[Bob Bidonde]

This information is from the Second Chance Garage.


There are basically two types of temperature gauges, electric and mechanical. Today's cars use electrical gauges but not too many years ago many used mechanical gauges that operated with a Bourdon Tube.
The Bourdon Tube

A Bourdon Tube is a thin metal — usually brass or copper — tube that is filled with an easily vaporized fluid, typically alcohol. It is sealed at both ends. At the gauge end it is formed into a circle or spiral with its end attached to the indicating needle by some form of linkage. The other end is fitted to a water-tight connector that is in direct contact with the coolant in the engine.
As the coolant warms up the alcohol in the Bourdon tube expands. The expansion transfers its force to the coiled end of the tube inside the gauge. As the coil or spiral unwinds it pulls the linkage on the needle, which in turn shows a temperature reading on the gauge face. The gauges are calibrated during the manufacturing stage and are not adjustable afterward.
Since the Bourdon Tube design is purely mechanical the gauge will continue to read some temperature level even after the engine is shut off. As the engine cools the gauge's needle will return to its rest position.
Bourdon Tube gauges aren't used anymore because of cost and convenience factors. The tubes are delicate and must be carefully routed from the dash to the appropriate fitting on the engine. The gauges themselves are far more expensive than electric or electronic gauges and if the tube is kinked or split the entire gauge assembly must be replaced.
Electric Temperature Gauges

Basically, an electric temperature gauge is a voltmeter. The scale on the gauge face is reading temperature but the instrument itself is reading voltage. The gauge itself is comprised of a bimetallic (two different metals fastened together) "hairpin" assembly. This assembly is attached to the needle.
The gauge requires an electric circuit and a sending unit in order to read temperature. The sending unit is a temperature-sensitive material that is part of a variable resistance, water-sealed unit that sits in the coolant stream in the engine. As the engine warms up the resistance in the sending unit is lowered gradually until the system reaches maximum heat. The sending unit is the "ground" portion of the circuit.
In the completed circuit the battery voltage passes from one side of the gauge, through the bimetallic spring and onward to the sending unit, which is grounded to the engine. When the engine is cold the resistance is high, so little current passes through the gauge. This small current doesn't heat up the bimetallic spring, so the gauge reads a low temperature. As the engine warms and the sending unit's resistance lowers more current passes through the gauge and the needle reads higher and higher because the bimetallic spring expands further.


Electric gauges can fail to read accurately because the sending units fatigue or rust over, or simply lose their connection to ground. The bimetallic spring can also fatigue over time, rendering the gauge inaccurate or inoperable.