Unique Engine Temperature Measuring Situation (1 Viewer)

[xiero]

My temperature guage has been quite high. I decided to put in a guage that gives a readout in Degrees (F) so I could see if I was having guage issues, or if I should be concerned about the coolant temp. I bought a 14 dollar temperature guage - (100 - 280) - and herin lies the issue.

When installing it (it is a mechanical guage), the end sensor was too long to fit in the fitting on top of the head without touching the head itself (the bottom of the coolant channel). Anyway, I installed it and torqued it down enough so it would hold pressure, and not leak, but the guage sensor is definately touching the block.

My questions are:

1. Can I cut the sensor in half allowing coolant to flow completely around it? I wasn't sure if there was some kind of liquid conductor inside the sensor wire.

2. Should I leave it how is is, realizing that the readout will be higher as their is contact with the block itself (assuming the block (head) actually gets hotter than the coolant - I'm not really sure)?

3. If I leave it, what should the temperature be on the inside of the block at the bottom of the coolant channel? (It currently reads between 180 and 230 depending on the situation.)

TIA

 

[Godwin]

I went to Lowes (plumbing section) and found a short (1-2") brass pipe and collar and used that as an extension so that the sensor could be plugged into head without bottoming out. This is on a 2F.

Normal temp readings that I see are about 180.

 

[Mark W]

You can not cut the sender. There is fluid inside of it. It won't hurt anything or affect readings if it touches the bottom of the passage.

Scrounge around some an extender fitting like the collar mentioned above was stock on some of the F/2F engines. Or just pick one up at a hardware store like Jim did.


Mark...

 

[HawkDriver]

FWIW I'm thinking that the temp of the coolant and the temp of the block right next to the coolant should be pretty close to the same temp, within a few degrees at least.

 

[MrMoMo]

Is it pipe thread or straight thread? Couldn't you just thread a nut onto it to stop it from bottoming out?

 

[Nomis]

I just picked up a mech. temp guage and am having the same issue. I went to Ace Hardware and they didn't have anything that would work. Going to Lowes later today. Any other ideas?

 

[John Smith]

Since I doubt you will find this adapter at your local HW store, you can order this Autometer adapter from SummitRacing.
On my 2F I had to move the stock sender to where the plugged port is and I put my Autometer sender in the stock sender hole. The sticker says 5/8" -18 UNF to M16 x 1.5 and the Autometer part number is 2275.

 

[Degnol]

I believe they make that adapter in a "tall" and "short version. You need the tall version.
John, can you give a dimension or post a pic of the fitting?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Tunnelratt]

Had the same issue, any HDW store should have the parts, get a 1/2" close pipe nipple, brass, standard pipe thread and a brass coupling, for what ever reason the threads for all of the senders in the head are not metric, so the regular pipe thread screws right in, put some teflon tape on the nipple, screw it into the head, screw the coupling onto the nipple, thread the bushing for the sender into the coupling and then the temp probe into the bushing, fits like a glove, works fine, the probe will not bottom in the water channel anymore, I did however pick up the extended version of the bushing as shown on the previous post, just because I didnt want plumbing parts, but they work just fine and a lot of guys do it that way and just leave it, no issues.