Strategies for aftermarket temp guages? (1 Viewer)

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IdahoDoug

IdahoDoug

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As the towing season approacheth, I'm thinking again about adding an aftermarket water temp guage to the Cruzah. I know there have been a few discussions on this, but they seem to break down into various general topics and links to guage websites. So I have two questions of a specific nature:

Anyone know of an unused spot on the block to connect an aftermarket sender?

Anyone done this yet and have an equipment recommendation?

I'd like to have an alarm on it and a discreet smaller gauge rather than something I've got to strap onto the steering column like the old days. So, extra points for compactness or better yet a tiny surface mount digital readout. But the big thing would be the sender strategy as I'm not fired up on drilling and tapping into the block or radiator.

Thanks in advance.
 
Doug,

Photoman and I looked all over the head and block and there are no "un-used" spots. If you look at the upper water neck you will see a "spot" that looks a though there could be something there for certain markets. It is a raised area that can be drilled and tapped. Bill has done his but has yet to run the vehicle to test it out. It does require removal of the neck to work on it. This requires removal of the alternator and possibly the distributor to get the pipe out. It does look clean however.
 
That is the same spot the Safari Turbo Systems taps into to run coolant to the turbo. I wouldn't be concerned in the least to drill and tap that for a temp guage. If you look a little you could prolly find an A-pillar guage pod for the temp guage.
 
[quote author=onesprung60 link=board=2;threadid=13391;start=msg123954#msg123954 date=1079723518]
That is the same spot the Safari Turbo Systems taps into to run coolant to the turbo. I wouldn't be concerned in the least to drill and tap that for a temp guage. If you look a little you could prolly find an A-pillar guage pod for the temp guage.
[/quote]

Yes, that is the spot, drill and tap and thread in whatever adaptor wanted. As far as the A-pillar gauge, I happen to have one from an acura integra (94?) that fits perfectly on the roof pillar. HTH
 
I have done this for one customer and I found that the temp spikes alot here as the thermostat opens and closes. I do not remember the Temps I saw on the guage, but they were often high. I agree with Dan that there is no open spot. Either weld a bung on a steel freeze plug or drill directly in the head with the head off in the location that looks good. THe head is thick enough in a couple of spots where the flow is not as great and the temp reading would be more steady. Just my thoughts. robbie
 
CDan figured out the spot on the water neck so I took it off to install the sensor. The alternator has to come off as well as the alternator pivot bracket. It has two bolts but has to come off to get to the lower water neck bolt. The distributor does not have to come out.
Previously, I had used the the block drain plug and it worked well. Bad part of that location is the sensor has to come out to drain the block; and there can be some debate as to what temperatures you get at this location. It did work good as many times the alarm went off. I mounted three gauges on the A-pillar and this is fine. I have an Apexi boost gauge there, and I fabbed a cover for it since at night the gauge light bothered me being right at eye level. No problem with the light of the two Greddy gauges. With the warning it is not as critical to watch the gauges.
The temp gauge I used with a warning light was a Greddy. The warning type gauge only comes in 60MM as far as I know so is not small. Nice thing is it has a wire that I used to put in a large red warning light and a piezo buzzer. I also connected other gauges to this warning light and buzzer. Oh, make sure if you get these gauges that it includes the datalink and sensor. Some places just sell the gauge only.

http://www.greddy.com/products/prodtype.asp?catidx=8&catname=Electronics
 
Is there an earlier Land Cruiser guage that is more accurate, maybe 91 or 92, that can be switched in to give a more accurate reading. I was reading in another vehicle forum that this is what they were doing when the manufacturer switch over to the guages that stay at 1/2 level until they get really hot.
 
I like some of these products:

http://www.defi-shop.com/

And this is what I would like to get (displays degrees in C/F, speed in mph/kmph, etc...). It also has a built-in warning light (as well as coming to let you know it's reached temperatures you set to let you know fluids are warmed up, etc...). But you can also get a separate larger, red LED light for better visibility. They offer sensors and attachments, etc... in their catalogue page, too. Not cheap, but it would be a clean install, I think:

http://www.defi-shop.com/product/dp/dp_top.html

Their heads-up display would be cool, too. ;)

Defi (Nippon Seiki) manufactures some Japanese OEM meters/gauges for Honda and others.

Later,

mot
 
pardon the ignorance...:

is it more crucial to monitor the coolant temperature or the trans fluid temp?

Eric
 
I would say engine coolant.
 
An engine would be more expensive to replace than a tranny, too. :D
 
all right, all right, I meant to (but did not admittedly) ask which one of the 2 would show the first indication of temp trouble brewing...
E
 
Phil,

A quick search on Yahoo Shopping gave me this link:

http://www.hopupracing.com/defigauges.html

I know NOTHING about these guys.
Their price for the Control II unit (or something like that) is $113. Just to give you an idea, a savvy shopper would find the same unit for about $80 here. The display unit retails here for close to $300, but again, if you know where to look you can get one for a little more than $200. Of course, when you start adding the sensors to those prices, it's a pretty good chunk of change, which would make it rather difficult for many of us to justify paying for. :(

mot
 
[quote author=e9999 link=board=2;threadid=13391;start=msg124098#msg124098 date=1079742874]
all right, all right, I meant to (but did not admittedly) ask which one of the 2 would show the first indication of temp trouble brewing...
E
[/quote]

It is possible to overheat the transmission without overheating the engine. It is possible to overheat the engine without overheating the transmission. Futhermore, it is possible to overheat the pistons or cylinder head without overheating the coolant.

It all depends on the vehicle and how it is being used. I own a full size Ford van with a 460 (7.5 liter) engine. When towing a heavy load in hot weather the engine oil is what gets too hot first, despite having an external oil cooler. I never saw the coolant get too hot. The tranny fluid only got too hot once, and that was only during driving up an extremely steep mountain gold mine trail in first gear, around half throttle, going only a few mph, for about 45 minutes - too much work, not enough air flow, even though the truck has two transmission coolers.
 
E,

If it is of interest to you, your Moonglow has a factory tranny overheat warning light. Turn your key to 'on' before starting and confirm the bulb is working as this will light all warning lights.

Great input - anybody else?

DougM
 
I seem to remember a thread that mentioned that there are 2 temp senders - one for the gauge and another for the ECU.

Why not replace the gauge sender with a sender for an accurate gauge?

Ed
 
The threads in the block are 12 X 1.5, IIRC for that sensor. I was never able to find an adapter from that thread to 1/8" pipe for the new gauge sender. The two others sensors, AC cutoff and ECU, are something like 16 X 1.5.

Bill

>Edit - should say AC cutoff and temp
 
[quote author=Photoman link=board=2;threadid=13391;start=msg124338#msg124338 date=1079804381]
I was never able to find an adapter

Bill
[/quote]

Hey Bill,

Never thought "not being able to find something" would ever stop you. You are the fab King - my hero. Make an adapter...no, make about 100 copies of an adapter and sell them to us.

Cheers,
Ed
 
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