2004 5320 temp guage reads hot tractor is cool

[steve flint]

I have a 2004 5320 4x4 great strong tractor, but the temp guage when operating starts moving up slowly and eventually pins to the peg, changed the thermostat, water pump, temp sensor and still reads hot but the radiator and head feel cool. I bought a $25.00 heat gun and began working the tractor and would stop and shoot the head it was never over 194 degrees usually around 184 when working, I shot the radiator it was never over 165, I shot the transmission it was 135 the oil filter around 165 so the hydraulic pump, oil system, radiator and motor are all cool. Can you repair the guage or is it a entire cluster problem? It runs $350.00+ I would like the temp guage working when it gets hot out and hay season starts. Any help?

 

[Zebrafive]

To verify it's the gauge, try unplugging the temp sensor. If the temp gauge still rises, I would suspect either the gauge is bad or possibly a short in the wire from the gauge to the temp sensor.


Or maybe the new temp sensor was bad?

 

[steve flint]

Thanks for your reply. I did unplug it and it goes dead, actually is accurate for awhile then pegs, the old sensor did exactly the same thing, I guess it could be a short, never thought of that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Did you ever take an IR thermometer just to verify coolant temperature?

How are the other gauges? Usually, there is a voltage regular that keeps gauges at an exact voltage, otherwise gauges would fluctuate with even minor voltage variations in the electrical system.

So, did I understand correctly, that disconnecting the sender results in a dead gauge? That would suggest, it is NOT a ground issue, otherwise the gauge would read low or dead.

 

[steve flint]

Yea I shot it prob 10 times the other day while spreading fertilizer at the sending unit and on the back of the head between the exhaust holes, it never read over 194 while running. I hear this is common on these year tractors, I know that GM, Ford and other auto manufactors had dash and guage issues in 2003/2004 models, I'm thinking of putting a manual temp guage somewhere that does not require disturbing the body of the tractor. Yes unplugged it reads like the tractor is cold.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I don't know how electronic savy you are. For the time being you know that you don't have a temp issue. You could put an appropriately valued variable resistor in place of the sender, and see if gauge readings change on their own. Then you know, it has NOTHING to do with the sender. One step at a time.

 

[DK35vince]

Worst case you could just install a new gauge, something like this.
Sunpro 2" Electrical Water Temperature Black / Aluminum Bezel 1-28 F CP75 | eBay

 

[steve flint]

That is my thought that cluster is $800.00 at JD?

 

[steve flint]

I don't know how electronic savy you are. For the time being you know that you don't have a temp issue. You could put an appropriately valued variable resistor in place of the sender, and see if gauge readings change on their own. Then you know, it has NOTHING to do with the sender. One step at a time.

I can get by and fix most things, what would I use as a supply to see if the correct ohms are being sent to the guage? There are several threads on here with similar issues, so it must be common.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I believe there are outfits that repair expensive instrument clusters. I too, would rather cut off an arm than butcher OEM!

 

[steve flint]

I believe there are outfits that repair expensive instrument clusters. I too, would rather cut off an arm than butcher OEM!

I found an outfit that will repair these clusters they have repaired ones for $302.00

 

[Agvg]

Quit common to have a temp/ohm table in the workshop manual so you can verify the sensor is working as it should.

 

[steve flint]

Quit common to have a temp/ohm table in the workshop manual so you can verify the sensor is working as it should.

OK ran the OHM test between the sending unit and the plugin as the OHM meter instructed, the reading was correct with what I shot with the IR thermometer, funny thing is when the tractor heats up and the switch is in the run or on position the OHM Meter goes to 000.0 and the gauge pegs. But until it reaches a certain temp it works fine. Could it be something to do with the instrument side? Also what is the sensor in the thermostat neck?

 

[nycreeksidefarm]

I am having high temperature readings on my 5420. Does anyone know what the ohm reading should be on the sensor?

 

[Hjalbert]

Might want to start a new post. Or read this one. I have the same issue in my 5210. It reads halfway with the key on, completely cold, and runs up to the red when tractor is at operating temp. I replaced the gauge to no avail, which leads me to believe it is the instrument cluster. My fuel gauge hasn't worked right for years. As long as my tachometer and hour meter are working I'm not gonna mess with the instrument cluster. I'll install an after market temp gauge before I attempt to break (fix) the cluster. For now a cheap laser temp gun works for me.

 

[steve flint]

Might want to start a new post. Or read this one. I have the same issue in my 5210. It reads halfway with the key on, completely cold, and runs up to the red when tractor is at operating temp. I replaced the gauge to no avail, which leads me to believe it is the instrument cluster. My fuel gauge hasn't worked right for years. As long as my tachometer and hour meter are working I'm not gonna mess with the instrument cluster. I'll install an after market temp gauge before I attempt to break (fix) the cluster. For now a cheap laser temp gun works for me.

Most likely your dash cluster is going bad if it gets real bad you can pull the instrument fuse the tractor will run fine. Until you can get it fixed. Just no tach or fuel or heat gauge. Mine got to throwing alarms constantly lit up like a Christmas tree.