Engine Temp Gauge

[Jambo1]

I bought a aftermarket engine temp gauge. Wondering where in the intake or block should I install it. As you know it comes with a few different size adapters. Anbody know? :rolleyes:

[badaboom]

Sorry I don't have the answer
I would assume your gauge is mechanical and not electrical like the stock guage.
If it is Electrical probably install at the stock location on the intake manifold.
Looking in the engine compartment just back and left of the thermostat housing.

I have the same type thread so I thought I would attach it to your question.

I am currently installing some autometer gauges
water temperature, volt and oil pressure.

I would like to install these gauges as additional to the factory gauges.
I want both the original and autometer guages to function.

NO problem with the volt gauge
NO problem with the Oil pressure

My question is where can I hook up the water temperature sender(mechanical)
unit for the autometer gauge but also allowing the factory electrical
water temperature gauge to work also.

Any suggestions or answers would be appreciated

[Jambo1]

Baboom, I was at the parts store ready to return my mechanical gauge (because I thought I bought a electrical gauge)when the worker said, "Oh you can still use this mechanical gauge, just take out one of the plugs on your intake or your block that looks like a spare outlet and use the adapter to put in the mechanical one"

I think it seems odd just to stick it in any opening thats available. Anyway, still dont have an answer just thought I would relay the info. :( Let me know what you come up with, I'll do the same.

[jasonthomasfrance]

I wanna know too!! I'll be putting a mech temp gauge in too. If anyone could take a picture of the intake manifold with where the mech temp is, that would be great!!

[1BADJP]

I like to put them in the cylinder head, it's the hottest part of the engine. I would rather monitor there than at a cooler location. If head is not accessable than take from the t-stat housing

[jasonthomasfrance]

From the thermostat housing? That would work for me... What temps to expect from the T-Housing location though? Normal readings? Or above average readings?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I have never installed one in a stock intake as there are no provisions for one. However the sending unit must be in the coolant flow. So I would think puting in the thermostat housing would be inaccurate readings. How handy are ya with a drill and a tap. If I was insitant on a Manual Temp gauge I would drill and tap a hole on the water jacket of the intake. ;)

[jasonthomasfrance]

So where does an electric one go? Because I was pretty sure mine was mechanical (when I pulled it off). And it was in the intake manifold next to the t-housing...

http://www.jasonthomasfrance.com/photos/FSJ_Mechanics/thumbs/fsj-cam-change-12.jpg (http://www.jasonthomasfrance.com/photos/FSJ_Mechanics/fsj-cam-change-12.jpg)

Check it out, right above the Dizzy, to the right of the top of the t-housing unit...

[Jambo1]

I looked again at my motor. The left side emissions manifold has been removed and plugged. What do you guys think of using one of them there holes? :rolleyes:

[1BADJP]

the t-stat should read about 10* cooler than the head...stock electrical hook up should be in the head. If you read at t-stat than make sure when you run at high temps (off-road,low gear,high rpm)that you remember that temp is actually higher than what the guage reads. I wouldn't try to drill and tap into the coolant passage....material isn't thick enough to tap successfully. Ever put a rod threw the side of a block, not very thick. Most mfg's put it in the head.

[ColeTrickle]

Hey guys I just ordered the part, I think, as Baboom. Since I don't have the gauge in front of me, Is the mech. gauge the same as the elect. gauge? :confused:
Or should I just shut up and wait for the dang gum part to come in before I open my mouth?
Either way I'll be over here in the corner. Waitin' for my gauge or a reply :D .

[Jambo1]

O.k. fellas, I found a plug on the drivers side. Below the exhaust manifold in the piston block. It's directly above the oil pan plug. It appears to be a 1/2" tap. Can I put my gauge sender unit in this hole? If I pull it will I flood my garage with oil? Keeping in mind I may be 10 deg. cooler than running it into the cooling system. Any thoughts :rolleyes:

[Jambo1]

Well I pulled the plug under the exhaust manifold. turned out to be nothing useful, there is one on the otherside of the motor, but thats just as useless.

Can I drill out my existing temp sending unit hole and tap it? Now it's a 1/8" hole, need to drill and tap it out to 1/2". I tore apart my dash board to take a look at the back of the existing gauge and one of the connection progs that has a black ground wire attached to it broke off the circuit board. Soldered it back on but still did'nt work.

So has anyone drilled and tapped their existing temp sender unit hole to fit a aftermarket gauge? :confused:

[badaboom]

Well you all
The gauge I wish to install is mechanical.

Jumbo1: (concerning the block plugs you removed)
This is one of the options I was told should work.
What is it you found when removing the plugs.
You say NO help.
Is this a water galley or what? Is there enough depth? If it is a water galley can you install the sender unit?(may need additional adapter fitting to function, get correct depth)

There has got to be a water galley drain plug or two somewhere on the 360 block.

11BADJP: Where is there a location in the cynlinder head to install the sender?

CrazyJeepman: I agree with what you stated but this is to much labor and machining involved.

Many of the things you all bring up I am still looking into.

One option suggested to me was to buy fittings and build a T-fitting off the current tapped sender unit location for the stock electrical.
Build a fitting that would allow for the connection of both sender units.

I am still investigating the options.

Anybody else have suggestions?

[tnhunter]

How about the "hole" where the CTO goes??? Just a thought. Maybe that would work. :confused: :confused:

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Teeing off the manifold will not give accurate readings as the water in the T will only be Ambient temp of the engine as both sensors will be out of the coolant flow. You will need to get the Sending unit into the normal flow of coolant. Drilling and tapping a hole would be easier than you think. However I have drilled and tapped various holes, so this proccess does not worry me. I would not want anyone to try it and wind up in trouble. Maybe I will drill a hole and thread it in an old intake I have and take a pic of it. then maybe it will take the fear away. smile.gif

[Jambo1]

Bada, The plugs I pulled were about 1/2" to 3/4" into the block. I tried to poke a screw driver up in there but found to be closed by something. So there was no depth or entry into the block cavity. Seemed odd to have a plug in a tap outlet on the block that did not go anywhere. I think I may drill out my existing temp. tap bigger for the aftermarket temp unit. ;)

[Bob Barry]

Those plugs in the side of the block are drain-plugs. On every engine I've taken them out on, the holes have been blocked by something, almost like casting flash. I was able to break it loose with a screwdriver, but I wouldn't want those fragments I broke free to be floating in the coolant!

I think the best spot for the temp sensor, aside from the stock temp-sensor location, is one of the CTO holes in either the manifold or the thermostat housing. The problem with the thermostat housing is that it wouldn't read until the thermostat opens, which is find if you're mainly concerned about the engine being too hot, rather than too cold.

[badaboom]

I can understand the termostat housing.
What tapp the housing for the sending unit?

What is the CTO?

[Stangerize]

My intake had some temperature operated "junction boxes" for vacuum lines. I bypassed one of the junction boxes for the vacuum lines and had a water temp sender fitting that fit right into the intake where the junction box cam out. Not sure what size pipe thread it was but here's a blurry pic of it I just took.

http://home.insightbb.com/~stangerize/WaterTemp.jpg

[ June 28, 2002, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: Stangerize ]

[badaboom]

Stangerize

Seems interesting enough. I will check it out.
What year and motor are you displaying in the picture.
This appears as a possible 401 pre 1979?
4bbl or 2bbl intake manifold?

Thanks for the info.

[Stangerize]

badaboom,
It's an Edelbrock Performer intake, 1976 401 4 bbl. All the locations were the same as on the original intake.

It wouldn't be bad to drill and tap the intake if the intake was off and you can flush it out real good before re-installing.

[Stangerize]

Here's a little better pic

http://home.insightbb.com/~stangerize/watertemp2.jpg