Just bought an '04 F350 with the 6.0L. The coolant temperature gauge doesn't seem to be working. The needle moves a little when I turn on the key, up to the first line, but that's it. When I first test drove it, it seemed to work although was reading kind of low. Trans temp gauge warms up to the middle pretty quick.
Any idea what is wrong? This truck just had a new oil cooler and some other things done, maybe there is a loose wire? This picture is after about 20 miles...
I'm pretty sure it jumps up to that first line as soon as I turn the key and then that's it. I'll double check when I start it in the morning. I really don't think the t-stat is stuck after driving that far the gauge is still as low as it goes. Heat is coming out nice and hot.
Once you find the sensor, unplug it and see if the gauge moves. You can also test the gauges: first hold the odometer reset button for 5 seconds (I think, might be a little longer) then while still holding the odometer button down insert key and turn it to on. Do not start the truck. Then let go of the button. The digital odometer should flash and you can hit the odometer button again to cycle thru some diagnostic options... One of which test all gauges by making them do full sweep motions and also make the flutter once at full. After it does that once or twice all gauges will read normal. If you have a problem with a gauge, it will show because it won't move completely. Once your satisfied with messing with it, just turn the key off and back on and everything will be normal again. Hopefully that makes sense.
Thanks for the info! For some reason I can't get that to work. Didn't have a lot of time to play with it though.
The gauge does move a little bit, first picture is when it is stone cold, just started, the other picture is after about 20 miles of hauling *** down a country road.
Maybe the t-stat is stuck open? Am I going to damage anything if it is stuck and I keep driving it?
When you do finnally get a good monitor you will be suprised how little the temp guage reacts to the actuall temps movements. I was shocked that while pulling loads over hills the temp of the engine would climb like you would excpect but the dash guage would stay steady.
Ive often wondered if Ford would of put a real set of guages on these trucks to start with,how many of the 6.0 issue's would have gone away. (be caught by the owners before they were left stranded on the side of the road)
For what? This is a stock truck with all of the problem parts replaced. I'm not towing. If I needed gauges that bad Ford would have included them. I just want the cluster to work as intended, regardless of how many other gauges I have.
Lilpooh is 110% correct on this. The guages FORD installed are not even bear minimum at best. Lets start with the FICM. The truck has no way of telling you the voltage of the ficm. And a ficm with just 5 volts under normal is a very bad thing for injectors. My boss just lost his injectors on his 04 and paid $3500. No monitor....
Next lets take the alternator. Mine was going out. The truck was not showing any trouble signs but after the truck got good and warm the alternator would start to lose voltage. The Edge monitor however picked up the drop in volts and sounded off. I was going to Yellowstone just a couple months later. I dont want to even think what a tow to the garage and a alternator would of cost me in the park but I gotta figure the Edge montior paid for its self righ their.
These are 2 very simple examples of how the truck cannot communicate in stock form.
But most importantly is the truck cannot tell you what the eongine oil temp is. And unless you have the Bullet Proof Diesel oil cooler this is a very big deal to know.
Trust me,we are not trying to sell you anything. We are just very big fans of the 6.0 and have "been their done that".
^^^Amen! My boss (the one that just spent $3500 on new injectors) has a scanguage that I bought him for Xmas in his desk at work. When his injectors failed all he could say is that you shouldnt have to worry about a $30k truck. I asked him when was the last time he changed his oil. He could not remember.
After he bytched about how bad the 6.0 is for 5 minutes I told him imo that HE failed the 6.0. Not the other way around. My brother also has a 05. Ive tryed to get him to do the monitor. All he will say is I have a warranty if anything go's wrong...
It occurs to me that maybe Im just a bad monitor salesman!
Obviously he has not had to do many warranty claims because if the dealership can figure out a way to blame the vehicle owner for the failure they will and so much for relying on the warranty for every repair.
The factory oil psi gauge, it's just a pressure switch. Once psi hits 7psi, the gauge shows 3/4 on the needle.
Average oil psi at the factory sensor is 20-22psi, this is just before oil goes to the vital parts. Now lest say oil psi drops to 8psi, your factory gauge shows good, when in reality the motor is starving for oil.
Also keep in mind as a business automakers know that, especially with today's computerized vehicles, a VAST majority of owners take their vehicles back to the dealership for repairs. The repair side of the business has a very high profit margin so there's a reason vehicles are made with little vehicle information being relayed to the driver. The odds are very high that a costly failure will be in the works well before the vehicle has any observable physical symptoms and at that point it's too late. They know it's like Russian roulette, sooner or later the service department is going to win BIG time and your on the loosing end of things. Having gauges helps you to know if there's a bullet in the chamber. LOL
Oh my god you guys get your panties in a wad easy! Adding gauges has absolutely NOTHING to do with the question I asked! You might as well tell me to check the air in my tires! If I came here asking for recommendations on what I should do for my truck, then yes, go on for pages about gauges. I did not ask that.
You NEED a monitor solution to trouble shoot these trucks. It's not like the older carburetor trucks/cars. Just about every main sensor is factored into making the truck at its best.
The dash gauges are just "idiot gauges", they don't give you any data to fix or prevent issues. If you has a monitor that can read "actual" coolant temp, then we can help narrow down your issue.
The biggest down fall to the 6.0 reputation is owners who don't know or refuse to have a monitor solution.
Take the fan clutch for example, it's not like the older vehicles where when coolant hits xxx temp and the fan kicks on. The 6.0 PCM commands the fan on thru about 6 different sensors readings.
So without a monitor solution, we can only guess what is wrong with your truck. Unless you like wasting money and just throw parts at it, for parts you did not need.
We are just trying to help you, but if you don't wanna listen, so be it.
I was just a newbie 4 months ago, first thing I bought was scanguageII because I never trust these idiot guages. $130 monitor will save you thousands and thousands dollars in the future.
You dont want a monitor, then fine you will have to spend load of money on 6.0 and tell people how bad 6.0 is. :doh: :doh:
Showing pictures of temp idiot guage is LAME!
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