Temp Gauge

[Junqueboi]

The pic you took of your engine has the warning lamp sending switch installed -- that's not a gauge sending unit.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by RedBed

Spoke to classicparts.com and asked them if they could tell me what sensor went with the gauge they sent me, and the only info they could give me was for the one they sell, which is their part number.

So I peeled back the sticker on their box, and under it was the distributor of the gauge (counterpart automotive) and called them, and they told me AC Delco G1852 was the right sensor.

So I ordered it and have my fingers crossed.

AC Delco G1852 is the replacement for the Nailhead sensor GM used from 73-78 on the squarebodies. The G1852 also drives the Corvette and F-Body restoration guys up the wall because it's "not correct"... as in the thermistor resistance curve doesn't exactly match the original GM 1513321 sensor.

My read on it is that it drives the gauge somewhere near where the original sender did and you can see the gauge rising abnormally fast if the engine starts to overheat... so it works. It's close but whether it makes you happy is what matters.

Since the 1978-1980 trucks used the tang style senders I listed in my previous post you may not have the Packard 56 Female connector shell with a slot that fits the nailhead sensor. The internal Packard 56 terminal will fit into either the slotted or slotless shell just extract it, re-shape the locking tang and slide into the now shell. The slotted shell is AC Delco 6288704.

[RedBed]

At this point my thoughts are to get the gauge cluster working, and have the additional temp gauge under the dash where it was.

You know, like belt AND suspenders.