring setup before I pulled anything off so I'm 99% sure I put everything back just as it was, so the only other thing I'm wondering is if perhaps I damaged the gauge while cleaning the face. I may have accidentally touched the needle a time or two as I was cleaning, but I'm not sure if that would necessarily damage it internally. If I pull it out to check soon, are the readings for the Champion gauges the same as what I would see on a Commander? I have an ohm meter, but I'm not all that versed in electrical work...

[Commander Eddie]

The temp gauge on my '50 Commander goes all the way to the top when I turn on my headlights. Come to find out the headlight switch was bad. The lights came on but there was a minor short that caused the temp gauge to peg. Weird!

[raprice]

Maybe I missed it, but did you check/change your thermostat? Before you go tearing everything apart, you may want to check out the thermostat. Just a thought.

Rog

[bezhawk]

The gauge works by varying the resistance to ground. It sounds like the wire to the sending unit is shorted to ground somewhere....fooling the gauge to think it's the sending unit.

[altair]

temp gauge

When I purchased my 51 Champion this summer the temp gauge wasn't working. I opened hood and found the wire disconnected from the sending unit. With wire reconnected & engine on the gauge moves all the way to hot and pegs out, so I left the wire off to protect the gauge. I ordered a new sending unit from a Stude vendor part #530127 for 6 volts because my car has original 6V system. Replaced the sending unit with the new one today and when started the needle on the gauge also pegs out at hot.

Both the old and new sending units (off the block) when tested with a ohm meter with one contact on terminal nut and the other on the threads of the sending unit read about the same resistance of approx. 140 ohms.

Question: Does this mean my gauge is bad?

Thanks

Try a bypass jumper from the sending unit to the gage and confirm the gage it self is grounded. Dave British Columbia