Awhile back, there was a thread, I think in here, where someone wanted to add a temp gauge while keeping their current, in-dash gauge. I would like to do the same, and thought I would run an idea by the group.

When I replaced my radiator in February, I flushed it all, changed all the hoses, the t'stat and housing, and added a filtering screen on the heater hose. Since I was unsure if I had replaced the housing when I rebuilt 7 years ago, and a new one was less than $10, I put a new one on. Both the old and new have a threaded port in the housing that has to be plugged. It comes with a plug, and with a few wraps of teflon tape, it was sealed nicely.

Although this is on the "wrong" side of the thermostat to be a truly accurate reading of engine temperature, wouldn't this be a good spot for a secondary temperature sender? Once the t'stat was open, the temperature of the coolant flowing over it would be the same as the coolant just behind it, where the sender switch is. When the engine was fully warmed, the coolant flow would be nearly constant, and thereby giving you readings on both senders that matched.

The other suggestions I had seen were replacing a hard plug with the sender, or drilling and tapping a new hole in the intake. From what I've read, the hardplugs shouldn't be removed casually since they can crack the block if not done the right way. And looking at my stock intake manifold, the area the sender is treaded into seems to be bossed/reinforced, so I can't think drilling and tapping a new hole would be wise (not to mention the work of taking off and intake and replacing it just to drill a hole).

I'd really like to put this secondary temp gauge in. I have the relative (dummy) gauge in the dash, but I want to know what temp I'm running whem the needle is between the "M" and "P" on these 90 degree spring days.

Thanks to all.

Matt

 

I've never heard of a block breaking removing a plug but I have fought with one or two that wouldn't come out, and I have added guages and left the originals in place by using another plugged hole, that way the idiot lights stay operationa.

 

Although I have never personally heard of someone junking a block by removing a hard plug, I know that 1) they can be difficult if not impossible to remove, and 2) that situation often leads to bigger problems, ie stripped plugs or cracked block or cross-threads. Like with anything else, it's always best to get all the opinions (since facts seem in short supply on some questions) and use your best judgement from there. I was thinking of the stat housing plug as a super-easy way to get a temp reading, and that the location is VERY close to the original sensor is an added bonus. I would like to get redundant gauges for all systems, actually. I'd also like to install a trans temp gauge, but would like to find a fitting for the cooling lines, and put one on each, to see the trans fluid temp coming and going.

Matt

 

Its sounds like your going for sensory overload. I,ve had to heat up the block to remove a few plugs and sensors. oil pressure is easy you can T the switch and sender. If you want a tranny temp sensor one in the pan would be good, just get a used pan and have the bung welded in they just use standard pipe thread and its easy, personally I gave up on much of any temp guage past the water temp, here after june everything is just hot.
Its 10:00 and its 103 I'm going ot in a bit to put up a shade for the boys (goats) and work on the flatbed trailer wiring, the deer chewed it up. By 3pm I will have probably drank two gallons of tea, I just don't need to know how hot some thing are. If I can touch it and my skin doesn't blister I'll make it.

 

Part of the reason I want a trans temp gauge is that, on a warm day after some driving, if I touch the trans tunnel (which is bare metal right now), my skin almost does blister. I just like to keep an eye on things, and I doubt I will ever put in all the gauges I want (though and oil pressure gauge instead of a dummy light would be great). I spend more time planning than doing these days, it seems....

Good luck on the wiring, and hopefully you'll pull up some shade for yourself, too.