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How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge

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Old 07-22-2012, 02:35 PM
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Smile How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge - EDIT: added oil pressure howto +pics

Parts:

Auto Meter 1436
Fitting, Bung, Weld-In, Female 1/8 in. NPT, Aluminum, Each

Took my thermostat housing down to the local weld shop and had them weld in the sender bung for 20 bucks.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-fsvbl.jpg

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-dpejb.jpg

Upon removing the thermostat I destroyed the threads on the intake manifold that bolt the thermostat in place. Notice the non-existent threads on the left hole.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-bdk82.jpg

A helicoil fixed that right up. Also brand new OEM thermostat.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-idtmy.jpg

Finally put back together

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-jgjtm.jpg

Now for the gauge install. I am getting a gauge pillar soon but for now this location would suffice.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-fzhvt.jpg

Little bit of Scotch double sided sticky tape and its mounted.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-avpco.jpg

How I routed my wiring.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-cck8b.jpg

I should've used a color that stands out a little less.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-t6u36.jpg

Last edited by xylicon; 07-28-2012 at 03:02 PM. Reason: edit - new pics!
Old 07-22-2012, 03:29 PM
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Cover that wire with wire loam and it will blend right in. Nice idea on the bung.
Old 07-22-2012, 04:28 PM
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Now you just need to reconnect your vacuum lines.
Old 07-22-2012, 05:39 PM
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Dude those butterfly floor mats are so cool!!! Retro written all over them!!!! Also did you fix that split line in pic 5? Anyway looks good.
Old 07-22-2012, 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Discombobulated
Dude those butterfly floor mats are so cool!!! Retro written all over them!!!! Also did you fix that split line in pic 5? Anyway looks good.
I couldn't remove those vacuum lines so I had to cut them, I have since replaced them.
Old 07-22-2012, 06:03 PM
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Looks great. Good work there.

I have to ask as I don't know, if the thermostat should fail to open, then the location of the temp probe wont detect the over-heating of the engine coolant, correct?

That's why the OEM temp probe is on the cylinder head side of the thermostat, right?
Old 07-22-2012, 06:08 PM
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Originally Posted by slow-mo
Looks great. Good work there.

I have to ask as I don't know, if the thermostat should fail to open, then the location of the temp probe wont detect the over-heating of the engine coolant, correct?

That's why the OEM temp probe is on the cylinder head side of the thermostat, right?
I believe that is correct, that is why I left my stock gauge operational.
Old 07-22-2012, 06:14 PM
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OK, good. That's what I thought as well.

My OEM gauge doesn't work at all and I installed a Sunpro mechanical gauge in the same place as the OEM sensor.
Old 07-28-2012, 03:00 PM
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Figured someone would like to see how I installed my oil pressure gauge as well. See pics.

Installed gauge sender, had to use a converter for it to fit. LCE has the converter.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-bi8jx.jpg

I moved the stock gauge sender to the forward location right inside the engine mount, I like to have some kind of redundancy in all my gauges.

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-xtbvo.jpg

Side view

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-tk2nj.jpg

How I can see my gauges for the time being

How I installed my AutoMeter water temp gauge-oyhh8.jpg
Old 09-07-2012, 06:17 PM
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LCE makes a 3 hole pillar pod for your rig for 70 bucks. would look a little tidier than having them all over the place. but looks good, i just picked up the 3 piece set of autometer gauges gonna see how to get them in on my next days off.
Old 09-08-2012, 05:48 AM
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Red face

How did you ever get the water neck clean enough to weld??

Or did you just buy a new one.:jessica::jessica:
Old 09-08-2012, 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by wyoming9
How did you ever get the water neck clean enough to weld??

Or did you just buy a new one.:jessica::jessica:
I just ran it under a wire wheel for about 30 seconds, cleaned it right up in no time.
Old 09-08-2012, 09:52 AM
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Thanks for the post I like the water temp gauge sensor. You might want to look into getting an SR5 gauge cluster Its pretty much plug and play except you need to get an oil sending unit for the oil presure gauge to work. I replaced mine and love it you get the tach, volts, and oil pressure all in one and looks factory. Then you could put your water temp in the pilar with a vacuum gauge and something else. Just a thought.
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