just a quick question, i picked up my ute yesterday and the temp guage was sittin right past hot!!!The engine didnt seem hot, and i checked it and it wasnt. I decided 2 change the temp sender unit on the head and that made the dash guage drop back 2 normal, now i toak it 4 a bit of a strap and it seemed 2 be gettin real hot. I checked, and yep it was dam hot. Does this either mean that my thermostat is stickin or somethin a lil more serious. A new thermo was put into the engine. Any help is much appreciated

How did you check the temperature? On the one hand, they do normally get "real hot" during normal use. On the other hand, if it's really "past the H mark", the radiator should be boiling over.

I would guess the wiring to the sender is loose, and intermittently working.

grab a thermometer and pull your thermostat out and boil it. make sure it opens all the way at the right temp. then pull the pan off the stove and add cold water very slowly while stirring, make sure it closes all the way at the right temp. I've had more than a few bad thermostats new out of the box.

have a look at ur radiator as mine was running over hot and the guy i bought it off put some metal fill to clock up the holes then it cost me $90 too get it all out and now it always runs just above cold