installing aftermarket water temp gauge

I bought a set of sunpro gauges for me ford wagon. I have a voltage, oil pressure and water/oil temperature. the first 2 were very easy but the mechanical water temp is giving me trouble. I found a place in the intake for the thermometer but the hole was to small. I found a couple more holes in the side of the block (its a 289) but these were two small as well. are there any other holes I don't know about? or does this gauge just not work for a 289? I think its a pretty common engine though. if anyone knows anything, let me know.

 

I removed the factory temp sensor which on my '69 302 is right behind the distributor. I bought Moon gauges and they came with brass adaptors for different size holes. One of the provided adaptors fit that hole and then the water temp sensor screws in on top of that.

Where did you hook up your oil pressure? I haven't hooked mine up yet.

 

Re: using the intake hole for a temp sensor!!

Years ago I had a 64 Fairlane with a 289 and aftermarket gauges. The temp sensor was installed in the manifold in place of the stock sensor. I was on a trip flying down a rural highway at around 75 mph and felt a small stumble in the engine, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Continued another 16 miles and pulled into a small town. Everyone was pointing at me. I looked in the mirror and saw a cloud of smoke, actually steam. Pulled the car over and the engine seized.

The lower hose had ruptured blowing all the antifreeze out almost instantaneously, which was the stumble I felt as some hit the air cleaner. The guage NEVER showed hot because it wasn't touching any liquid.....just hot air and steam.

I let it cool down, fixed the hose, and refilled the cooling system. It barely started, but did and ran OK. I drove it for another year and tore it down for a rebuild and soup up the next summer. All the valves had to be replaced and several of the cam bearings had melted, and I found the melted globules in the oil pan. I ended up buying a new block from Ford.

 

Would the stock electric sensor/gauge have detected anything?

I've always used the existing location for the stock electric sending unit. Like already mentioned, usually your new mechanical unit will have several different sized fittings. If not, you may have to purchase a fitting from the auto parts store. Take your original sending unit with you, so you can match it up.

 

Originally Posted by OldFox
The guage NEVER showed hot because it wasn't touching any liquid.....just hot air and steam.

Seems like I had the bad reading part with some engine and was told this also. It needs to be IN the liquid like on the side of a block.

 

You can get a tube with a temp sensor port and clamps that goes in the upper radiator hose if you have no place for the temp gauge bulb that will work.
There has to be a way to make it work without that on a 289 though.

Mechanical and electrical temp gauges and idiot light sensors need to be immersed in coolant or they read cold.
Low coolant can cause a lot of heat damage fast, especially to aluminum heads. You don't notice it until your heat doesn't work with idiot lights and most people with gauges look for overheating, if they look at them. The reason newer cars have low coolant sensors, good to manually check your fluid levels every so often too.