The temperature gauge on our 1988 Dodge B350 Ram Van is driving me nuts. The gauge works fine for a couple days, and then it drops off to nothing. By nothing, I mean that the needle is at the bottom of the gauge, below the "C". Several times, while driving down the road, I have seen the gauge register normally, and then suddenly the needle drops right to the bottom of the gauge. There seems to be no pattern. The temperature gauge starts and stops working randomly. The gauge itself is new. My theory is that I have either a loose/intermittent wire between the temperature sending unit and the gauge, or the temperature sending unit itself is bad.

So my question is: Where is the temperature sending unit located? I've searched for it, but without success. I've got the 360 engine.


UPDATE: It's fixed. The temperature sending unit was very well hidden, towards the front of the engine, underneath the AC compressor. A new temperature sending unit was installed today. While installing the new sending unit it was noted that the connector was loose and corroded. The connector was cleaned and tightened. The temperature gauge now works normally. Thank you for your helpful advice and suggestions.

 

Its located next to the thermostat on the intake manifold, about 99 percent sure of this as this is where it is located on newer vans.

 

UPDATE: It's fixed. The temperature sending unit was very well hidden, towards the front of the engine, underneath the AC compressor. A new temperature sending unit was installed today. While installing the new sending unit it was noted that the connector was loose and corroded. The connector was cleaned and tightened. The temperature gauge now works normally. Thank you for your helpful advice and suggestions.