Mitsubishi Repair: mitsubishi shogun 1996 temperature guage, coolant temperatures, temperature guage

Question
ive a 2.8 diesil shogun, i started it today adrove about 5 miles the temperature guage went right into the red then back down to normal , it done this several times, any idea what it could be ?

Answer
Gary,
It's possible your gauge is reporting the temperature correctly, and you have a coolant flow problem.  If your coolant system is low on coolant or the pressure is too low, the coolant temperatures can fluctuate randomly as you're seeing.  Check the coolant level, water pump, and radiator cap.  You may also want to have your mechanic perform a compression test to see if your head gasket may be warped, which can cause the problem you're experiencing.  
Good luck!