Where Did You Mount Water Temp Gauge

[Keith5.0GT]

Hello. I’m thinking of putting in a water temp gauge. And I just wanted to know, if you have done that, where did you install your gauge? My factory one reads higher than I’d like after new aluminum radiator, water pump, thermostat, coolant hoses, temp sending unit....pic included of highest reading after driving. so I want to know what the temp actually is. Thanks! Just not sure where to mount it where it would look good in a stock 1990 interior.

 

[Nutty 5.o]

I've put them in two areas: rear factory sensor location and moved factory over to other side and also in the radiator neck. I've usually put the gauge in a center vent 2 gauge pod that retains vents or on pillar. If you have a cowl you could get away with mounting one in that. Personally I'd put it in a vent gauge.

Few pics of my 89 and 93 set up.

 

[Keith5.0GT]

I've put them in two areas: rear factory sensor location and moved factory over to other side and also in the radiator neck. I've usually put the gauge in a center vent 2 gauge pod that retains vents or on pillar. If you have a cowl you could get away with mounting one in that. Personally I'd put it in a vent gauge.

Few pics of my 89 and 93 set up.

Interesting, thanks for the pics.

 

[Nutty 5.o]

NP; just some ideas.

 

[Keith5.0GT]

NP; just some ideas.

Just ordered a gauge and the single pillar mount deal. Looks pretty good. Wish I could just put a better gauge in the factory spot. But I think this will look clean.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I put a mechanical on an a pillar. Pita. Next time I'll go electric or spring for full sweep electric

Water and oil are what id run. Boost if applicable

Boost will swap for electric oil pressure soon. I was using it to check vacuum levels as a buddy gave it to me after offloading his car years ago.

Btw....LED bulbs look great in them

 

[mikestang63]

i've installed them in several locations

• A pillar
  
• center console below the radio
• instrument cluster in a 5.0 Florida panel
• on the cowl

There are many ways to do this. It is all up to you.
Personally, I am not a fan of mechanical water or oil gauges in street car, as I dont want to take any chance of hot liquids spewing all over the interior if a line breaks.

center console of my 86

A pillar pod in my 90

 

[Keith5.0GT]

I put a mechanical on an a pillar. Pita. Next time I'll go electric or spring for full sweep electric

Water and oil are what id run. Boost if applicable

Boost will swap for electric oil pressure soon. I was using it to check vacuum levels as a buddy gave it to me after offloading his car years ago.

Btw....LED bulbs look great in them

Nice. I got a mechanical for the pillar on the way so I’m sorry hear it was a pita. Guess I’ll know why after I install it.

 

[Keith5.0GT]

i've installed them in several locations

• A pillar
  
• center console below the radio
• instrument cluster in a 5.0 Florida panel
• on the cowl

There are many ways to do this. It is all up to you.
Personally, I am not a fan of mechanical water or oil gauges in street car, as I dont want to take any chance of hot liquids spewing all over the interior if a line breaks.

center console of my 86

A pillar pod in my 90

Well dang, I’ve got a mechanical gauge on the way because I thought they were better just from the little bit I’ve read. Too late now but I guess I’ll do some more research on them.

 

[Steel1]

Electric full sweep in the A-pillar along with electric oil pressure.

 

[Mustang5L5]

oil on the cabin is why I removed my mechanical oil pressure gauge. The nylon tube they give you cracks. Really need to run a braided stainless line in.

Mechanical water temp guage uses capillary tubing which is a fluid bulb and long copper tubing. Can't bend or kink it, so routing to the a pillar is just difficult.

Swapping for electric full sweep on my list to do.

 

[2000xp8]

You can use the copper line for oil, in fact i'd say it's a requirement.
Me personally, I like mechanical.
The oil gauge does have it's risks, but there isn't much to worry about with the water temp gauge.

I've yet to find a place for a gauge that makes me happy.
I have the 2 in the vents now, but I want them gone.
Hate them on the pillar, wish we had the column pod like you can get on other cars.

I also don't see a ton of use for 50 gauges. The a/f shouldn't change and I don't believe boost serves a real purpose, I can't image being under full throttle and watching boost instead of the road.
I really just like oil pressure and water temp and even with the oil pressure i'm not so sure that by the time the gauge notes lows pressure the problem isn't already catastrophic...

 

[Keith5.0GT]

You can use the copper line for oil, in fact i'd say it's a requirement.
Me personally, I like mechanical.
The oil gauge does have it's risks, but there isn't much to worry about with the water temp gauge.

I've yet to find a place for a gauge that makes me happy.
I have the 2 in the vents now, but I want them gone.
Hate them on the pillar, wish we had the column pod like you can get on other cars.

I also don't see a ton of use for 50 gauges. The a/f shouldn't change and I don't believe boost serves a real purpose, I can't image being under full throttle and watching boost instead of the road.
I really just like oil pressure and water temp and even with the oil pressure i'm not so sure that by the time the gauge notes lows pressure the problem isn't already catastrophic...

.

Well I guess I have more to think about. Gauge comes Thursday so I’ll place it around in different spots and see what I like best. The single a pillar pod mounted low on pillar seemed good so I ordered that. But there is always a custom option. I want to keep my vents, and the stock gauge for that matter, but I’m tired of watching the guage and wondering what my temp really is lol.

 

[kendawg73]

When I get my car back together, I bought a Mechanical water and oil gauge that I'm installing in a gauge cluster I bought that mounts below the radio...

Mechanical water can't leak inside right? water is not going into the line right????

for the mechanical Oil, I'm tossing out the line that came with it, and using a SS line that I bought....

 

[Keith5.0GT]

I put a mechanical on an a pillar. Pita. Next time I'll go electric or spring for full sweep electric

Water and oil are what id run. Boost if applicable

Boost will swap for electric oil pressure soon. I was using it to check vacuum levels as a buddy gave it to me after offloading his car years ago.

Btw....LED bulbs look great in them

Well I thought about it, and amazon had an auto meter full sweep electrical gauge on sale for $66. It was the last one so I got it. Not a black background like I wanted but I saved $113.00 haha. Thanks for the info. Gonna return the other gauge whenever it gets here.

 

[larrym1961]

I have an Autometer digital Water Temp Gauge in a dual A-pillar pod seems to work well for me.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Does someone make a single 1 1/16" guage that will cycle through a few options?

I'd like to "degauge" my car and just install one unit that can do a few things like oil pressure, water temp, fuel pressure, etc.

I know I can do a custom guage cluster...

 

[2000xp8]

Does someone make a single 1 1/16" guage that will cycle through a few options?

I'd like to "degauge" my car and just install one unit that can do a few things like oil pressure, water temp, fuel pressure, etc.

I know I can do a custom guage cluster...

There are 2 1/16 options if that's what you meant.
I planned on getting an aeroforce analogic setup (Not the obdII model).
I just haven't figured out where yet. Needs to be visible, but not "hey look at me" which is what i think when I see them on the pillar.

The issue with the multigauges is that each time you check a box you are adding $100 on top of the staring point of like $250.

 

[1989LXFOX]

Glowshift has a great package for three 2/16" gauges and a 3 cluster A pillar mount. I got a water temp, oil pressure (which was most expensive) and vacuum gauge for less than $200. Killed the price I got from LMR for just an OP & WT gauges and 2 cluster A pillar mount.

 

[Keith5.0GT]

Well I got my auto meter long sweep gauge in. My factory gauge would read right in the middle but would idle a bit cooler, and turning on the headlights made the temp gauge go up a hair. Now I know, my first drive with the outside temp at 39* that my car runs at 188* and will idle around 192*. No more guessing. No weird fluctuations. Cooling system is all new with 195 tstat.