Got an 89 crx....temp guage doesnt work when the car is on and running, but for some reason, when you turn off the car, but put it into the on position, it temp guage actually rises and works!!!

i swapped the cluster to the 90-91 style, and the same thing happends. So i know it isnt the wiring to the cluster, and shouldnt be the sender on the cluster since the 88-89 did the same thing.....my guess is the wiring to the sensor?

the wiring looks relatively stock...so i dont think they butchered that portion. But when i bought the car, the two sensors on the head by the distributor were ripped off. i replaced them with new sensors from an extra harness...and colormatched, soldered and taped.

So do you think that the wires were switched around? or maybe there is another source i should look for?

The search gave me plenty of "no goes" but noone had this same problem?


Cliffnotes:

temp guage on cluster doesnt work when the car is running
temp guage on cluster works when car is off, but in "on position"

Thanks in advance

 

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Haha! Sorry, had to laugh really quick before I helped you out.

Get the Helms Manual online. 307mb but well worth the wait!

Yeah, them wires they screwed up and soldered together were your heat sensors.
Temperature Gauge sending unit or Thermosensor underneath your distributor. You may need to pull them wires off, take the sensors out and re-wire them the right way. But first give a slight tug to make sure they ARE connected. Re-wiring them on the engine underneath the dizzy has a lack of space so that's why I say to just take the sensors out but it's your choice. Hope I helped you out.

 

hey, i pm'd you real quick. thats for the reply

The sensor im looking for is the sensor farthest away from the firewall?

 

Should be the first one. It should be a hose, Temperature Gauge Sending Unit and Thermosensor. You want the Temp Gauge Sending Unit

 

Ill give it a try...