> > for a few time now, the coolant temperature gauge on my accord 2.0 '1991 has
> > not been working. i tried changing the sender unit, checked fuses - nothing.
> > then i removed the panel in dashboard and found out that the pointer had
> > came off the gauge spindle. i pressed the needle back and now, as i start
> > the engine cold, the needle moves right up to red area. but the engine is
> > still cold.
> > i checked the shop manual and it said, if i connected the wire to the ground
> > and then turned ignition on, the pointer should move right toward HOT mark.
> > i tried that and so it does. then the manual said - check the resistance on
> > the sender and it was also ok. but no-one says anything about, if both -
> > sender and gauge are ok by the shop manual, why the pointer moves also up
> > when engine cold and wire connected to the sender.
> > i firmly believe that i pressed the pointer back in the right position,
> > because coolant temp pointer has no "stopper" in the COLD position as the
> > poiners have in tacho and speedometer. it just moves to the top as if the
> > wire was connected to the ground, not to the sender. has anyone experienced
> > spomething like that? all other gauges and lights are working just fine.
>
> I have now had this sort of problem. It's my guess that the coolant temp
> guage is broken and needs to be replaced.

If you connect a ground to the guage and turned ignition on, the
pointer moving towards HOT mark suggests a good temp guage.