???Autometer Electric Water Temp Gauge???

NPIGT

New Member
Nov 29, 2004
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Ok, I have an autometer Electric water temp. gauge and I am having a hard time with it working right. I have the sender tapped into the thermostat housing piece and it is reading 250*. when the engine is cold it starts low and climbs all the way up. I have no idea what the problem is. Can anyone give me an idea or a link on how to hook it up. I'm sure I hooked it up right but..... it wont work. please help.
 
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You have to install the sensor in the side of the block to work properly. There's a spot most people use on the driver's side that works pretty well. I tapped a hole in my plastic intake and put the sensor there,then grounded it to the block with a wire. Works fine.
 
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I disconnected the wire running from the Temp. Sender to the gauge. Hope this can help. I had to whore 1 pic. 8^)
 

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I just called the autometer tech line and he said it might be reading air and it isnt making contact with the coolant. I dont have any idea what the hell the problem is. hope someone else has an idea. Thanks for the help so far.
 
Have you let your car run long enough to let the thermostat open? I would think that while the thermostat is closed, the sensor would just be reading the heat coming from the engine. When the thermostat opens and coolant starts flowing across the sensor, it should drop from 250.

Is it just staying at 250 even when the thermo. opens?
 
well, I will start it up after it sits overnight and drive it around for 15 minutes and the temp. will stay at 180* for a few minutes then it rases to 250*. When it starts to climb above 180* it hits 250* within 10 sec. I dont understand why it would stay at 180* for a few minutes then raise so quickly to 250*.
 
I tried using a ground wire from the sender and it didnt work. I also re-grounded the gauge to the battery to test if it was that and I still have nothing. What I think is happening is that it stays at 180* until the thermostat opens up and then it hits 250*. I have a stock thermostat in right now, what do they run at? It is also a new one... well I will figure something out.
 
I think if I were to have tapped the housing, I think I would've done it on the bottom.. you know, use gravity to your advantage. I don't think the water pump pushes enough water to completely fill the hose up with coolant, so you're probably just measuring hot air.
 
I think your right, When the thermostat is closed I get a good reading because the hose line is more full. When the thermostat opens up I get air in the line and that is what is being measured.... Thanks for the help on this one guys.
 
Well since I have been planning on relocating the sending unit to the thermostat housing and your having problem withit mounted in the top of the housing here's what I'm going to try.

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I plan on testing this next weekend when I upgrade my cooling system with my new Fluidyne radiator and Tru-Cool trans cooler.
 

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jeffnoel said:
Well since I have been planning on relocating the sending unit to the thermostat housing and your having problem withit mounted in the top of the housing here's what I'm going to try.

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I plan on testing this next weekend when I upgrade my cooling system with my new Fluidyne radiator and Tru-Cool trans cooler.
Please let us know how this gravity-obeying technique works.
 

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Well I installed it and a trans cooler today here are some pics.
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Here's a couple more. After install I drove around town mixed town/freeway and temp necer went over 210. And with the sender in the thermostat housing you could actually see when the thermostat opens.:spot:
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I also painted a couple pulleys and replaced the water pump with a polished one.
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All Done
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