Engine Temp Gauge

[Xxyyzz]

How hard would it be to ad one? I know we have the dummy gauge but I would like something more reliable. Maybe an amp-meter also. Anything to help keep tabs on the engine.

 

Doesn't have to be stock.

 

-Mark

[LostnFound]

If there's smoke gushing out from under the hood....it is running hot.

[cny first gen 71]

If there's smoke gushing out from under the hood....it is running hot.

If its white smoke its overheating if its black smoke call the fire dept quick. Hopefully that never happens, its pretty scary.

[Blake350]

Temp guages arent too hard to install-in general,change out the sender in the head,and wire up for sender,ground and power,as well as lighting for nitetime operation-as per guage requirements--ammeter not so sure of proper hookup but I'm sure info will be provided soon- or,yeah the 'underhood steam method' has never failed to alert me if I forgot to look at the idiot lite!!! Brian

[wallaby]

The mechanical type of temp gauge can be a pain; it has a long tube with a big pipe fitting and it has to pass through the firewall. With electric gauge all you have to route are wires.

 

Amp gauge can also be a headache. Volt gauge is easier.

[Xxyyzz]

should i just check out autozone or summit?

[wallaby]

If you go with an electric temp gauge, you also want to get the matching sending unit...they are sold as seperate items.

A mechanical temp gauge comes with everything you should need all in the one package...no sending unit required.

 

The cost is higher if you choose the electric setup because you need both thee gauge and the sending unit. You also have more wiring to hookup: there is a wire going from the gauge to the sending unit, and a wire to IGN or ACC, and a wire for the light, and probably a ground wire. The gauge will only read the temp when the key is on.

A mechanical gauge will work without any electricity, just like a thermometer. It will read all the time no matter what position the key is in. The only wiring would be for the gauge light: a wire for power and a ground. The drawback to the mechanical gauge is it comes with a long capilary tube that can't be trimmed shorter or be kinked at all. The tube has a pressurized gas inside it that transfers the the information from the engine to the gauge. You can easily coil any extra length under the dash somewhere. As I mentioned before, the pipe fitting that screws into the engne is assembled as a part of the tube and has to be passed through a rather large hole in the firewall.

 

Here is a pic of the typical mechanical setup: