Temp. gauge issue on KAD 300

Lupus

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Apr 3, 2008
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Hi, I have two KAD 300 in my 2003 Windy 37HT. Both engines have 450 hours and run perfect. I have discovered that the temp. gauge on the port engine is a little unstable. It changes from 150 - 180 degree Fahrenheit in seconds.... then stable at same level as starboard engine. Important to mention is that it never goes higher than the starboard engine. Like it looses full input and after a second or two the input is fine and it flows back to same level as starboard temp. I have never had an overheating alarm. Do I have a bad sensor ? ....or any other input. Anyone has seen this before ? Thanks for a great forum and help with this.
 

alldodge

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Hi, I have two KAD 300 in my 2003 Windy 37HT. Both engines have 450 hours and run perfect. I have discovered that the temp. gauge on the port engine is a little unstable. It changes from 150 - 180 degree Fahrenheit in seconds.... then stable at same level as starboard engine. Important to mention is that it never goes higher than the starboard engine. Like it looses full input and after a second or two the input is fine and it flows back to same level as starboard temp. I have never had an overheating alarm. Do I have a bad sensor ? ....or any other input. Anyone has seen this before ? Thanks for a great forum and help with this.

Could be a bad sensor, gauge or wire fraying. If you can swap the sensor wires going to the gauges (port and starboard) and the trouble follows the wire then look at the sensor. If it stays then it's probably the gauge
 

Lupus

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Apr 3, 2008
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Hi, I was going to the boat today to try to fix the issue. Decided to check the sensor first - if the connection there was bad. I have found out that the KAD300-A should have a sensor for the gauge and one for the ECT..... But on the termostat housing I see only one sensor with two wires coming out...... Sprayed Volvo green so cannot see the actual colour of these two wires. Can one tell me where I find the sensor for the gauge ? ..... A picture will be very nice..... I have also tried looking at Volvos spareparts and two sensors come up (one for the ECT and one for the gauge) but I cannot find a drawing or photo. Hope someone has a photo to show me where the termostat sensor for the gauge on a KAD300-A is..... Looking strange I think. Thanks for the input.
 
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Lupus

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termostathousing KAD300.jpg I have found this from Volvo..... item 26 are plugs..... I have one plug and a sensor in the other hole..... However is this the ECT or gauge sensor or maybe a combined sensor. But why is the sensor not listed as a sparepart ?
 
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alldodge

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It could be the sensor, cannot say for sure. Item 29 is the sensor but does not show where it goes. I will say every temp sensor I have seen is in the thermostat housing

22428.jpg
 

Lupus

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Item 29 has part # 862154 and is the temp. sensor for the gauge. Item 31 has part # 1624368 and is the temp, sensor for EDC....... So two sensors. I agree that temp. sensors should be found in the termostat housing but I guess it goes for both temp. sensors and I only have one..... Since I am not sure if the one in the termostat housing is item 29 or item 31 it should be great if someone knows where both sensors are located :) Thanks.
 
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alldodge

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Hope someone will answer your question, but my thought if you know what color wire is scrape the paint off the wire. Wish I could help with the location but for me it should be in the thermostat housing. As you said there is one so I don't know where else to look, other then made the head
 

rbh

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I will take a stab in the dark, first off what temp does the starboard engine run at all the time when warm? Do both motors warm up at the same rate when at the same RPM?

(since the gauge works but you can not be sure if its true get a mechanical gauge for testing purposes)

But the one thing I did notice was that there are two thermostats in the housing this means this engine moves a lot of coolant around, and it is a closed system, right?? (never mix anti freeze with tap water or you could get a build up of calcium or other minerals if the waters hard)

€‹I would go with a sticking thermostat, just because the gauge does work even though it jumps up and down.
 

Lupus

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Apr 3, 2008
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Thanks for all the advises.
During the weekend I went to the boat for further work on this. Cleaned up all the wire connectors at the dashboard (hoping for a frayed wire or so as per AllDodge) and after this the gauge came alive and is now acting just as the other gauge :)
 

alldodge

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Corrosion van be a bugger to find, glad to hear your up and running
 
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