Coolant Temp Guage Not Working

[jonny72888]

Hey guys.

I pluged in my block heater for the first time this year. I got into my truck and started it and drove away. The temp came up to 210 pretty quick due to the heater. After about 5min of driving I looked down and saw the temp was at 160 or bottomed out. how ever you want to look at it. So I pulled over and poped the hood. I had coolant and everything seemed to be the same temp so the water pump was working. I drove to where I was going and then to a parts store and got a coolant temp sensor. I replaced the sensor that is on the drivers side head with no luck. Still no reading on the gauge. Do these trucks (truck in sig.) have another sensor for the gauge?

[jonny72888]

Im going to have the Tstat replaced tomorrow. Im thinking that could be it.

I wonder if the block heater did it??

[jonny72888]

Broken Tstat spring. Interesting... I just hit 50k. Anyone else have this happen?