What's wrong with my temp gauge

[suprasam]

I finally got my wiring semi figured out. The tan wire to the sender, black to negative and the purple to the positive. Ok so I hooked the water up and ran it briefly warm to see how the temp gauge was working. Well the gauge didn't do jack. So I thought I would try a different gauge, and that one went left when I turned the ignition on, and then when key was off it would go back to resting spot. If I can't fix tonight it goes to a shop in the morning on my way to work . Any quick help would be appreciated.

[suprasam]

YEAH BABY, I now have a working GAUGE>......................WOOOOOOOOOOOhoooooooooooooo
Yah doesn't take much to get me excited! The guy didn't even charge me, so that makes me think it was something really really DUMB. I guess I will find out exactly what part I screwed up when I stop by after work to grab o'l Bessy.

[Salty87]

update please...my temp gauge has never worked. i've tried 3 or 4 different senders. the gauge pegs when i ground the wire.

[suprasam]

Salty, mine was the temp sender. I was told by someone on here you could use a auto sender......but apparently that isn't the case. They read different and sometimes they just wont work at all. I was told last weekend by many boat mechanics, not to use the auto sender so I think its fair to say if someone is using the auto sender, you might be the lucky one. Either way, I bought the marine sender(20.00) and thats what has worked now. I haven't tried it out long, only long enough on the hose to make sure. If weather stays warm this weekend I will dunk in the lake and let you know how it turns out.