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Temp sender


cbolt

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Has anyone used the cylinder head temp sending port on the passenger side head? I am looking to wire in an electric fan and instead of removing the existing sender, which operates the gauge, I was thinking of just using the temp sending port on the opposite cylinder head for the electric fan operation and was looking for thoughts from some engine gurus. I don't see why I cannot do it, but maybe someone has experience in this. 

 

For information, they are the sbc Edelbrock heads and manifold and there isn't room to mount the temp sender in the manifold due to the location of the upper radiator hose and alternator bracket. 

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I use the passenger side port on the big block in my Z/28 for sensors. It's no different than the port on the driver's side head.

You may find the cylinder head port temperature reading will be a few degrees warmer than a port reading taken at the intake manifold though. I notice that on both my Monte & Z/28 with sensors in both locations (Dakota Digital and Holley EFI each have a coolant temp sensor). I use the Intake port reading for the EFI.

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James,

The only thing I can think of is to make sure the sender you're using is compatible with the receiver on the fans. I found that mixing/matching senders and gauges didn't work..... not sure if this might be an issue with an electric fan set up ?

Scott.

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Just another option that was suggested to me on my Mercury, you can remove the petcock and plug your sensor in there.  I wasn't keen on that idea so I added a toggle switch to manually cut the fans on/off. Not suggested as "some" may forget to shut them off 🤣 In south Florida with a cleveland I opted for the switch. I added a red lighted one for a visual indicator, quite noticeable against a black dash 

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Im just going to use the passenger side head for the electric fan. It should only kick on when the a/c is on and the engine temp is 200 degrees as per the painless fan relay instructions. I really don't want the electric fan running when I am blasting down the interstate at 80 mph as I have a feeling the fan would disrupt the normal flow of air through the radiator. It seems to do that on my other car, which runs an electric fan constantly above 185 degrees. At speeds above 70 the engine temp keeps creeping up to well over 200 degrees, (upwards of 210+, which is as far as I dared push it) which it didn't do prior to the electric fan installation. 

 

The benefit of the passenger side head is that it is easily accessible compared to the drivers side, where the A/C compressor and brackets are in the way. 

I was just asking in hopes that folks who know would reassure me that I wasn't being stupid, putting a second temp sender in my engine. Sometimes I get what I think are good ideas that turn out to be anything but. 

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54 minutes ago, cbolt said:

I was just asking in hopes that folks who know would reassure me that I wasn't being stupid, putting a second temp sender in my engine. Sometimes I get what I think are good ideas that turn out to be anything but. 

Not a bad idea at all. If you didn't have that extra port available, there aren't many other easy/good options. In my Z/28, I have the 2 electronic sensors, plus a mechanical Temp. gauge under the dash which gets it's reading from the intake manifold port as well.

By putting the sensor in your cylinder head, i believe it'll work better for your fan control. Because the coolant temp will be higher at that location vs. the intake, your fans will come on a bit earlier than if it was at the intake location. That would help them start cooling you down a little quicker, than waiting for your intake manifold temp to get up to 200. By then, you're already climbing an uphill battle.

Then again, you said it seems to get worse at higher speeds, if the fans are running? Give it a shot, that's about all you can do.

Is that temperature switch adjustable?

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I found this thermostat housing works well for an additional port for a gauge or sensor…..  The one in the intake is too close to the hose...

IMG_0246.jpeg

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I've had good luck with the 'Chevrolet Performance' brand O-ring housings. No leaks on the couple engines I've used them on. They only have the one version though, none with a tapped hole for a sensor.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12342024?seid=srese1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2O_4zJqH_gIViP_jBx3I7QwqEAQYAiABEgKf9_D_BwE

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3 hours ago, cbolt said:

https://a.co/d/gdyutil

 

I used this water neck and a 160 degree thermostat. Works great so far and no leaks since I used the plumbers tape on both plugs. 

 

I love the 160 degree thermostat. 

How did you confirm the fitment ? The Dorman website chart only goes back to 74 and says won't fit a 70 (didn't ask for engine size) 

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On 3/31/2023 at 12:26 PM, DragCat said:

I had the same issue a couple years back 🙃

Chrome  Thermostat Housings are notorious for leaking.  I had one, several attempts then tried surfacing the flange thinking it was uneven but made no difference.  I was stumped and went with an OEM.

Doug

 

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Mark, I looked at the reviews and Q&A which confirmed the part would fit a sbc, which it did just fine. 

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hi guys whats the difference in a 160 or 180 degrees thermostat ,i know 20 degrees but will the car run cooler at 160,then 180 ? thanks roger

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45 minutes ago, rsorg said:

hi guys whats the difference in a 160 or 180 degrees thermostat ,i know 20 degrees but will the car run cooler at 160,then 180 ? thanks roger

Depends on a number of things, plus if you ask 10 people, you'll likely get 10 different opinions. A google search of 160 vs 180 thermostat will yield all sorts of results, opinions, etc. Here's one that sums it up fairly quick, but then again, somewhat subjective and depends on what you're looking to accomplish.

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/how-to-choose-a-thermostat-for-your-classic-car/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxMmhBhDJARIsANFGOSu19wvqLs5qx6ca5-9aaOhn6-BGQKQONQFxFDf4A2TSadWxhdTx2OkaAr17EALw_wcB

 

So, what are you trying to accomplish? Does the car currently overheat, and you think a cooler 'stat may help? Are you looking for max performance on a highly modified engine? 

- If your car is basically stock and overheats with a 180 degree 'stat, there's probably something wrong with your system, plain & simple. Throwing a 160 in there will be a band-aid. Find out what's not working properly & fix that first. 

- The limits of your system overall will dictate your operating temperatures. If the system can only cool down to 175 based on size, airflow, etc, it doesn't matter what lower temp 'stat you put in there.

- Warm up time will increase, emissions will increase, engine wear may increase, and by most accounts, the engine may not run as efficient ( again, ask 10 different people...)

- Look at modern vehicles, they come from the factory with 195 degree+ 'stats, even the performance cars. The system & factory tuning takes that all into account though, as well as using that to lower emissions. Many newer high performance cars will get modified & tuned with 160 deg stats by owners, but that doesn't mean a lot.

My ZR1 has a lot of mods (heads, cam, supercharger upgrades, intercooler upgrades, bigger injectors, etc) , and has a 160 degree 'stat. It'll run at 185+ degrees all day long though, based on the overall system as a whole.

I'm sure some of the other guys here will add some info or results based on their experience.

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51 minutes ago, cbolt said:

Mark, I looked at the reviews and Q&A which confirmed the part would fit a sbc, which it did just fine. 

Thanks, I like that the part you got also came with the 2 plugs in case you didn't use one or either outlets. I used a "spare" block port on my monte, didn't have that option on my mercury 

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The first thing I noticed after installing the 160 stat was that when moving along down the road the engine will actually cool down below 180, which is the stat I replaced. Used to be the engine would get to 180 and never drop below that mark, regardless of ambient temp or operation conditions. I concluded that the 180 stat prevents the engine from cooling any further because it should begin to close at 180. My fairly modified engine never really ran hotter than about 205-210 before, even in the summer, but it was something that would keep my attention on long, hot trips..... worrying about the temp gauge. (especially in heavy traffic) Worry = extra stress. 

 

I figure the engine is going to run about like that anyway, but it gives me peace of mind to know the cooling process will start sooner rather than later. Summer is right around the corner and hey... I live in Florida. 

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4 hours ago, cbolt said:

I live in Florida. 

same here, well some of the time 🤣I noticed a immediate difference once I instlled my elec fans with the temp sender. Thats why I bought one for the merc for x-mas. Now I spend 1/4 of the time checking the gauge 

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