IMHO, gauges rarely fail unless they've gotten wet or severely
over-driven.

I think most likely you have a bad sender, I have had extremely bad
luck with VW temperature senders of this era.

Test it by jumping the connector to the sender and seeing if the gauge
tops out.  If it does, you know that the gauge and the intermediate
connecting wires are working and intact.

Allan

Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET> writes:

> In order of cheapness...
> 1. grounds
> 2. Broken Wire
> 3. Sending unit
> 4. Voltage Stabilizer(?)
> 5. Gauge itself.
>
> Maybe I forgot something?  OH yeah... take it to the Dealer and grab
> your ankles.
>
> DM&FS
>
> At 09:31 PM 8/18/2008, Budd Premack wrote:
>>A friend of mine has a 90 GL with a non-functioning temperature
>>gauge.  Is it likely that replacement of the gauge will resolve the
>>issue?  Can the gauge from an 83 1/2 to 85 be substituted?  Could
>>the problem be caused by the temperature sender, the connecting
>>wires, or the printed dash circuit?
>>
>>Budd Premack
>>91 GL, 86 Weekender
>>Still the Land of Sky-Blue Waters
>

--
1991 Vanagon GL