[fouroheight68]

I have an autometer temperature gauge, and I had a bare 12v wire exposed one day and the sender for the gauge hit it, and sparked real quick. When I got the motor running and the gauge installed, the gauge stays at 130 degrees and doesnt seem to move up. I havent had the motor ALL the way to temp yet, but the stock gauge reads about 1/4 of the way up and the autometer is at 130 degrees. I have a 180 degree thermostat, and I figured by the time the stock gauge is the 1/4 of the way up the autometer guage should be up to about 160 or so... I didnt think a little jolt of electricity would do anything to the gauge considering its mechanical and doesnt need power to run..
-Steve

[lluciano77]

It is an electric guage? You probably fried it. See if you can send it back under warranty. They shouldn't be able to tell that there was a back feed on it.

[fouroheight68]

I believe its mechanical because it doesnt require power to run, only power for the light

[lluciano77]

Well, that would pretty much rule out the backfeed theory.

The mechanical lines can break. Once they leak they stop working. I have had a couple go out like that. The freon or whatever the gas is inside them leaks out easily. The copper tubing breaks or cracks from being bent back and forth.

[fouroheight68]

theres no tubing (like an oil pressure gauge) just a metal wire, covered in a protective coil, which goes to a metal probe...

[Siggy_Freud]

Probably fried it by connecting direct current to it.

[RCastle]

It does have a thin tube in it,it is wound tightly,if it is mechanical.

[bondo]

theres no tubing (like an oil pressure gauge) just a metal wire, covered in a protective coil, which goes to a metal probe...

That IS the Tube to the thermo-coupler........... Not a Wire.........

If you Arced it out, It Probably Blew thru the side of the Tube/Coupler........
There for,..... It's Junk........

[302 Z28]

The thin tube, and sensor bulb is usually filled with alcohol.

Vince