ok so i figured out it is in fact a bad temp sender. the resistance or something might be off. i ordered a different one online to see if that adjusts the temp on the gauge properly. i checked the temp with an infrared laser and everything is sitting at the right temps. thanks for everyones help. lesson learned though. autozone parts will continue to be subpar.

 

OEM sensors when ever possible.
The pennies you save buying a AM sensor is lost many times over with replacements and labor.

 

I tried lol. I went on dodge website and they dont sell parts for vehicles older than 2010. Or at least not that I could find

 

There are a bunch of sites that sell OEM mopar parts. Of course, they all operate off the same catalogue....... but, you can indeed find parts for older vehicles.