Strategies for aftermarket temp guages? (1 Viewer)

[Photoman]

Ed,

I did make an adapter for the gauge sensor. Look on page two, third post down on this thread.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=11820;start=30

I was concerned that the probe did not stick far enough into the water jacket with the adapter. ???

Bill

>Edit - I think I made the adapter for the block drain hole. 1.25 X 12 mm to 1/8" pipe.

 

[Rich]

Bill,

Are you positive about the threading of the coolant temp sensor? To the best of my recollection (back a number of months) the sensor was a tapered pipe fitting. For Japanese vehicles tapered pipe fittings are generally threaded BSPT (British Standard Pipe Thread). Parker (Brass Products Division) manufactures BSPT plugs that could be drilled and tapped for your 1/8" NPT sensor.

Rich

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Bill,
Is there any reason that a person could just do the following to make installation of an aux sensor in water neck simpler?

Drain the radiator
Remove upper hose to water neck
Remove distributor cap for drill clearance
Dry out neck
Insert vacuum in neck
Drill and tap 1/8 npt
Install sensor
Reassemble and fill
Done

Now that you have gone to the trouble to remove the water neck and verify that it can be done – Thank you – I don’t see the need to remove it. Have I missed something?

Phil

 

[landandsea]

Bill,

Just read your referenced post. Nice job on the adapter.

Was that to replace the sender for the ECU or the guage? If you put the Greddy sender in that adapter and replaced the stock guage sender then you could compare temp readings with a OBDII scanner. The ECU temp sender would be the base reading to compare the Greddy reading.

I once made up an T fitting to add a diesel engine coolant temp alarm. When I was finished, neither the original sender or the alarm sender reached in as far as the original sender did. But the guage still read the same as before.

Ed

 

[Photoman]

Rich,

This is on a 1997. I went and rechecked all the sensors with my ailing peepers and took the pic for you. The threads do not seem to be tapered. The first thread is smaller, but I put a caliper on them and they seem to be straight threads. FWIW, I miked those larger threads that I was guessing were 16mm and they are .625 (5/8") outside which is pretty close to 16mm.

The two others sensors, AC cutoff and ECU, are something like 16 X 1.5.

I was wrong on this - it should say AC cutoff and temp. Also, I was misremembering about the sensor adapter I made. I originally installed my aux gauge sensor in the block drain hole so the adapter was probably for that. 12 X 1.25 which is an odd size that I could not find. Sorry about the misinfo.

Bill

 

[landandsea]

Bill,

We must have been typing at the same time. Check my post above your last.

Ed

 

[Photoman]

Ed,

I believe you could drill and install the sensor in the water tube the way you described. If it helps you there is a little trick with taps and drill bits. Put a good bit of grease on them, drill or tap a little, remove, clean, and regrease and go again. The metal chips stick in the grease and don't all fall inside. Here is a pic of the situation with the distributer in with the cap removed.

Bill

 

[Photoman]

Here is one with the dist out.

 

[Photoman]

Ed,

That test would be a good idea, but I probably won't be starting the motor for six months or so.

Bill

 

[Rich]

Bill thanks for the picture. Straight threaded liquid tight pipe fittings use gaskets or o-rings. If the sensors have neither then I expect that the threads are tapered. If they are sealed with gaskets or o-rings then I expect they would be straight threads.

Rich

 

[Photoman]

Rich,

Good point. I have a hydraulic hose machine to make up high pressure hoses. Almost all of that stuff is JIC fittings, many of them with o-rings so I know of which you speak. If you look at the picture closely, you can see the smashed rubber o-ring or gasket on the ECU sensor. Notice also the other two sensors have a landing for an o-ring. My engine cracked and Toyota replaced the block, so I suspect they may have taken out these sensors. They were in with teflon tape which I don't imagine Toyota doing this at the factory.
CDan had these on stock so he can look and see if they come with gaskets or o-rings. I looked in Toyota parts and they don't show a separate o-ring. So either the o-ring comes with the sensors or there are not any on the other two sensors.

Bill

 

[landandsea]

Bill,

I thought teflon tape or any kind of thread goop should not be used on single wire senders. Two wire switch types OK, but not when ground is necessary.

Did a Toyota mechanic do that?

Ed

 

[Photoman]

Ed,

Man, you guys are sharp! I can't remember taking any of them out so I have to assume they did it when they replaced the block. No matter what when I replace them I going to put an o-ring on them. FWIW, when I reinstall things like the one wire sensor and spark plugs, I use a copper based anti-sieze. That way the electric still works, and I can get them out easy the next time.

Bill

 

[scottm]

I'm finally home to glance at my hoses, how about cutting a hose and putting a short nipple in there with the necessary fittings? I know some guys have brass "T"s permanently somewhere in the hoses for flushing, you could have flushing and sensor fittings in this setup.

On drilling and tapping in place, how about draining and pressurizing (gently) with air so the chips blow out of the hole? I'd actually pressurize with water for the tapping, just get a flow going.

And finally, my brother should get one of those old-time thermometer radiator caps and drive hoodless, thus improving cooling and allowing him to monitor the engine visually.