Mechanical gauge woes.

[tinman_72]

Has anyone put a mechanical water temperature gauge in his/her 2.3? I have a VDO water temp gauge that I want to install but I don't know if the "heat sensing bulb" (the probe) is too long. It is just over a half inch longer than the factory sending unit (after taking into account for the sealing adapter nut). Will this thing fit in place of the factory sending unit? I would rather have it in the block than put it in a $35 adapter for the radiator hose.

 

[tinman_72]

I added the following picture to clarify. The top one is the mechanical probe, the bottom one is the factory Motorcraft sending unit that I pulled a couple of weeks ago. I just want to make sure the probe will fit in the block without hitting anything since it is so much longer.