Currently my 73 only has an idiot light for the temp. I want to be able to keep a closer eye on the temperature... Will an aftermarket temp gauge work with my stock temp sensor? Or is there some other way to hook that up, either by changing the stock sensor or adding an additional sensor somewhere else? I know there's mechanical gauges as well as electronic... not sure which ones to look at.

...somebody give me "Temp Gauges 101"

Nope...different animal.

Does your intake have an unused bung in the water jacket?

You MIGHT could try a pipe "T" from Home Depot/Lowes. Not sure how accurate it would be, though, because you would be out of the flow and in a "dead spot".

Of course,with a gauge, you hve no need for an idiot light. Just plumb the gauge to where your old sensor goes.

C.J.

ok, sounds like you're describing a mechanical gauge there...

I gota believe there's more ways to hook up a temp gauge then to have to rig something up from home depot under my hood. You just plumb it right into the water jacket? how's it run the gauge? vacuum?

I'm looking for more of an overview of how different kinds of temp gauges work, pros/cons of different kinds... etc.


Thanks for the info so far...

Sorry...misunderstood the question.

Idiot light-a voltage is run through the "HOT" light bulb which then goes to the temp sensor on the intake. As water temp rises, the sensor's resistance decreases until it heats up enough to ground the wire which completes the circuit. Light comes on.

Gauge-Same thing,pretty much. A voltage is sent through the gauge which then goes to the temp sensor on the intake. As water temp rises, the sensor's resistance decreases. The gauge is a meter which measures the resistance.

Sensors are not interchangable.

There's no other type of water temp gauge out there.

Make sense?

C.J.

I have a water temp guage that doesn't use eletricity (except for the light bulb) it has a thermostat that screw into the intake where the water passeage is and is connect to my guage via a cable, as the temperature rises, whatever is in the thermostat pushes the cable which moves the needle on the guage. Most aftermarket temp guages are like this, mine is a brand new autoguage, be carefull because if you bend the cable to much the cable in side will either not move or break

ok, so It seems texasred has an electronic gauge and Psyco has a mechanical one....

As far as ease of installation, go with a electric gauge. Its just wiring. I had a mechanical one, and the line from the sencor to the gauge was filled with ether When I put it in i didn't like it, and lucky for me,when the line broke I wasn't driving. It almost knocked me out! Just my opinion, but go with an electric gauge.

I didn't like it ether. Sorry...couldn't resist.

Psycho...good to see ya! I've never used the type of gauge you're talking about.

I learn something new every day...if I'm lucky!

C.J.

I check on every olds website, but only post when I feel I need too. I'm surprised you never used one, they were the only guage anyone could use till the mid 90s when the eletric ones came out, even now mechanical are cheaper and most guage companies sell them

I've only had electric ones since I started roddin' in the 70's. I vaguely remember another type...but never used it. Must be what you are talking about.

C.J.

Hello everyone,


Make that the mid '50s. When warning lights first appeared, gauges became an option, and because they changed to electric, they could use the same wire for the light or gauge.

Mechanical is better, but electric is a simpler install, and is better suited to production lines.

Ask yourself how often you will actually look at the gauge. If you answer honestly, you'll choose the light, as it will grab your attention at the time a problem occurs. All you really need to know is, at what temp the light comes on.

If one chose to use both, the same pipe fittings at "Home Depot" are availabe at ones local auto parts supplier.

Or one could pay a lot more on eBay for the same fittings because they are the same as were used on 442s in the 60s and 70s.

An electronic gauge would be digital, as opposed to an electrically switched gauge or light.

Regards, Norm