New (to me) numbered oil temp gauge

[arob]

I scored a numbered temp / press gauge off of Pelican, and swapped it in the SC tonight. I did the "plug n' play" method by transferring all connections from one to the other, and everything seems to work (both gauge lights, alt. light) except the oil temp gauge.

I just got done driving it around for about 30 minutes, and the needle only hit a hair just above 120. When the key is off, the needle lays well below the 120 mark, and when in the "on" position, it slightly rises to just under the 120 mark, so I'm assuming it's getting some power to it (pardon me, but I don't know sh!t about electronics).

Also looking at the Pelican site, the numbered gauge they offer has a "one prong" type of sender
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/images/John1/vdo_oil_temp_kit.jpg
and the one I got came with a 3 prong. Do I have a bad gauge? Bad/wrong sender?

Thoughts are appreciated.

[arob]

Did a search on Pelican, and it appears that I need the correct sender.

[Cliff Claven]

sender and guage are paired and need to be backdated together.

[arob]

Thanks Cliff - and if I read the diagram correctly, the sender is on the lower R rear side of the engine as you look into the engine bay, correct?

If so, I can barely access it because I still have AC. Not sure I want to tackle this one on my own.:|

[smdubovsky]

Rob,
Im 85% sure both the temp & press sender is on the R oil cam feed line - right under the AC. Its really not that hard to move the AC. FWIW, there is another sender around the thermostat area on the top back of the motor, but I think that ones a thermotime switch for the CIS. You'll have to excuse my fuzzy memory as its been a while since I've had CIS.

FWIW, I had a problem backdating the sender on my early SC motor in the teener. The sender I removed and the new one had different thread sizes. Not sure if thats a problem w/ all of them or a complication due to the carrera tensioners retrofitted on mine.

SMD

[arob]

Thanks Stephen -

The gauge was a direct swap - so no problems there. Everything works except for the temp gauge. I'll address this next week, as I am heading out to Deep Creek Lake in a couple hours. :D

[smdubovsky]

Opps, I meant the sender had different threads. It wasn't an easy remove old sender, insert new one kinda deal.

My gauge is an original early glass faced / silver center one that had the numbered temp lines from the factory. The SC motor had the later SC sender so the two never worked together correctly. The DAPO never made that connection...

Actually the more I think about it, it was the oil PRESS sender that had problems w/ the different threads. The temp sender was the same. The good news is that that one sticks out towards the rear under the AC and should be able to replace w/o removing the AC.

[Lupin..the..3rd]

Oil temp senders are all threaded the same. plug-n-play!

[cmartin]

Simple install and worthwhile upgrade. It's straight forward to move the compressor and mount out of the way, just a few bolts. I was able to swap mine without it though, try a few different wrenches, it can be done.

[arob]

Simple install and worthwhile upgrade. It's straight forward to move the compressor and mount out of the way, just a few bolts. I was able to swap mine without it though, try a few different wrenches, it can be done.

cmartin - You are correct. I took a longer, better look at the sender, and I think I can access it without messing with the AC. But, just to be sure that I'm looking at the correct sender, can you confirm that this is the right one to be replacing? (Pardon the filthy engine / bay)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/rtalastas/Temp%20Sender%20and%20Valve%20Cover%20Gasket/TempSenderandValveCoverGasket020.jpg

I recall swapping out a green/black-striped wire to one of the prongs of the temp gauge when I did the replacement, so is it safe to assume that this is the correct one? I've got the sender on order, and if it comes in over the weekend, I'll try to replace it then.

[Trak Ratt]

Rob, that's the right sender. Most find that though they can see and reach the sender they can't get it tight without moving the AC.

I agree that the senders all have the same threads but seem to remember some early engines used adapters to mount to cases. Like logic my mem is fuzzy on the details.

[smdubovsky]

The red one is the temp sender, the blue one is the pressure sender. You can verify this yourself by disconnecting the wire, turn the key to the on position, and verify the gauge stopped reading (will jump to either zero or full-scale. If you ground the wire to the block, the gauge will jump to the opposite reading.)

[arob]

Will do, Stephen. Thanks. :)

[arob]

Rob, that's the right sender. Most find that though they can see and reach the sender they can't get it tight without moving the AC.

I agree that the senders all have the same threads but seem to remember some early engines used adapters to mount to cases. Like logic my mem is fuzzy on the details.

Thanks, DR. Hopefully I can fenagle my way in there w/o having to move the AC.

[BlackTalon]

Thanks, DR. Hopefully I can fenagle my way in there w/o having to move the AC.If you have trouble doing this, you could always work on it at the tech inspecion in late March -- that way there would be people around to show you how to pull the compressor. It's pretty easy, and you can leave the lines hooked up.

[arob]

Thanks, DD. Hopefully I can tackle this, but it is good to know that I can be schooled at tech.

[BlackTalon]

Thanks, DD. Hopefully I can tackle this, but it is good to know that I can be schooled at tech.Bascially just need to remove the bolts (4, I think), loosen the tensioning bolt and slip the belt off the pully. Reinstall is the reverse (i.e., set the compressor position via tensioning bolt, then install the four securement bolts).

[arob]

Bascially just need to remove the bolts (4, I think), loosen the tensioning bolt and slip the belt off the pully. Reinstall is the reverse (i.e., set the compressor position via tensioning bolt, then install the four securement bolts).

David - Thanks much for the tip. KFJ offered assistance, so I took him up on this last night. It was pretty easy, and we did end up having to move the A/C. Who would have thought that moving the compressor out of the way was so easy? :)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/rtalastas/Temp%20Sender/TempSender2.jpg

Kirk, many thanks for your help. Nice garage, BTW. :)

[Trak Ratt]

David - Thanks much for the tip. KFJ offered assistance, so I took him up on this last night. It was pretty easy, and we did end up having to move the A/C. Who would have thought that moving the compressor out of the way was so easy? :)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/rtalastas/Temp%20Sender/TempSender2.jpg

Kirk, many thanks for your help. Nice garage, BTW. :)Glad(e) it worked out for you! How does the new gauge work? Just a note to Carrera owners. Your AC stand is aluminum and the "tension adjuster" bolt on the side can and will break your stand if you ain't careful. Not a show stopper if it does, but just look it over to see how it works before you start wrenching on it. And yes, I've busted em. Life can be a good though unforgiving teacher :bang:

[arob]

Glad(e) it worked out for you! How does the new gauge work?

Dave - After we installed it, I tested by turning the key to the "on" position. Gauge went to about 180. On the drive home (Leesburg to Herndon), the gauge kept at just under 180. I was thinking that by it being cold outside last night, that seemed about right. The sticker in the engine bay says that operating temp is 178, so I think it's working. Before replacing the sender, the gauge barely got over the 120 mark.

It's supposed to warm up a bit on Sunday, so I'll see if it reads the same. Maybe 50 degrees ambient temperature is still too cool for the gauge to read differently?

[Jase007]

Rob:

It'll read up to 178 (180) at that is the correct / most efficient operating temperature for the engine. If you have an external t-stat to the oil cooler in the fender ... it too will open around 180F to assist the on-engine oil cooler which is also trying to maintain 180F operating temperature.

If you want to see it move ... commute in traffic to work one day with the all electric on and AC running. :)

[KFJ]

Kirk, many thanks for your help. Nice garage, BTW. :)

No sweat, anytime! Nice to see an assembled engine for a change :).

[turbo23dog]

I did the switch to a numbered temp gauge in my SC last year. It always reads about 180 most days in the winter and 210 or a bit higher in the summer.

[arob]

I did the switch to a numbered temp gauge in my SC last year. It always reads about 180 most days in the winter and 210 or a bit higher in the summer.

Thanks, Rich. That's good to know.

[Lupin..the..3rd]

I did the switch to a numbered temp gauge in my SC last year. It always reads about 180 most days in the winter and 210 or a bit higher in the summer.

I see similar numbers in my carrera. ~180 in winter. A little less than 210 in summer. 220-230 at the track (in summer).

[}{arlequin]

my gauge never even budges during this season

[Lupin..the..3rd]

my gauge never even budges during this season
The wire needs to be attached to the sender. Otherwise, gauge won't work. :p

[}{arlequin]

my tongue told me that wire was to ground

[VaSteve]

Guys, does your numbers temperature gauge light up at night? I bought one from a '69 at Hershey a few years ago and finally swapped it in this morning. There is no place to hook up the illumination light like the '83 version so it's going to float in the space behind the dash for the time being. Do the new (than 69) version of these have a place to stick the bulb?


Here's a comparison of what I took out and put in. It's too fragile to take the 69 gauge apart and put it in the chassis of the 83. Grrr. Try and save a couple of bucks 2 years ago. :rolleyes:

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/1596/cimg3615oj9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[KFJ]

You'll be fine. I got one from a 70 or so without a spot for the bulb and though it is dim the light from the pressure gauge is enough to see the temp gauge. Pull the bulb and tape up the socket though.

[VaSteve]

You'll be fine. I got one from a 70 or so without a spot for the bulb and though it is dim the light from the pressure gauge is enough to see the temp gauge. Pull the bulb and tape up the socket though.


Yeah, I can see it, but I'm not happy. It's all about the appearance you know. I'm moving this to fail thread. :) Well, that and I crossed up 2 plug wires with my valve adjustment. It ran so bad when I started it, I thought I was going to have a coronary. Damn things crossed up under the intake manifold and I didn't spot it.