How to test my Water Temp Gauge? Rallye dash.

Hi!

The water temp gauge on my Challenger with a rallye dash was not working at all.

I had to take out the dash, and now that it's out, Id like to test the actual gauge to see if it's OK or if it's bad.

I want to discard the possibility that the gauge is bad now it's out.

How can I do that?

After that, if it checks good, then what would be the problem? The sender?

It had no reading at all while it was on the car, all the other gauges work just fine.,..

One side of the gauge goes to the 5 volt limiter, the other side to the sender. With 5 volts on the gauge, short the other side to ground for about 3 or 4 seconds. It should deflect to the center.
The gauges use a bimetal strip that bends when heated, moving the gauge needle. It should measure low ohms across the terminals.
Craig

thanks!!!! i will try that!

Or tape two "D" size batteries together for 3 volts and make a curcuit using the gauge studs...The gauge should come up between 1/2-3/4 on the sweep if it's good...

I have a '70 RR, rallye dash. Same thing. I pulled the whole rallye dash out. I took an old AC cell phone charger, 3.5 volts, cut the end off, and split the two wires. Touched the wires to the posts on the back of the gauge, and it worked fine. I took 800 grit sand paper, and gently cleaned up the curcuit board. All of my gauges and lights worked. Pain in the ace to pull the dash, but worth every penny I saved by doing it! Good Luck.

I tested it....it doesnt move, the rest do. So its defintely bad....

I tested another one I had on a parts rallye dash and it checked out good!....so I will just go ahead and replace it.

>Thanks for the advice!!

One question though: Why do these gauges go bad? This was working perfectly on my car before I swapped engines. Could it be that the new sender I installed on the new engine is not working OK causing damage to the gauge or would this not be a possibility? Why did it go bad all of a sudden???