Huh. (thanks for the pics) It *looks* like a pair of vise-grips would be able to clamp tight. Then find a way to leverage those. Maybe even a second pair of vise-grips on those. Pretty cave-man, but it should work lol

 

Try a metric socket.

And if it's tight, hammer it in place for an "interference fit" and loosen. The sender is brass so it'll give up its shape before the block or socket.

 

Go to Harbor freight and buy a 12 point 5/8 or 16mm socket and hammer it on.

 

I've said before and I'll say it again. Great minds think a like haha

 

You and Trozei are decades beyond your actual age... and that's a very good thing.

 

Sound like the outer part of the sensor is spinning and the core isn't turning. Do the pound on socket as mentioned, or back to the vise-grips, and get 'em adjusted reallll tight! Make sure to clean up the block hole and anti-seize the new one.

 

I would rather have the sensor in the block, but there is another opening in most I6 thermostat housings that can be used for the sensor if you can't get that one out.

 

Try a 6 point socket or close size metric. you might need to use a hammer to put the socket on

 

Beat a 5/8 on there and used a break over bar, came off like it wasnt even attached. New one threaded right in and its reading the temp now. Im kinda stoked to see the dial move.

 

Get one of them miracle sockets that removes anything.

 

And there ya go... now move forward!

 

I wanna party with YOU!

So does it read accurately, or just kinda sorta in the warm zone?

 

OEM gauges are guesstimates at best.

It'll read wherever it ends up as "normal" for this particular truck under the particular ambient and driving conditions, right? I mean without obvious overheating.

 

Definitely, but in the case of my old pile, a gauge indication of say, about halfway would at least be in the ballpark and really groovy. Guesstimate is one thing, waaay off is another. Since I "know" my truck, can make allowances for that. If it did ever indicate 180 or 190 then the block would be glowing probably.

When a fellow borrowed my truck once he commented after he got back that the gauge sure didn't seem to do a whole lot. A new sender did perk it up a fair bit. Maybe an adjustable cluster voltage regulator could bump it up, but then would have to recalibrate fuel level sender. It doesn't bother me THAT much though.

 

It seems to move slowly but after letting it sit there and warm up it gets to the half way mark. Now what temp that actually is I have no idea.