Temperature Indicator not working. Ideas?

[Nimrod11]

Dear friends,

First of all, I am very happy to post my first topic in this great forum. I have been picking ideas here for a while, but just 3 weeks ago finally bought my 2004 silver Tiger. What a fantastic bike! (but then, all you know that already).

Anyway, I was hoping to get some tips as my temperature indicator is not working. Seems that the actual temperature is fine, I just  get no reading from the gauge.

Someone told me that the sensor and the thermostatic valve were the same part so if one goes, the motor may overheat. Sounds strange to me.  :?

Anyone have any tips here? Even the location of the temp sensor will help, since I don't yet have my maintenance manual.

Thanks!

[Stretch]

The thermostat valve and the electronic temperature sensor are not the same part, although they are both fitted to the thermostat housing.  The housing is on the left side of the bike, tucked up under the fuel tank.  It's a black plastic part, smaller than your fist, with hoses running in and out of it.  A radiator cap is fitted to the top of the housing.  Although you can see the housing from under the bike, the fuel tank must be removed to access these parts...

http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/msg,32393 (http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/msg,32393)

The front half of the thermostat housing carries the radiator cap (although the cap does not actually fit onto the radiator).

The rear half of the housing holds the electronic temperature sensor.  It fits into the housing from the inboard (engine) side of the housing.

When the front half of the housing is removed from the rear half, the thermostat itself is exposed.

[Robbie]

Hi Nimrod

before you tackle the tank I would look at the gauge side.
I am not 100% but the ECM reads the temp from the sensor and then sends the reading to the gauge. if there is a problem with the sensor then the engine light will come on, no light then the sensor should be OK

every thing else working?

[iansoady]

Just something to be aware of - if the sensor isn't submerged in coolant, the gauge won't show any reading. It would be worth checking that you have enough coolant in the system - not just by looking in the overflow.

[Nimrod11]

Thanks for your ideas. I think I will check the gauge first, since it will be easier to get to and everything else seems fine.

The engine is working well and even the fan seems to kick in and out more or less as I would expect it to. I am assuming that everything is OK and that it is only an indicating problem. I went for a ride last week-end and it was very very hot (summer here!). If there were any problems, I am sure the motor would not have survived.

Since you all have been so helpful, any ideas how to test the gauge? Can I apply voltage to it and see if it moves? Does anyone know how to test?

Thanks again.

[Robbie]

looking at the wiring diagram I have here the fuel and temp gauges are powered from the engine running supply green/red wire, they have a ground (but this may be only for ilumination) and a whit/yellow wire back to ECU.
the power wire has a 75ohm resister and the white wire has a 10ohm

this looks like some form of bridge but whithout the bike and a avo I can not tell if the ECU supplies a varying voltage or a varying load to ground.

a quick test may be to swap it for the fuel gauge and see if it moves, but at your own risk

[Nimrod11]

Fixed the problem!   :D

While working on my bike this weekend, I used a very specialized tool to solve this problem. I am sure mot of you have not used it yet. It is called a HAND. Mine is the model with 5 fingers on it. A couple of taps with my hand and the indicator is working again!

Heaven knows what is wrong, or loose, but for now I'm happy.

Thanks for the help.

[John Stenhouse]

Is that the new model Hand made by Snap On or the old model hand from Facom?  :lol:

[Stretch]

I know a guy with with a four-fingered model, but it was modified by the owner.

Did you knock on the gauge, or on the tank near the sending unit?  Just curious, since most of the Tiger Fuel Gauge problems I've read about were attributed to the sender inside the tank.

[Nimrod11]

I actually tapped the gaudge itself, over the cover.

I had opened the front of the bike, as I was installing some aux lights and wanted to put the wires behind the front cover. I took the opportunity to try to see it some wires were loose (a shop guy had opened it just before I got it to check the headlights and I thought he may have disconected something)

Anyway, I checked the wires and there didn't seem to be anythink wrong. So I just moved the wires about a little, with the engine hot, to se if it may be a bad contact. After that, a couple of taps on the front transparent cover of the gauge and it jumped up to normal temperature.

What is stange, though, is that after that, when I turn the bike off, it goes dead again. I now turn it on and tap the gauge. I now travel with my Hand just in case...

Seems to be a bad contact in the gauge itself. May change it some day but I sure it will take me years to get one ordered here in Brazil. Perhaps I'll try next time I travel.

Regards,

P.S.: John, by the way, I am not sure where my Hand is from. It is rather old and my Mother gave it to me. I'll check where she found it. :lol:

[Nimrod11]

Did you knock on the gauge, or on the tank near the sending unit?  Just curious, since most of the Tiger Fuel Gauge problems I've read about were attributed to the sender inside the tank.

Stretch, you mentioned a problem with the fuel gauge. I had a problem back then with my temperature gauge but now have a problem with my fuel gauge. The warning light is on and the fuel gauge dead. I don't think the problem is the gauge but, as you suggest, the float.

My bike was apparently not used much and left outdoors. I guess the great Brazilian fuel slowly eat in to the float. I asked a dealer about it and he thought it is probably the sensor itself.

Any tips on this? Ideas of any extra parts I should buy to fix it?

Thanks again for your help!

[Stretch]

I must have forgotten that it was the temp gauge that you were working on, not the fuel.  My mistake.

But since the fuel gauge is acting up now (sorry, I didn't mean to talk up trouble), the Girly fuel level sensors are prone to malfunctions.  I've read of quite a few here.  By all accounts, the new Triumph replacements are of an improved design over the older ones fitted to earlier bikes.

A forum search for 'Fuel Gauge Sender' brings up quite a few topics on the subject.

[JasonS]

I have had and again have this issue.

According to the last phone call with the service manager... they wanted me to unplug and replug in the speedo cable where it connects to the instrument cluster. They have found the the connection (shared by the temp sensor) gets loose and causes the guage to drop out.

This wasn't my issue.

The first time around I had a faulty temp sensor. It would drop out and comeback intermittently, until it dropped and stayed that way. When it would cut out the engine would immediately start to sputter and run very poorly, taking twice as much throttle input to get the same result.. very disconcerting when dropped into a corner!!

After my recent 7500 mile trip, the same issue started up again.... but has been fine for the last 1000 miles.... go figure...

[Nimrod11]

Jason, my problem seems to be a little different. My sensor just doesn't work but the bike is fine, no trouble at all. After I tap the sensor, it works fine until I shut down the bike and next time it doesn't work again.

Now that it is cold in Brazil (yes, harsh winter down even below 60oF!!!), I have noticed some condensation on the inside of the cover. I still think the previous owner left the bike out in the rain a lot and the temperature gauge got humidity in it. With that, the needle sticks a bit.

No plans of changing it though...