Don’t Do This

[TrailBeast]

Sorry about the clarity as the original image was pretty bad.
Note the stack of adapters and fittings used for temperature reading.
I assume probably the very top sensor is for efi.
This setup is horrible, especially for efi as no gauge or sensor will ever get a correct reading.
Sensors need to be directly in the coolant flow, not 3 inches away from it.
That efi system will always think the motor is colder than it actually is, and not react accordingly.
Any gauges will read lower than the actual temperature.
Do whatever it takes to get sensor's physically in the coolant flow for accuracy.

 

[413]

Is there a large pipe plug near the heater hoses? That's usually the place for a mechanical temp gauge. And you can put hose adapters on that and have it inline on the heater hose.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I've seen stuff exactly like that and always scratch my head, because there's always a better way to do it. I think people try real hard to screw up sometimes.

 

[67/6barracuda]

Like R-Kelly once said “I don’t see nothing wrong” wait he’s in jail now bad analogy.
Don’t be a R-Kelly.
Haha…bad joke

 

[TrailBeast]

Is there a large pipe plug near the heater hoses? That's usually the place for a mechanical temp gauge. And you can put hose adapters on that and have it inline on the heater hose.

I believe this is a /6 so who knows.
There are multiple ways of dealing with that.
I have had to do both our Mopar small blocks for mechanical gauges, so the tap is in the toolbox.
Both aftermarket intakes.

 

[Kern Dog]

I believe this is a /6 so who knows.

That is a big block, man.

 

[Garrett Ellison]

View attachment 1716349535

That is a big block, man.

Uhhh, Yessir! Sure is, I love them things!

 

[TrailBeast]

View attachment 1716349535

That is a big block, man.

Haha, should have known by the plug wires.

 

[junkyardhero]

it's almost comical because there's four water ports on a big block waterpump housing

(granted two are for the heater... but who needs one of those?)

 

[Professor Fate]

And you can put hose adapters on that and have it inline on the heater hose.

That could work depending on your setup (constant flow), but not if you've got a heater shutoff valve- you need constant flow of heated coolant to be accurate; valve closed=no flow=colder readings than actual.
Inline sensors also need to be independently grounded since the rubber hose provides no ground.

 

[TT5.9mag]

We used to do stuff like that on efi systems that weren’t tunable for the exact reason you said not to do it. We were trying to trick the computer so it would add fuel. It actually worked pretty good for how primitive it was.

 

[Bewy]

Yup, bad news...