Water temp and oil pressure gauges.

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Dartvader440gt

Dartvader440gt

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What do you all use for aftermarket gauges? It seems like these "universal" gauges don't seem to have the right fittings for the motor. 1965 225/6 1 bbl auto. I just got a universal water temp gauge and all the fittings look too large for the small /6 temp sending unit. I really don't want to drill and tap. Anybody have a simple answer?

Also I have an oil pressure gauge for a 318. Will that sending unit work on the /6? If not what's a part# for a gauge I can use. Thanks all.
 
Dartvader440gt said:
What do you all use for aftermarket gauges? It seems like these "universal" gauges don't seem to have the right fittings for the motor. 1965 225/6 1 bbl auto. I just got a universal water temp gauge and all the fittings look too large for the small /6 temp sending unit. I really don't want to drill and tap. Anybody have a simple answer?

Also I have an oil pressure gauge for a 318. Will that sending unit work on the /6? If not what's a part# for a gauge I can use. Thanks all.
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I once installed the sensing unit for a mechanical water temperature gauge In the water jacket drain opening down below 5 and 6 sparkplugs. It was really surprising how long it took for warm water to get back there to move the gauge. So I would not recommend that.
If the correct size fitting is not already in the head,
1) does your climate require a functioning heater/defrost? If not you can thread it into the head heater outlet.
2) I have seen connectors for putting water temp sensors in the upper or lower radiator hose.
For the mechanical oil pressure gauge, just T where the existing oil pressure gauge connects.

for the gauges, those are not complex devices, what is on the shelf at your local NAPA or other auto parts place should be good.
Concerning the plastic hose for the mechanical oil pressure gauge. I have never had an issue or leak. But there are those that have, be carful in the routing for snags, kinks, hot engine parts that will melt the plastic. Lastly, know what you are doing when assembling the Ferrell and nuts.
 
My water temp gauge is in the top radiator hose, put there by previous owner. Most people don’t like that location, but works fine so I just left it.
 
A temp sender in the upper hose measures the water temp in radiator not the engine.
 
Use this thermostat spacer (or similar):
Thermostat spacer with EFI sensor port | AR Engineering
Putting it in the lower radiator hose gives you the temperature of cool water exiting the radiator, not engine temp.
Putting it in the upper radiator hose puts your sensor on the wrong side of the thermostat, if your t-stat ever fails (closed), you'll never know it until after you cook your engine.
You want to keep it in the engine side of the thermostat, similar to where the factory mounted it, so you get a true max "engine temp" of the coolant as it's about to exit the engine.
 
Professor Fate said:
Use this thermostat spacer (or similar):
Thermostat spacer with EFI sensor port | AR Engineering
Putting it in the lower radiator hose gives you the temperature of cool water exiting the radiator, not engine temp.
Putting it in the upper radiator hose puts your sensor on the wrong side of the thermostat, if your t-stat ever fails (closed), you'll never know it until after you cook your engine.
You want to keep it in the engine side of the thermostat, similar to where the factory mounted it, so you get a true max "engine temp" of the coolant as it's about to exit the engine.
Click to expand...
Ah, never seen this before. Is it aluminum or steel?
 
Mike69cuda said:
My water temp gauge is in the top radiator hose, put there by previous owner. Most people don’t like that location, but works fine so I just left it.
Click to expand...

The danger of a high mount temp sender is if you get a leak. The sender is left high and dry, and will never alert you until it's too late.
 
67Dart273 said:
The danger of a high mount temp sender is if you get a leak. The sender is left high and dry, and will never alert you until it's too late.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but that was how it was when I got it & got enough other stuff to do.....
 
Dartvader440gt said:
No one makes a fitting for the stock factory hole?
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If your new sender is too big, and you don't want to drill and tap; that's what you're looking at. You could jury rig a bunch of plumbing fittings and adapters to get you to the larger size, but then the sensor is so far removed from the coolant flow that you won't get an accurate temp reading anyways, negating the reason for having the gauge in the first place- plus you run the risk of all the extra fittings keeping your sensor air locked and not getting a reading at all.
The other option is to explore other senders that operate at the same resistance range and use the factory diameter, but you're on your own for that- maybe your gauge manufacturer has some recommendations, you'll have to give their customer service/tech line a call.
 
I have seen thermostat housings or adapters that have a port for a temp sender. Don’t remember where. Memory shot. Guess I picked a bad year to stop sniffing glue....
 
Has anyone ever thought of a modified freeze plug that had a pipe fitting in it for the sender?
 
Murray said:
Has anyone ever thought of a modified freeze plug that had a pipe fitting in it for the sender?
Click to expand...

Don't know that they are deep enough. There are aftermarket thermostat risers/ spacers/ adapters, and a few water outlets, here and there, with additional taps. Again, like to keep it below the stat
 
After reading this and thinking about it some more, I decided I like my aftermarket temp gauge in the top heater hose. It works well. I still have my oem dash gauge hooked up so I can see the overheating if I lose coolant. The aftermarket gauge actually gives me some temp readings with numbers, where my oem gauge does not. My aftermarket is a mechanical type.

Given the poor options available for anything else, I think I have a good setup. Looks nice and I can see when the thermostat opens by watching the aftermarket gauge.

Just another opinion from a contrarian.....

6E9BADCB-5FE8-4990-85F6-80D7719F66F1.jpeg
 
Drilling and tapping is relatively easy. If you drill with a vacuum hose on it, you will minimize the amount of metal going in to the water jacket, but any metal shavings there won't hurt anything and eventually rust away. Mechanical gauges will have to have a larger hole, but.. If you shop carefully, you can likely find an electrical gauge that uses a smaller sender that will just screw into the factory hole.
 
Dartvader440gt said:
What do you all use for aftermarket gauges? It seems like these "universal" gauges don't seem to have the right fittings for the motor. 1965 225/6 1 bbl auto. I just got a universal water temp gauge and all the fittings look too large for the small /6 temp sending unit. I really don't want to drill and tap. Anybody have a simple answer?

Also I have an oil pressure gauge for a 318. Will that sending unit work on the /6? If not what's a part# for a gauge I can use. Thanks all.
Click to expand...

i also wanted a different temp gauge. then i discovered that the temp sending unit was for 12V only, and the threaded hole was SMALL, and not able to accept mechanical type gauge. but it did accept the 12V gauge i finally bought.
 
grouchyandugly said:
i also wanted a different temp gauge. then i discovered that the temp sending unit was for 12V only, and the threaded hole was SMALL, and not able to accept mechanical type gauge. but it did accept the 12V gauge i finally bought.
Click to expand...
What brand did you buy and do you have a link?
 
Dartvader440gt said:
What do you all use for aftermarket gauges? It seems like these "universal" gauges don't seem to have the right fittings for the motor. 1965 225/6 1 bbl auto. I just got a universal water temp gauge and all the fittings look too large for the small /6 temp sending unit. I really don't want to drill and tap. Anybody have a simple answer?

Also I have an oil pressure gauge for a 318. Will that sending unit work on the /6? If not what's a part# for a gauge I can use. Thanks all.
Click to expand...

me too. but... that water temp sending unit is for ELECTRICAL ONLY, and not "mechanical". there is no place to put a mechanical water temp..... as i found out on my 66 slant six.
 
Ok, I was heading to a local speed shop near me yesterday after work to get a gauge there in my slant 6 and all of a sudden it wouldn't stay running and then died. I tried the spare balast resistor but no go. I called AAA and they picked it up and brought it home. It was too hot to sit in a parking lot and play with it. Easier to work on it at home. On a side note, after I called AAA I heard that old familiar sound of an ice cream truck so I flagged him down and got a milkshake to cool me off while waiting for the tow.
 
It wasn't the coil. Oil dripped from the valve cover onto the coil wire. Made it slippery and it popped off. Took care of that.
I went with the Autometer electric water temp gauge. 1/8" fitting came with it. Went in fine. Works well.

Now about the oil gauge. Is it possible to hook one up to the original oil sending unit?
 
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