hi im new to site i have just bought a escort gti 98 model the water temp gauge goes to max before you even start the engine any got any ideas what that could be thanks

on the radiator will be a temperature reader (i am being dumb today and cant remember the name of it, perhaps someone else will know)

This may have a bad connection or the actual reader is faulty. try and unplug it and see if it still does it. Clean up the connection.