Semi-DIY Water Temp Gauge (PICS)
11-26-2003
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Semi-DIY Water Temp Gauge (PICS)
Ok... I put up one thread on this, and obviously it didn't work too well cuz I had no pics... well now I do. So this might make some sense now.
It says semi-DIY cuz its not something you can do without access to a machine shop or big enough ***** to drill and tap your engine block (I chose the first one).
So... it goes relatively straight forward. Refer yourself to the DIY for the Oil Gauges in the DIY section for how to wire the gauges in the car, I'll skip that right now.
If you take the machine shop option, which I highly recommend you do... its a lot easier to reverse.
You need to turn and bore a fitting that is 30mm in diameter with about a 26mm ID. Leave a boss in the center about 36mm in diameter so you can drill and tap a 1/8" NPT hole for the sensor and a 6-32 hole for a grounding strap. Give yourself about 3/4" on either side of the boss to put into the hose and get a hose clamp onto. It is wise to check that the temp sensor goes in far enough that the threads will seal, and not so far that you bottom the sensor out on the other wall of the adapter. NPT threads are tapered, so have the sender with you while you're tapping. When the end of it is about in the middle of the adapter, thats good. Take it out, put teflon sealing paste or tape on the threads and thread it in tight. If you don't have a 6-32 bottom tap, then you're going to have to drill and tap straight through. IF you have to do this, then use some permanent Loctite (the red kind) to lock and seal the threads for the ground screw. Do this after the wire is attached.
You need to cut the upper radiator hose. Find the straight section in the middle and use a hacksaw to cut through it STRAIGHT. If the car is cool (which it should be), then you should just need a soup can to catch the little coolant that comes out of the hose. Don't expect a shower. I don't think I lost more than 6 oz of antifreeze when I cut it. You'll need to trim about 1/2 an inch of hose after you make the first cut so there is room to for the boss to go (it will displace a section of the hose). Once you've done that, slip a hose clamp on the radiator hose and work the fitting all the way into the hose. Repeat for the other side. The sensor should be in the fitting already. I also had the ground wire hooked up before I put it in the car... thats a smart idea. Especially if you have to loctite the screw in place (this isn't a bad idea, even if you didn't drill all the way through.
Hook up the sensor to the sender wire you have running into the car. Hook the ground wire up to the engine block grounding point on the front right corner of the block.
Thats pretty much it. It takes some time to machine the fitting and stuff, but its not hard if you know what you're doing.
If you ever want to remove it, the radiator hose is $10... don't worry about it.
If you're lazy, don't have access to a machine shop, whatever, GReddy makes adapter fittings. They're around $30, BUT they're made for GReddy sending units. They're metric and I don't know what they look like. It would take some modifying to get the autometer sender in there, or you could spend $100 on a GReddy temp gauge.
It says semi-DIY cuz its not something you can do without access to a machine shop or big enough ***** to drill and tap your engine block (I chose the first one).
So... it goes relatively straight forward. Refer yourself to the DIY for the Oil Gauges in the DIY section for how to wire the gauges in the car, I'll skip that right now.
If you take the machine shop option, which I highly recommend you do... its a lot easier to reverse.
You need to turn and bore a fitting that is 30mm in diameter with about a 26mm ID. Leave a boss in the center about 36mm in diameter so you can drill and tap a 1/8" NPT hole for the sensor and a 6-32 hole for a grounding strap. Give yourself about 3/4" on either side of the boss to put into the hose and get a hose clamp onto. It is wise to check that the temp sensor goes in far enough that the threads will seal, and not so far that you bottom the sensor out on the other wall of the adapter. NPT threads are tapered, so have the sender with you while you're tapping. When the end of it is about in the middle of the adapter, thats good. Take it out, put teflon sealing paste or tape on the threads and thread it in tight. If you don't have a 6-32 bottom tap, then you're going to have to drill and tap straight through. IF you have to do this, then use some permanent Loctite (the red kind) to lock and seal the threads for the ground screw. Do this after the wire is attached.
You need to cut the upper radiator hose. Find the straight section in the middle and use a hacksaw to cut through it STRAIGHT. If the car is cool (which it should be), then you should just need a soup can to catch the little coolant that comes out of the hose. Don't expect a shower. I don't think I lost more than 6 oz of antifreeze when I cut it. You'll need to trim about 1/2 an inch of hose after you make the first cut so there is room to for the boss to go (it will displace a section of the hose). Once you've done that, slip a hose clamp on the radiator hose and work the fitting all the way into the hose. Repeat for the other side. The sensor should be in the fitting already. I also had the ground wire hooked up before I put it in the car... thats a smart idea. Especially if you have to loctite the screw in place (this isn't a bad idea, even if you didn't drill all the way through.
Hook up the sensor to the sender wire you have running into the car. Hook the ground wire up to the engine block grounding point on the front right corner of the block.
Thats pretty much it. It takes some time to machine the fitting and stuff, but its not hard if you know what you're doing.
If you ever want to remove it, the radiator hose is $10... don't worry about it.
If you're lazy, don't have access to a machine shop, whatever, GReddy makes adapter fittings. They're around $30, BUT they're made for GReddy sending units. They're metric and I don't know what they look like. It would take some modifying to get the autometer sender in there, or you could spend $100 on a GReddy temp gauge.
11-26-2003
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Rep Power: 787 Looks really nice from the pics. Go to blockbuster and get matching plastic! Although it does look good with aluminum.
11-26-2003
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Rep Power: 560 Originally posted by gearbox
Go to blockbuster and get matching plastic!
Go to blockbuster and get matching plastic!
???? the only blockbuster i know of is a place to rent movies
otherwise i like it, i like ur pedals too i have the same ones just in blue and what is the lil green light in between the two guages do
11-26-2003
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Jap-Euro Fusion
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lil green light in between the two guages do
11-26-2003
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Rep Power: 400 Originally posted by C2i0v0i1c
what does it do just come on and stay on while vtec is in action
what does it do just come on and stay on while vtec is in action
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