Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

On my 944 the water temperature gauge usually reads correctly but sometimes moves around irratically or shoots to the top of the gauge although clearly the car is not over heating.

Would this be a problem with the gauge, temperature sensor fitted to the radiator or something else?

Most probably the guage (more accurately the feed into the gauge!). My one did that. If you take the clocks out you will find what look like black plastic diamond things on the back, there are four, going in to connect to your temp and fuel on one side and voltage and oil pressure on the other. They can be removed by taking off the little brass nut and washer on each then carefully prizing out. 7mm IIRC. Clean up the brass prongs and that should cure it. Get all 4 done while you are in there.

Stuart

What Stuart says. I had exactly the same and removing these rugby ball shaped connectors and giving the prongs a good clean helped alot.
In the end I swopped the whole gauge out but it really is very simple.Take the steering wheel off - 19mm socket on an extension IIRC - remove 6 or so screws for the dash surround - 4 screws for the dash clocks themselves and the 2 multi connectors unlock via the plastic arms (they have alwasy looked a bit fragile to me mind) - then retire to the garage/shed/front room and clean it all.

I got round to this today, job done without removing the steering wheel.

Have noticed this fault has come back. Is this a case of me not doing a proper job or inevitable?

Not 2 sure how you can get 2 the back off the clocks, with the steering wheel on? Or why u would want 2? The surround 2 the clocks won't come out ethir.

Steering wheel is one nut. Make sure ur parked slightly up hill and wheels are straight when removed so it lines up fine. I would try again see if the better access helps. If your looking 4 spear temp gague Iv got one.

used to see this a lot, as well as instruments which would flick up to full and stick there, as well as several other issues

If the black diamnond with the nut in the middle does not solve the problem, Pull the entire fuel and temp combo out, and you will see some solder points, from memory I think there are three... resolder them, they cause all kinds of issues.