Tough question- Wiring my temp gauge - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jakeslim · 09-02-2005, 12:02 AM

I have a stock temp gauge, but do not have the block sensor hooked up. In fact, there is no sensor. How do I go about wiring this up. I have an extra temp sender, but have no idea how to wire to the stock gauges.
If anyone knows, let me know so I can drive without the fear of imagining that the engine is overheating

JimKshortstep4x4 · 09-02-2005, 07:53 AM

I assume that you don't have the stock harness and you want to wire it direct. The temp gauge for these trucks are simple top hook up. There are two posts for hookup, (gauge gets grounded from the dash bezel). Looking at the gauge from the back the left post has the green wire from the block sender hooked to it. The right post has switched 12 volts hooked to it from the ignition switch.

Basically there are just two wires to worry about.

Jim

jakeslim · 09-02-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimKshortstep4x4

I assume that you don't have the stock harness and you want to wire it direct. The temp gauge for these trucks are simple top hook up. There are two posts for hookup, (gauge gets grounded from the dash bezel). Looking at the gauge from the back the left post has the green wire from the block sender hooked to it. The right post has switched 12 volts hooked to it from the ignition switch.

Basically there are just two wires to worry about.

Jim

Jim,
I have the stock harness plugged into the gauges, but nothing going to the engine. I have no idea what wire to look for etc from the harness. I'll bypass as you described above. Since the right post is most likely getting 12volts already, I'll just try and run the sender to the left post and see if that works.

thanks,
jakeslim

JimKshortstep4x4 · 09-02-2005, 08:43 PM

The sender wire is green and it should be in the harness that feeds the distributor.

Jim

**pjmoreland** · 09-05-2005, 02:06 AM

If you have the original heads on your engine, the sensor should be mounted on the side of the driver side head, in between the exhaust ports for cylinders 1 and 3. The sensor should look like the following picture. If you have some other style that you're planning on using, it probably won't work correctly.

Striker169 · 09-05-2005, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

If you have the original heads on your engine, the sensor should be mounted on the side of the driver side head, in between the exhaust ports for cylinders 1 and 3. The sensor should look like the following picture. If you have some other style that you're planning on using, it probably won't work correctly.

Can you buy those at like auto zone?

**pjmoreland** · 09-05-2005, 04:21 PM

Yes you can. Just tell them you have gauges, not warning lights.

**guyryan100** · 09-13-2005, 09:32 PM

On a related note, I have idiot lights - not gauges. I was thinking Napa must have given me the gauges sender because my temp light is always on. I've got Napa part #TS6469. But on their web site they indicate that the same sender works with gauges and lights. Any ideas?

**guyryan100** · 09-13-2005, 09:33 PM

And should there be any problem with my installing this in the intake manifold?

**pjmoreland** · 09-14-2005, 01:47 AM

Sounds like you have a sender for gauges. If you have newer heads that have smaller sensor ports, then putting the sender in the intake manifold is about your only option. I have mine threaded into the thermostat housing.

If you have idiot lights, the sender should look like this.

**guyryan100** · 09-14-2005, 12:50 PM

Anybody know what the resistance should be? This one is 72-88 ohm resistance at 220°F.

**pjmoreland** · 09-14-2005, 03:50 PM

If you have idiot lights, I believe there should be infinite resistance (open circuit) when the engine is cold or at normal operating temperature, and should have very low resistance (closed circuit) at excessively high temperatures. What resistance do you measure when the sender is cool?

The same sender will NOT work for both gauges and idiot lights.

09-02-2005, 12:02 AM	#1
jakeslim Premium Level Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern CA Posts: 829	Tough question- Wiring my temp gauge I have a stock temp gauge, but do not have the block sensor hooked up. In fact, there is no sensor. How do I go about wiring this up. I have an extra temp sender, but have no idea how to wire to the stock gauges. If anyone knows, let me know so I can drive without the fear of imagining that the engine is overheating __________________ 69 K5 CST stock- 350, 4speed 77 K5 - 383, auto, 6" lift, D60 front, 14b rear, 39" tsl's,

09-05-2005, 02:06 AM	#5
pjmoreland Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CA Posts: 5,530	If you have the original heads on your engine, the sensor should be mounted on the side of the driver side head, in between the exhaust ports for cylinders 1 and 3. The sensor should look like the following picture. If you have some other style that you're planning on using, it probably won't work correctly. Attached Images Last edited by pjmoreland; 09-05-2005 at 02:06 AM.

09-14-2005, 01:47 AM	#10
pjmoreland Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CA Posts: 5,530	Sounds like you have a sender for gauges. If you have newer heads that have smaller sensor ports, then putting the sender in the intake manifold is about your only option. I have mine threaded into the thermostat housing. If you have idiot lights, the sender should look like this. Attached Images

09-02-2005, 07:53 AM	#2
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	I assume that you don't have the stock harness and you want to wire it direct. The temp gauge for these trucks are simple top hook up. There are two posts for hookup, (gauge gets grounded from the dash bezel). Looking at the gauge from the back the left post has the green wire from the block sender hooked to it. The right post has switched 12 volts hooked to it from the ignition switch. Basically there are just two wires to worry about. Jim

09-02-2005, 08:43 PM	#4
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	The sender wire is green and it should be in the harness that feeds the distributor. Jim

09-05-2005, 04:21 PM	#7
pjmoreland Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CA Posts: 5,530	Yes you can. Just tell them you have gauges, not warning lights.

09-13-2005, 09:32 PM	#8
guyryan100 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cumming, GA Posts: 471	On a related note, I have idiot lights - not gauges. I was thinking Napa must have given me the gauges sender because my temp light is always on. I've got Napa part #TS6469. But on their web site they indicate that the same sender works with gauges and lights. Any ideas?

09-13-2005, 09:33 PM	#9
guyryan100 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cumming, GA Posts: 471	And should there be any problem with my installing this in the intake manifold?

09-14-2005, 12:50 PM	#11
guyryan100 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cumming, GA Posts: 471	Anybody know what the resistance should be? This one is 72-88 ohm resistance at 220°F.

09-14-2005, 03:50 PM	#12
pjmoreland Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CA Posts: 5,530	If you have idiot lights, I believe there should be infinite resistance (open circuit) when the engine is cold or at normal operating temperature, and should have very low resistance (closed circuit) at excessively high temperatures. What resistance do you measure when the sender is cool? The same sender will NOT work for both gauges and idiot lights.



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