mechanical Temp guage

[carcraft302]

I have had trouble with my factory guages. Wrong sender with gauge cluster, bad ground,etc. I have decided to put in a mechanical oil pressure and water temp guage. I am going to Tee the mechanical oil pressure guage off the oil pressure port so I can then hook the regular idiot light from the 98 Explorer instrument cluster. I am not sure where to hook up the temp guage port. Drill and tap into the thermostat housing (there seems to be a factory cast hole that is started) but this is post thermostat. Put a Tee into the heater hose by the factory temp unit for the computer, or there seems to be a port to the rear of the lower intake where I can put a sample or sending line. Any other suggestions or recomendations. I have had a heck of a time trying to figure out my temp. I finally got a "gun' type infra red temp sensor and set up the spal dual fan variable programable type Electric fan system and it seems to be working. I just really don't trust the stupid idiot light on my insturment cluster.

 

[Teddyzee]

I have my gauge sender in one corner of the lower intake manifold. The stock HO manifal had all four corners drilled and tapped, but on my later ones I've needed to drill/tap myself.

Current setup has fan temp switch on the ds front corner, Autometer water gauge in the ds rear corner, and I've kept my stock dash temp sender in the the thermostat housing, like you said. I figure the dash gauge is the least important, that's why it lives in the housing.

This one, you see the tapped housing, with the dash sender:

And here you can see the sender for the fans:

You're on the right track, I'm not sure it would matter too much if you put the sender anywhere. My gauges start to move at the same time...

 

[carcraft302]

temp guage

I think I will follow your lead and tap the housing. It is easiest to get to and already has a hole. thanks much.