Where to put water temp probe and oil pressure gauge on engine?

-

cinimod2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
98
Reaction score
0
Location
cleveland
So I bought a volt meter gauge along with water temp and oil pressure and I was wondering where I should hook them up. The voltmeeter seems pretty easy but the other two is what I don't know.
thanks for help in advanced Dom
 
What kind of manifold do you have? I'm kind of in the same situation. I have a Performer RPM manifold with an Auto Meter Mechanical water temp gauge...The probe for the sending unit is too long and dont fit in the manifold...
 
I think its a edlebrock performer but I'm not sure. The guy before me replaced the intake and carb. I know it's a edlebrock intake .
 
I assume you want to fit up the new guages as well as run the originals?
The oil is easy.
The standard pressure switch is at the back of the block near the dizzy.
Just plumb in a tee piece fitting to accept both sensors.
The std water temp sensor is in the intake manifold near the thermostat.
If your heater is disconnected you can put the aftermarket ssensor in the heater hose hole.Some aftermarket manifolds such as Edelbrock Performer have additional drillings in this area you could utilise.I've seen a bome made adaptor tube fitted to the bypass hose but this would give the wrong reading IMO.I've also seen them plumbed into the drain bungs at the side on the bottom of the block.Otherwise you'll need to driil and tap a new hole in the water gallery at the front of the intake manifold somewhere near the std location.Or you could tee piece the heater hose fitting.
 
Well I found the water temp spot and I'm running about 140 160 degrees so I thinks that works fine but where on the back of the block is the oil pressure sensor because I really don't know what ot look for i I'm new to this.
Thanks Dom
 
I have to admit--after all these years, and I mean the late '60's, the freekin' Edelbrock can't figgure out that it might just be pretty damn handy to be able to put a temp gauge in one of their manifolds.
 
I have to admit--after all these years, and I mean the late '60's, the freekin' Edelbrock can't figgure out that it might just be pretty damn handy to be able to put a temp gauge in one of their manifolds.

x2 wtf Vic
 
I didn't want the factory gauge do be useless so I drilled and tapped into the water passage on the front of the intake, autometer makes an adapter for the temp probe that gives it the correct length.
 
Weld a bung in a piece of metal and place it in the upper rad. hose for the best and most accurate reading.
 

Attachments

  • fan shroud 018.jpg
    116.9 KB · Views: 1,087
I don't have a picture handy, but I bought a spacer that you put under the thermostat housing that has two 3/8" NPT fittings in it. You'd have to plug one, but the gauge can go in the other with the right thread size fittings. On my 318 it cleared the thermostat okay, but it was a pretty close fit. Pretty sure Summit or Jegs had them, I think it was Meziere brand, but I don't remember off the top of my head. Pretty sure it started with M though.
 
Edelbrock performer , performer rpm and air gap intakes all have a threaded port near the left side of the thermostat housing to install an after market temperature guage probe. I believe it is either 3/8 or 1/2 npt and both adapter fitting should come with your guage
 
the probe for the aftermarket mechanical gauge is too long to fit into the shallow area of the manifold...
 
Water...down on the side of the block (middle) there is a plug (both sides)..remove plugs use one for temp gausge and put a petcock in the other for easy draining.
Oil...at the end of the 90* adapter is a plug, repalce it with a oil pressure fitting/tube.
i brazed mine in because the threads are different.
Both gauges mechanical and you can keep your factory gauges for comparison
 
Thanks everyone I have installed water temp and am going to get the fitting for oil pressure because I broke the first one.
 
On my big-block, I did as nkqkw suggests. I plumbed a 1/8" NPT tee in the oil pressure switch fitting. It is in the same place on a SB, next to the firewall at top of engine, right next to the SB distributor.

On a side note, I would suggest getting the more expensive electronic oil pressure sender. I hate running an oil line into the passenger compartment. Think what a mess 60 psi oil coming out of a broken tube could do. However, my Mercedes diesels have a mechanical oil gage in the instrument cluster and they plumb ~1/4" nylon tube to it. Dripping oil is common in those, but usually from the ignition key which has a vacuum switch for the "stop valve" which sucks in oil when its rubber diaphragm fails. You know that when you get oil on your right sock, plus all the vacuum lines gets oiled. Exquisite German engineering.
 
the probe for the aftermarket mechanical gauge is too long to fit into the shallow area of the manifold...

There is a brass adapter fitting that screws into the manifold log, it will raise the sensor up and fix your problem. If you don't have one try ACE Hardware.
 
:banghead:eek:kay thanks louise. ill check it out when i get to that part next...im building my radiator hoses right now..lol:banghead:
 
Weld a bung in a piece of metal and place it in the upper rad. hose for the best and most accurate reading.

I've done just that, but the problem with that idea, is if you get an unknown slow leak, say, overnight, and don't notice, then start up the engine, it can overheat badly before the gauge "says" anything.

SB Chev started putting the sensors in the heads, which prevents that problem.
 
-
Back
Top