Arggggg!!!!!

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Went to "pull" the sending unit on the new 350 motor. But first....

At the direction of a new friend on the list here, I understand that the sending unit for the temp meter in the '83 was set up for the smaller diameter (3/8" threads) sending unit. Using the old (bigger) sending unit, the temp reads at 260 almost immediately...Which I know is wrong.

The larger sending unit I want to remove (1/2' threads) is in the block on the driver's side near the exhaust manifold, as I see is the traditional spot.

So I pulled the sender out of the old 305 motor that's now on the stand, went to the hardware store and got an adapter (3/8" > 1/2" threads). Teflon taped them up (picture).

As I said, went to pull the sender out of the 350, which is now in the truck.

1) 15/16" deep socket, 3/8 drive, 2 extentions to get around the brake lines, etc.

2) No go. Move to 3/8 *breaker bar*. Nope.

2b) Pipe on the end off the breaker-bar. No again.

3) I didn't have a 1/2" deep 15/16ths. So I adapted the 3/8 to the 1/2" breaker. Threw away the pipe. Grabbed a fat handle off of my 3 ton floor jack. Put the sweat to her.

4) Nope.

5) Pulled out the electric impact..."Oh No!!! Not on Brass......"

6) Ratta=tatta-Tatta-Ratta-Tatta-tat.

7) Nope.

8) Lost some Brass. But a 15/16 still fits....A little less "bite", and some shiny flakes around the work area.

9) Sender's still in.

10) Question the '83's parentage.

11) Realized that was not fair.

12) Quiestioned the parentage Previous Owner of the 350 motor.

Can I screw in to the threads at the plug at the top of the water pump?
Any other place anybody would recommend?

I'm hot. I'm tired, and I'm sweaty. Can anybody save me?

[gchemist]

Lesson number one!! Remove the teflon tape!! The unit should not have any type tape or sealant. The brass must touch the block.

My 83 had the bigger plug. Now are you using aftermarket gauges? If so you then you need the sending unit recommended by the manufacturer. If you using the stock gauges then the larger should work fine.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by gchemist

Lesson number one!! Remove the teflon tape!! The unit should not have any type tape or sealant. The brass must touch the block.

My 83 had the bigger plug. Now are you using aftermarket gauges? If so you then you need the sending unit recommended by the manufacturer. If you using the stock gauges then the larger should work fine.

Thanks. Lesson learned. The big sending unit does not work. I think it is a stock guage. However 83-07 is a long time.

What I *do* know, is the big plug sending unit does not work. The small one worked prior to installing the 350. All the stock electrics were retained, except for the big plug sending unit. It reads 260->>>>>>> while driving. The motor is not hot. Thanks, partly to a new 4 core mondo radiator....

I can't get the big sending unit out. I am more than ready to abandon the spot it sits for another that I can thread in the small sending unit, or the adapter, *and then* the small sending unit.

Can I use that plug spot on the top of the water pump? After removing the teflon tape?

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Since she just got "home", and I asking everybody for help all the time, I figured I'd send a couple of pictures.

Lots of plans.

Thanks to all.

[gchemist]

Try the original size plug without the teflon tape.
Very nice truck. These trucks look good in one solid color.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Thanks. I hadn't been a stepper fan since high school. Saw this one for $3,900. I have to be careful. I've already put more in than....well, what the heck?

She's a keeper.

I guess the advice I'm looking for is where to put a sending unit in. The big one is stuck in the block in the "normal" place. Won't come out.

So I want to try the "original. But I need to find a hole for it.....*Without*the tape, of course. I'm a pretty fast learner.

[gchemist]

Use a bolt out kit to remove the unit. The head is the best place for the sending unit. Next would be the intake ports.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by gchemist

Use a bolt out kit to remove the unit. The head is the best place for the sending unit. Next would be the intake ports.

Well, I answered this tonight by pulling the plug at the top of the water pump, putting in the 1/2'' adapter in its place, with the sender in (3/8" pipe). I removed *some* of the teflon tape. I figure I'd rather have no temp reading than coolant all over a burned up new rebuilt 350.......But I got the best of both worlds.

Yes! The 305 dash temp gage (83 stepside) wants the smaller sending unit.
No! The 350 hole is wrong and the 350 stock sender out of an '86 will register a 240-260 erroneously with the '83 guage.

Yes! It runs nice and cool with a big old 4 core. And I can prove it now.

Yes! I am lame. I'm still going to put the electric MKIII fan in her.

[ElGracho]

What about the other head? They're the same so it should have the hole too.

The sender that doesn't work is probably for an idiot light rather than a gage.

The stuck one might come out with heat, on the other hand if it's that stuck, it might be best to leave it alone.

[Slonaker]

I would try the other head as Joe suggested, or maybe the intake.

Slonaker

[Ivan D.]

Originally Posted by magwakeenercew2jh

Can anybody save me?

Will it make you feel any better if I tell you that I went through exact same process trying to remove the temp sender from my 350, with the same result too? About the only thing I didn't try was an acetylene torch, but somehow I don't think that would work with brass expanding more than steel..

That's a real nice truck you go there by the way, it's a 2wd right? Where did you get the fender "eyebrows" and the chrome covers for the side steps ?

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by Ivan D.

That's a real nice truck you go there by the way, it's a 2wd right? Where did you get the fender "eyebrows" and the chrome covers for the side steps ?

Thanks on the compliment.

So...What was you "final fix"?

It's a 2wd. The P.O. did all the chrome stickies. I'm not a chrome guy. But dumping some of this bling might bring some of the same "bigger hole" problems as the sending unit.

I think he got the goods from Jegs.

I put in the solid rear window, had the 350 put in, new 4-core radiator, am about to start an electric fan install, and bought carpet and a couple of leather buckets (gray) out of a 2002 Blazer.

Needs to have some regular stuff...Windows vibrate because the runners (whatever you call them at the bottom inside and out) are roached. The quad is leaking a little and needs a rebuild...soon.

I got a free quadrajet when I bought an Edelbrock nitrous system from a friend.....Can't take the racer out of the Boy, you know.

More to follow. Questions, pics and calls for help and "Uncle".

Thanks again.

[Ivan D.]

Final fix? Never fixed it, just took a IR gun from work and measured temperatures, so now if the needled ain't well past gauge's red area I ain't worried about it.

[killthewabbit]

I had this same problem. My final "fix" was to put the sender in the intake. I even used teflon tape. The gauge seems to read consistently 10 degrees higher than before, but I don't think the actual temp has changed from before.

Sorry I'm late to the party. Nice step, by the way.