update..temp gauge hook up help...where else can I get the sender into?????????

[mpdlawdog]

OK...I just ran the line for my new temp gauge....I cant get the plug out of the top of the water pump to put the sender into....I thought about heating it up but its kinda stripped out and Im afraid it will not be able to get it out anyway....is there another place I can put the sender into the block?  Thanks in advance....

[mpdlawdog]

anybody?

[Dino]

You can use the stock location if you don't mind the original not working or you can always look for a spare water pump housing.

If you want to try removing the plug on yours I don't think you need to use a torch or anything, just let the engine warm up, the plug might get hot enough that it may break loose.

[mpdlawdog]

thanks dino....The end of the new gauge is too big to go into the stock location...didnt realise there were different sizes....I dont think I can get the plug out...its stripped....I wasnt sure if there was another location I can get to....at a loss  .....I saw where someone drilled a hole in the water pump housing and put one in there 

[Dino]

thanks dino....The end of the new gauge is too big to go into the stock location...didnt realise there were different sizes....I dont think I can get the plug out...its stripped....I wasnt sure if there was another location I can get to....at a loss  .....I saw where someone drilled a hole in the water pump housing and put one in there 

I wonder if there's an adapter to make it fit.  Then again it would be nice to have both the original and aftermarket gauges working.  I'm sure you can drill a hole and cut the threads but I'd probably look for a spare housing instead.  Place an ad in the wanted section, I'm sure there's a few people having a housing laying around.

[mpdlawdog]

The sending unit is too big to even go into the stock location....its a mechanical gauge I guess I should have added that.......I guess I will start it up and heat up the one on the water pump and try to use a set of vice grips on it.....the worst thing that can happen is that I have to take the front of the engine off again....the stock gauge reads like 20 degrees off so its useless...thanks again

[Dino]

The sending unit is too big to even go into the stock location....its a mechanical gauge I guess I should have added that.......I guess I will start it up and heat up the one on the water pump and try to use a set of vice grips on it.....the worst thing that can happen is that I have to take the front of the engine off again....the stock gauge reads like 20 degrees off so its useless...thanks again

Although mechanical would be a lot better than the stock gauge, you CAN calibrate it to read correctly.  There's two small holes in the back of the gauge housing and you can see little teeth, those are metal tabs that you can move left and right and it alters the reading on the gauge.  The bad news is that you have to take the cluster out, remove the gauge, hook up a small battery and start playing.

[mpdlawdog]

I do need to take my cluster out to restore it (on the list) but knowing me I will break 5 things...lose 6 things...paint everything 5 times because I dont like how it came out and forget how it goes back together....dont have the time or money for that project yet

[Dino]

I do need to take my cluster out to restore it (on the list) but knowing me I will break 5 things...lose 6 things...paint everything 5 times because I dont like how it came out and forget how it goes back together....dont have the time or money for that project yet

Check my instrument cluster resto thread in interior and my gauge gremlin thread in electrical.  Learn from my mistakes.   

The good news is that it is very cheap to restore the cluster if you can do it yourself.  I doubt I hit $100 for the whole thing...until the voltage limiter fried a gauge or two that is.   

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I was able to remove the plug in my W/P housing (did it while I rebuilt the engine) and used that hole for another electronic gauge sensor 

[mpdlawdog]

Ummmm yea that's not coming out without major surgery!  How about either drain plug on the side of the block by the motor mounts?  Will that work or has anybody tried it?

[440]

Is there enough meat in the pump to drill it out and re-tap to the correct size? Water pump replacement isn't too bad and shouldn't cost much more then some RTV, drill, tap, a water pump and a bit of your time.

[mpdlawdog]

finally got a chance to get some things done...I decided to undo the heater hoses...I dont need the heater anyway.....block one and use the other as the temp guage....the guage works great!!  thanks for all the help.....

[tcs69rt]

Can you tell me where you got the adapter? I cannot find one in the auto parts stores. I do see that they are part of the whole wiring harness but not sold seperate. Thanks. TC

[mpdlawdog]

If you are talking about the part that screws into the housing and the temp gauge screws into that.....it came with the gauge..I have a few of them...what size do you need?

[tcs69rt]

The stock unit is a plastic 90 degree boot that slips over a stud coming out of the water pump....I am not sure of the size? I will measure it tonight, thanks! TC