sudden temp rising

1) do you hve coolant in the resevor? ) is the engine running hot?

The most improtant thing is to verify whether it is a bonifide overheating problem or just a problem with the gauge- beyond important, it is actually critical!

1) While the motor is cold, squeeze the upper radiator hose. Coolanmt should gurgel into than out of teh overflow reservoir with each squeeze/release of teh hose. if so, then there is coolant in the motor and it is probably not overheating. being that the gauge pegs with just the key in the on position and the motor cold means that the motor is not actually overheating. 2) To eliminate the temperature sender as the cause, pull the wire off the sender on the motor and see if that has any effect on teh gauge behavior. I don't thnk it will, which will mean that the problem is either in the wiring or in the gauge cluster or the gauge itself. 3) Remove the instrument cluster, and remove the gauge. Check to see that the connections on all wires are clean and free of corrosion or oxide. You might find that just removing and replacing the connections on the cluster fixes the problem... or not.

But you need this to be fixed as it is not good to drive without 'accurate' temperature indication.

__ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate"

well i just got back and i opened the resevoir and then messed ith the coolant temp censor wire and drove it around and gage was normal so i believe its fixed but i still have to replace a waher or something on the water pump

Sounds like an electrical problem, the wire probably corroded or fell off the sensor, it can happen to the oil guage as well if it has one.