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pajeff87
03-17-2013, 08:38 AM
I am awaiting a set of gauges for our car and have read the sticky on the oil pressure gauge installation. How about water temperature? Do I just remove the stock idiot light sender, or is there a way to retain that? Sorry, I don't have a set of books for our car yet so I'll be asking lots of questions.

Keller
03-17-2013, 11:29 AM
There is a water temp sender for the ECM, and a water temp idiot light switch for the dash. The latter is what is removed to install the gauge sender. If you can't tell that your car is running that hot without looking at the gauge, then I'd not even install the gauge. I don't think the sender sets the light until somewhere in the mid-200s.

Should be an article out there on installing a water temp gauge as well.

pajeff87
03-17-2013, 02:19 PM
I don't trust idiot lights, but do like to retain stock function on our cars. Not being familiar with this engine, I just wondered if there was a plug hiding somewhere that a sender could be installed in. Will look for the article you mentioned...

Keller
03-17-2013, 02:51 PM
There is another option few use. It requires removing a pipe plug on the drivers side of the block and installing the sensor into the water jacket of the block. It is down on the lower side of the block, right between the core plugs in the casting. The hole is small, and would either require a very small sender or an adapter.

pajeff87
03-17-2013, 05:16 PM
That is a small hole -- as part of everything happening with the car, I am flushing the cooling system and removed both block drains. Not sure if they make senders that small, but it would be a great place for one if they do.