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speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 3:42 am
by LayZieBoNeLBurNa
hi sometimes wen im driving my temp gauge n speedo jst suddenly drops then flings back up with the temp gauge it says it overheating but its nott ... n the radio cuts out wen it happens aswelll

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 5:16 am
by hgallegos915
It seems you have a short somewhere. I would start with looking at the speedometer sensor located on the transmission. Sometimes those wires can be bare(battery acid fell on them) and make contact with each other. The temp sensor, I would also check for that. it does seem like a short somewhere. Start with the speedo first. Does the car jerk or drive as normal when this happens?

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 6:18 am
by LayZieBoNeLBurNa
it drives normal wen it happens

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 6:30 am
by waspone
its your alternator, before long it will stop working completely, get jerky and be running on pure battery power, then when u turn it off and try to start it again it will be totally dead, this happened to me a few weeks back and i had to run to the wreckers and pick up a new alternator, after this it worked fine, all the same symptoms though, radio died, lights died, gauges died, everything flicked on and off.

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 12:01 pm
by PATDIESEL
If the alt. is going out it will usually show on a volt meter. 12v normal with car off, 13.5-14 with the car running shows a good alternator. Anything less than 13.5v and I would replace it before it leaves you stranded. Check the wires though just in case. Both are good ansers and prolly the easiest two to start checking.

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 1:04 pm
by Mx3Kid16
How does the speedo go out? isnt it a straight up gear to cable to speedo?

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 1:33 pm
by PATDIESEL
On the V6 is is a gear attached to a electrical meter, which transmits a signal to the guage cluster, so it needs power to work. Yes, the 4 bangers use a unreliable cable driven system.

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 17th, 2009, 4:10 pm
by jmdearras
LayZieBoNeLBurNa wrote:hi sometimes wen im driving my temp gauge n speedo jst suddenly drops then flings back up with the temp gauge it says it overheating but its nott ... n the radio cuts out wen it happens aswelll
An electrical issue, probably a corroded plug under the dash. Not a short, but rather an "open", a connection breaking.

Jim

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 18th, 2009, 7:33 am
by LayZieBoNeLBurNa
oh ok i will check it out and i will let u know wats the go... and wen i am changing gears its abit jerky.. how long does it take for the clutch to wear in ? or could it be that electrical issue

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 18th, 2009, 10:17 am
by jmdearras
Clutch is totally non-electric. But car jerking under shift could wiggle some engine control connection that is loose.

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: November 29th, 2009, 12:43 pm
by Mx3Kid16
PATDIESEL wrote:On the V6 is is a gear attached to a electrical meter, which transmits a signal to the guage cluster, so it needs power to work. Yes, the 4 bangers use a unreliable cable driven system.

unreliable...? looks like mine still works and his doesn't. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: December 6th, 2009, 8:08 am
by LayZieBoNeLBurNa
wat do u mean?

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: December 6th, 2009, 12:11 pm
by Ryan
Actually ONLY the SOHC (92-93) motors used the cable driven speedo. I've pulled apart many many MX-3's at scrap yards. DOCH I4's always have digital speedometers.

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: December 7th, 2009, 12:45 pm
by Mx3Kid16
i wish there were mx3's in our junkyards... theres never ANY or Escorts it suckss

Re: speedo/temp gauge cuts out

Posted: December 7th, 2009, 4:48 pm
by Mnemonic
PATDIESEL wrote:On the V6 is is a gear attached to a electrical meter, which transmits a signal to the guage cluster, so it needs power to work. Yes, the 4 bangers use a unreliable cable driven system.

Not 100% correct...


4cyls got both the cable driven and the electronic. Depending on the year and engine.