water temp gauge

[2002_lincolnLS]

I was wondering if any one has put a water temp gauge on their LS or any other car? I'm not sure were to tap into for the sending unit. Any advice or knowledge will help.

Thanks

 

[FASTLLS]

You can make a tee were the stock one is and add yours.. that's how we ranger guys do oil pressure..

 

[oddball]

You can make a tee were the stock one is and add yours.. that's how we ranger guys do oil pressure..

Tees are fine for pressure gauges (pressure will move through the tee just fine). Not so much for temp. The sensor needs to be in the water flow to stay accurate. If you put in a tee, it'll be sitting in the little puddle of water in the tee. Hopefully that moves around a bit, but I wouldn't bet on it. Also would be a handy place for air buildup.

To the OP, I'm not sure. If you're adventurous, drill and tap a second sending unit hole opposite of the stock. Or get one of the gauges that plugs into the OBDII port.

 

[joegr]

... Or get one of the gauges that plugs into the OBDII port.

I think that's the most practical suggestion.

 

[bob380sx]

Quote:
Originally Posted by oddball View Post
... Or get one of the gauges that plugs into the OBDII port.
I think that's the most practical suggestion

i love this place i didn't even know such a gauge existed

 

[joegr]

i love this place i didn't even know such a gauge existed

One example
http://www.scangauge.com/

 

[NYC LS8]

i love this place i didn't even know such a gauge existed

This is what I had in the LS for a lil while:

 

[bob380sx]

that's cool

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

well i already have the gauges and they are mounted. i'm just going to have to get creative, not the first time with this car. some techs i talked to said in the heads or intake manifold so i'll going to go nose around there and see what i can come up with.

 

[Frogman]

You ALWAYS want the water temp sender to be placed in a location AFTER it comes out of the engine and before it goes into the radiator.

Kind of pointless to install it in the heads (unless you want to take the passenger side head off, drill it, tap it, etc. Very so pointless to install it in the intake manifold. You have no water there. Well, you do, I suppose, but it would be a "transfer" reading, as it won't be directly in the water stream.

Likewise, it's pointless to install the water temp sending unit before the coolant goes into the engine after it comes out of the radiator. All you'll see is the cooled water temperature. It will, at least tell you how well the radiator is working, though. :lol:


Easiest thing to do? Get a radiator hose adapter. I believe Autometer makes something like that. You install it in the return hose before it goes into the radiator. It's already tapped for a 1/4 inch, 1/8inch NPT thread.

I'd go looking for one and link you to it, but frankly, I'm not THAT motivated.

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

thanks for the sarcasm and the answer, thats what i was thinking, i just didnt know that the adapter was actually something someone made already, thanks

 

[Frogman]

Sarcasm? Did your mommy drop you on your head as an infant?

Please point out to me where I was sarcastic in my post.

 

[joegr]

Sarcasm? Did your mommy drop you on your head as an infant?

Please point out to me where I was sarcastic in my post.

Yeah, I don't see it either. Then again, I could never find any example of irony in that "ironic" song.

 

[1LoudLS]

thanks for the sarcasm

i also dont see any sarcasm, just a blunt and precise answer to the question

Then again, I could never find any example of irony in that "ironic" song.

do you mean like rain on your wedding day, or like a free ride after you already paid

 

[HDDave]

I was wondering if any one has put a water temp gauge on their LS or any other car? I'm not sure were to tap into for the sending unit. Any advice or knowledge will help.

Thanks

No one here has answered if the stock sending unit is for a mechanical or electrical gauge? I don't know so I can't tell you. If it's mechanical then I wouldn't recommend a tee, but if it's electrical then you're just talking about splicing 2 wires. Of course the stock gauge and the aftermarket probably have to have the exact same temp range, amperage, etc. to work

 

[oddball]

No one here has answered if the stock sending unit is for a mechanical or electrical gauge? I don't know so I can't tell you. If it's mechanical then I wouldn't recommend a tee, but if it's electrical then you're just talking about splicing 2 wires. Of course the stock gauge and the aftermarket probably have to have the exact same temp range, amperage, etc. to work

It's electrical.
Be careful when tapping into wires used for sensors. In addition to the new gauge requiring the same specs as the sensor (highly unlikely), you also have to ensure that the new gauge doesn't mess up the PCM's use of the sensor.

 

[1LoudLS]

It's electrical.
Be careful when tapping into wires used for sensors. In addition to the new gauge requiring the same specs as the sensor (highly unlikely), you also have to ensure that the new gauge doesn't mess up the PCM's use of the sensor.

i agree that finding a gauge that will "understand" the signal the sensor is outputting would be difficult, i would recommend following frogs line of thinking and just install a new sensor with the gauge.

 

[Frogman]

Even if the Coolant temp thermistor (as it's called) and the new aftermarket gauge temp sending unit were the same specs (highly unlikely), you don't want to tap the factory wire going into the computer. You will be drawing more amperage. Albeit, milliamps, but enough to skew the readings the car computer sees.

 

[HDDave]

Even if the Coolant temp thermistor (as it's called) and the new aftermarket gauge temp sending unit were the same specs (highly unlikely), you don't want to tap the factory wire going into the computer. You will be drawing more amperage. Albeit, milliamps, but enough to skew the readings the car computer sees.

That's a good point too - forget what I said

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

the new one is mechanical so im not tapping into anything, other than the back light its its own entity.

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

this is were i decided to put the sensor

 

[Frogman]

You're welcome.

And incidentally, the new gauge is not mechanical. It's still electronic. The word you're looking for is "analog" derived from for the style of the dial.

Mechanical gauges are so... 1940's what with requiring two hoses/lines to go in and out of them.

If the gauge were indeed mechanical, you'd need two lines, one for the coolant to flow into it and another for the coolant to flow out of it.

 

[oddball]

If the gauge were indeed mechanical, you'd need two lines, one for the coolant to flow into it and another for the coolant to flow out of it.

WTF?
A mechanical temp gauge has a thermocouple that runs from the sensor to the gauge. You don't run coolant all the way to the gauge.
A mechanical pressure gauge runs the pressure to the gauge - either oil all the way (fun when it leaks in the dash!) or a coupler&isolator to convert to a less troublesome fluid.
You ever worked on a car before? :eyeroll:

 

[joegr]

You're welcome.

And incidentally, the new gauge is not mechanical. It's still electronic. The word you're looking for is "analog" derived from for the style of the dial.

Mechanical gauges are so... 1940's what with requiring two hoses/lines to go in and out of them.

If the gauge were indeed mechanical, you'd need two lines, one for the coolant to flow into it and another for the coolant to flow out of it.

No, sorry but there are plenty of mechanical temperature gauges. I've used them before. They have just one line that runs out to the thermal bulb. I've never seen a temperature gauge that routed coolant through it, but I suppose that is possible.

A description from the internet...
"Mechanical Temperature Gauges work by using what is known as a Bourdon Tube . The tube is sealed and connected to both the gauge and the engine coolant. In this sealed tube a liquid, predominantly alcohol, evaporates as the engine heats up causing the tube to expand and pull on the gauge. The result would be the temperature reading. Because this system is based on the amount of time it takes the liquid to evaporate or condensate, it takes time to return to its neutral reading position when the car is turned off."

 

[Frogman]

You're right, there are both kinds, the Bourdon and the older school, two line gauges. At least that's what we had when I was a wee young one.

Never worked on a car in my life. Don't even know where the motor thinghy is.