Back in the game!

Congrats it's good to be bakc in teh game. Mine came the same way as yours so normal? Hard to say one way or the other.

My temp gauge wasn't connected upon arrival either. I can't remember if it had batteries installed for temp gauge...my memory is awful.

I noticed a sound change when i ran mine the first couple times,the bolts holding the head to the block rattled/vibrated loose on mine. Fortunately I caught it before it damaged the unit. Just a heads up.

Do you know if it is an upgraded compressor or not. The newer ones have a stronger piston, a former weak link in the mix.

Where did you get it from?

I don't think you can tell without disassembling the pump. At least, no way that I know of. The top of the larger (lower) piston is thicker in the newer version because some failures had been noted for the older thinner piston which would collapse in its center.

I agree that there is no known way of telling without taking the thing apart. Maybe if there is a manufacturing date on it somewhere, anything less than a year old may fall into the upgraded category.

Many e-Bay sellers had a large supply of these. Some are running low and when or if they re-stock, it will be with the newer models.