Yes, I did a search already

A little history! Just bought a 97' Civic HB CX. The p/o had rigged some things, most of which I have fixed already. Stupid me, when test driving the car, etc. the temp guage was just below half way. I thought cool. Well after driving it for a week, I realized the temp guage never moved at all. Even with the car off, it stayed in that position. Long story short, after chasing down some other gremlins in the instrument panel, I got the guage to move. Now though, you turn the car on and it climbs up just under HOT, and never moves whether the car is on or off. Any ideas on whether it would be the guage itself, sending unit maybe? There seems to be several temp sensors. Any help is appreciated! I may be a NOOB here, but I've had a CRX in the past and am pretty competent when it comes to fixin' my miata! Thanks!

Also, i need a dimmer switch for the instument panel lights. Do you have any suggestions on the best place to get parts. I checked several junk yards and have yet to find one. I used the dimmer switch from my wife's Accord and the instrument panel lights worked. I'm also in need of the interior panel that covers the bottom part of the hatch back. Thanks!

 

maybe the person you bought the car from just glued the needle back in place...mine is exactly like that because I broke my temp needle and tried to put it back...how ever I wouldn't think of selling it like that because that could leave the person stranded if the car ever over heated. You could look for another cluster and just replace the whole thing...or you could buy the gauge itself which might cost more than just buying a used cluseter....or you could buy a aftermarket guage and install it...leaving the broken temp guage the way it is.

 

check the switch(sensor)@ the geese neck housing by your thermostat. more than likely that switch is bad. I had the same problem with my accord.

 

if you have to replace your gauge cluster, get one with a tach I am pretty sure the wiring is already there for it and I know you can take out the odometer and switch it over to the new cluster. The factory gauge needles don't take much to mess them up, you have to be very cautious around them if you break one you might as well replace the whole cluster.

 

Thanks guys! I'd be out there trying some of the suggestions, but right now I'm replacing the positive battery cable clamp on my wife's Accord. It got corroded and ate a lot of the clamp. Whooops!

 

BTT -

other suggestions, or known places to pick up some used parts ???

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by v.i.gsr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check the switch(sensor)@ the geese neck housing by your thermostat. more than likely that switch is bad. I had the same problem with my accord.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that's actually the thermoswitch for the cooling fan. the water temp sensor is on the passanger side of the engine head