Goofy temp gauge

[dropnstylez]

Dont know if this should be here or elec. but here it goes, 77 350 c10 temp gauge goes up about to about 1/8 on the gauge. I can ground the wire from the sending unit and it pegs it hot like it should, whats my next move? i dont know how to test sending unit or gauge? and trying to clean connector i kinda broke the brittle "connector" anywhere in particular to pick up a new one? it still hooks on but has a broken corner and i dont like it being brittle if im going to be replacing other stuff on it..

thanks in advance

[76stepsidechevy]

Pull the cluster and clean the contacts at the plug and the contacts at the individual gauges. I put together a tach cluster for my truck a couple months ago and I noticed after I put it back together all the electrical gauges read higher. My temp gauge was reading the same way.

[dropnstylez]

i already took some sand paper to the back of the gauge and the places it pushes into with no luck. i tried taking whole guage panel out but couldnt get it and after 15 mins (its 107 here) i gave up and went inside lol. thanks though.

[atarijake]

If it's an electric gauge (not mechanical), you could take the gauge out of the dash and hook it up manually with a positive, a negative and a lead to the sending unit to the gauge. That way, you're sure the wiring is good. If the gauge still acts funny, it's either the sending unit or the gauge. I'd replace the sending unit first, cause it's cheaper, then the gauge.

I was able to diagnose my temp and oil gauge this way because I wasn't sure if the wiring was bad.

I was able to get a temp gauge for my 85 off ebay for about 20 bucks.