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#1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
Posts: 4,125
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Temp sender question
Does anyone know the resistance/ohms of our temp senders?
The reason I ask is I am swapping an LS engine in and am looking for a temp sender that might screw into the LS head without an adapter that would work with our factory gauges that I am keeping (for now) I know some of you smart guys have a good answer' |
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#2 |
Active Member
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Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: Temp sender question
ttt for you.
I looked through my mnauals and couldn't find the answer to that one. Probably would be just as easy to buy one and take a reading off of it. Local auto parts store has them for about $5. Or ask them to take a resistance reading on one for you. If you do a lot of business with a local parts store they usually will try to help you if they're not super busy. |
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#3 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
Posts: 4,125
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
![]() I also think the ohm reading is at like 160-200 degrees so reading them cold won't help. The answer is out there and when I find it I will help others and tell them!! Thanks BTW Last edited by Thealien; 12-17-2009 at 08:17 PM. |
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#4 |
member #16
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Location: Yuba City Ca.
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Re: Temp sender question
Heres a link to cutting a 1/2 npt down to 3/8 npt to keep from using a bell reducer adapter. Also some of the trucks have put them in the intake manifold.
There has been more posts on cutting them down, I just haven't found them. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=196755
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW, TX
Posts: 764
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Re: Temp sender question
Most aftermarket guages use a range of 33 to 240 for all the gauges. Many OEMs are a different range. Not sure what the range is for the factory truck sender but it would not surprise me if it is the same range as the factory LS temp sender.
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
I sure whish that was the case but the LS temp sender is wired to the PCM instead of the gauge. If it were that easy (I really hope/wish it was) I think the few places doing the swaps would be using just a sensor instead of using all the adapters. On LS1tech there is a guy that had his turned down and threaded 12 X 1.5 mm that the thread for the sensor is but his was a newer engine with a smaller sender. The smallest part of my sending unit is 13mm+ which is bigger than the 12 mm hole.
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#7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
No putting them in the intake of the LS engines, they are plastic with no coolant running through them. |
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#8 | |
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Location: DFW, TX
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Re: Temp sender question
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#9 | |
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Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
The guy turning them down to 3/8ths hasn't been on in over a year? |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Russellville, Arkansas
Posts: 1,699
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Re: Temp sender question
Drill and tap the head for the larger sender. Its been done by members on LS1 tech.com. Also, on my 96 Blazer I used an older model f-body sensor that hooked up and worked on my guage. Can't remember what year it was for but I got the idea off ls1tech.com also. Both ideas were for the passwenger side head, leaving the sensor for the computer in the drivers side head. Good luck. JIM
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#11 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
There is also an idea to drill and tap the brass block heater plug. A temp sensor is just a resistence that changes due to temp. There has to be one out there somewhere that will screw into the 12 X 1.5mm head hole and work with our gauges! |
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#12 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW, TX
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
When I googled this I did find one comment stating that NAPA had the resistance values for all the senders in their catalog. It lead to a dead end for that person as well. I found a couple of other threads where people were turning down other senders but now I can't find them. I don't remember what I searched for but I was searching with google. Good luck on this. If I find anything I will post it back. |
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#13 | |
Senior Member
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Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
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#14 |
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Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454
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Re: Temp sender question
Wouldn't it be easier to build an adapter to go from 3/8" NPT female to a 12 male, you could start with brass octagon stock(to put a wrench on) and build it from there.
Wire size, or ballast resistor, could be used to change to the required value. Electrical section might be of more help on this problem...REALLY smart guys down there!
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Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW, TX
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Re: Temp sender question
Thought about that as well. Most OEMs use different values than each other by design. The OEMs do not want you to use a sender from another make. Most aftermarket uses the same values. The aftermarket wants to be sure if you have a chance you will buy their stuff. IE: replacing a SW gauge with a AutoMeter. If you had to buy the sender as well it may sway your decision.
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#16 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW, TX
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Re: Temp sender question
Check this site. It's a little hard to find but they have NPT adapters from 12mm to 1/8-1/4-3/8, or 1/2-inch NPT There is also an article on a 5.3 swap into a truck. I know you didn't want to use an adapter. I would call them and see what they say. Seems that they have done several of the swaps.
http://www.hotrodlane.cc
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#17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
Posts: 4,125
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
My sensor that I removed is too large to have turned down on a lathe to fit. The sensor part is larger than the 12 mm hole (about 13.5mm). I ordered a couple of sensors online and maybe the newer aftermarket ones will be able to be turned down? |
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#18 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
I do believe the aftermarket gauge manufacturers think this way as that is their only business. |
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#19 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
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Re: Temp sender question
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#20 | |
Senior Member
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Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
__________________
Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim |
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#21 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pine Ridge Florida
Posts: 4,125
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Re: Temp sender question
Quote:
I have emailed manufacturers and companies that deal with nothing but temperature sensors and nobody is able to come up with anything. I guess first I will see the sensors that I have ordered and maybe they will be able to be turned down to the 12 X 1.5mm thread. If that doesn't work I "may" turn my engine on the stand so where I have to drill is on the bottom, put grease on the bit and tap and use a vacuum also? |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Russellville, Arkansas
Posts: 1,699
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Re: Temp sender question
Try the 98 LS1 temp sensor. You'll use only the guage pins on it. The other pin goes to the pcm. I tried to get a pic of mine like i said on LS1 tech, but the thing is so tightly packed in my s10 Blazer it was a no go. The sensor fits in the passenger head without adapters. It is most likely same resistance as you're original sensor. Good luck. Jim
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#23 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Russellville, Arkansas
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Re: Temp sender question
This is for a 99 Ls1 Camaro.http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.co...DETS10076.html
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#24 |
Senior Member
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Location: Centennial, CO
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Re: Temp sender question
You can change the calibration of the gauge by changing the resistor on the back. I did this on mine because my 454 tends to run around 200 and that was in the red on my factory calibrated gauge. I think the original resistor is 66 ohms and I changed to a 75 ohm resistor. It put the needle in the middle at 195, where my stat opens. That was 2 years ago and i didn't write down my test values, DOH.
I used my laptop to read the temp value in my ECU and hooked in a variable resistor to the gauge to 'set' it where I wanted it. Then it was just a matter of installing the right ohm value resistor on the back of the gauge. I bet this would work for your LSx, or any temp sender for that matter.
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Russellville, Arkansas
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Re: Temp sender question
Sorry, i used the 99 Fbody temp sensor, not 98. Jim
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