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Vehicle is a '94 3100.  After putting the gas pedal to the floor, my temp gauge will start to go near to full hot and hover between 3/4 and full after that point until the car sits for a couple days.
This problem seems to be tied in with the power steering pump though I think the problems with the power steering pump is causing problems with the charging system then may cause the temp reading problem.  Extra information, my belt is not very tight; I would be able to change it without needed a wrench on the tensioner.  Then belt may be able to slip if under enough force.

As for my questions:
1)  What part/parts send the read out to the dash gauge?
2)  Does the temperature sensor just read the temperature of the coolant running past it?
3)  Can I (and location) install a secondary sensor and wire it up to another gauge that will read out actual temp?  (I was thinking of a digital read out to see temp in degrees)

Even when the gauge touches the full hot, the overheat light does not come on, but the light does come on as it should with the key to the on position.  It is hard to believe that the car actually is overheating since I drove for a month or two with the temp never going over 1/4 and now since I had to floor the gas to get from being run over by a semi, the gauge reaches 1/4 and I will barely have warm air out of the vents.  

Thanks to everyone that can offer some assistance

Ok, scratch questions 1 and 2.  I think I have confirmed what I thought that it is pretty much only the tempurature sensor that sends the signal to move the temp gauge and it reads the coolant temp running past it.

I still would like to know if there is a good place I can run a secondary sensor though.  Any ideas to get an good read on actual coolant temp from the engine?

Did you get this figured out yet?

(MAD MARK @ Nov. 06 2006,18:13)QUOTEDid you get this figured out yet?
Nothing yet,  I see that there are 2 different sensors that deal with the temp.  I am going to change them both and see if this solves the strange overheat problem.   If that doesn't help then is the change of the thermostat, following with the changing of the water and power steering pump.  
If that doesn't work, I'm am going to aim the car at a very thick brick wall, put a brick on the gas and let it go into gear. I think thiswill create enough other issues that the overheat would not be in question anymore.

I would try a thermostat replacement first as it should be cheaper than 2 sensors.

The temp sensor mounted in the cylinder head is for the gauge.  The one mounted in the intake manifold is for the computer.  With a scanner, you can read the temperature of the engine that the computer is seeing.  If you want to hook up another gauge you could convert the sensor in the intake manifold to the newer 3-wire sensor which does both functions and use the cylinder head location for the sensor of your auxiliary gauge.

if your belt is really that loose it may not have enough tension to turn the pump at the same rpm it should when you reach higher rpm.

(wicked-irocz @ Nov. 07 2006,20:49)QUOTEif your belt is really that loose it may not have enough tension to turn the pump at the same rpm it should when you reach higher rpm.
So it is slipping then?  That would make a little sense seeing that when keep the car in idle, it runs a little warm but still manageable and on the freeway 55 mph+, If I let off the gas the RPMS drop to around 1500 rpm and when I press the gas lightly, the overdrive revs up to match the gear speed and at that moment, the gauge drops slightly, maybe this quick but easy speed increase allows the water pump to spin properly.

Many things are making some sense now that I think about this, well kind of.  I had this strange connection of power steering and temperature.  I wonder if a little of the fluid was getting on to the belt and actually causing the belt to grip a little more somehow.  Thus eliminating some of the slippage.

Now, Can the tensioner be tightened or must it be replaced if loose?

Thank you for the help.  I think I may have this thing running well enough to feel safe enough to make it to Detroit.. Though I couldn't even make it to Milwaukee when I live here!

the tensioner cannot be tightened so the only way to fix a tensioner that is not tight enough is to replace it.  Your belt might be stretched, look at the tensioner and check to see if the arrow on it is pointing in the area it should be.

Yea seriously if your belt is that loose, change it out. $10 for a new one at any parts store.

That may solve all your problems.

And really power steering and temp should not be related anyway.