"I am running two temperature gauges; the stock vdo as well as a calibrated vdo. They are on different senders in different locations. Both are affected but by different degrees. Can somebody figure this out? And while you're at it, can you tell me how to fix a clutch pedal that sticks to the floorboard when pushed all the way in?"
First, you should get a 100 - 300 degree candy thermometer about as long as the bottom of your dip-stick, put it in where the dip-stick goes and find out what your oil temp REALLY is. That's the only reference I would trust versus your gauges.
It's suspicious that BOTH gauges are changing in the same direction at the same time. A temp gauge is nothing more than an Ohm-meter which displays a variable resistance versus a reference voltage. If your alternator's voltage regulator circuit is going South, or you have a corroded wire connection somewhere, your gauges will begin to fluctuate.
Start by connecting a volt meter to the +12V side of your temp gauge, (where it feeds the gauge, NOT the gauge lights), start the engine and watch what the voltmeter shows as you rev the engine. You might also leave the voltmeter connected and go for a drive and see how it changes when your temp gauges start to climb.
It should stay around 12.5 - 13.8 max. If it's less than that, you may have a corroded 12V connection to the gauge, or a bad voltage regulator in the alternator. If the voltage is over 13.8V, then the alternator is probably going bad.
Either high or low voltage from the alternator (out of spec) will make your gauges mis-read high or low. This is sometimes made worse on very hot days, too (just a portent of bad things to come). If it's low, just trace the 12V wire back from the gauge and clean any connections you find, including the fuse. If that doesn't improve anything, then it may be the voltage regulator.
If it's high, it's probably the voltage regulator and the alternator will need to be re-built.
On the clutch-pedal return: Most likely the pedals have rusted shafts and are sticking when pushed.
There should be a grease fitting on the rear of your pedal cluster. Shoot some grease in there and see if the sticking doesn't stop. If you have no fitting, then the only cure is to remove the pedal cluster, oil it up well while moving the pedals back and forth to lube them on their respective (concentric) shafts. Once they're completely free, clean them up and re-install.
This can sometimes be done successfully without removing the pedal cluster, but put a rag under the pedal assembly to catch excess oil while your lubing the heck out of it and moving the pedals back and forth to free everything up. I would use Marvel Mystery Oil to free them, and then regular motor oil (any weight) as a final lube.
If that doesn't cure it, the only other friction point is in the Bowden tube on the side of the transmission. Remove the clutch adjusting wing-nut and remove the Bowden tube, making sure you don't lose any shim washers at the top. Using a grease gun, shoot about 3 or 4 good shots of grease into the tube and put the cable back in (it'll push a bunch of that new grease out the other end). Re-assemble the tube to the tranny mount, along with the same shim washers, and re-set your clutch pedal free-play to 3/4" - 1" at the pedal.
gn
