Installing temp gauge
#1
12-06-2007, 03:55 PM
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Installing temp gauge
Noticed that Advance has a sale going on basic mechanical gauges, $9 each for an oil pressure, volt, and water temp gauges. I've been thinking about upgrading from the stock ones telling me that everything is "normal" at all times. The volt meter is easy, but I have a couple questions about the coolant and oil pressure ones.
First, where is the coolant temp sender? (5.8L) I figured it would be right on the thermostat housing like on every other liquid-cooled machine on the planet, but apparently not, or it's caked beneath years of crud and I didn't see it.
Second, will the ECU get messed up if it no longer receives a temp signal? Will that just cause the gauge to not work or will it trip the CEL? I know on marine EFI motors that if the temp sender is disconnected the motor starts to perform very poorly, since apparently it messes with the ECU. The gauge I'd install is one of the old-school capillary tube ones, no electronics needed.
Same thing goes for the oil-pressure sender. My truck apparently had the conversion done so the stock gauge works, since it fluctuates at slow idle and in the course of driving. Is the stock gauge a pressure tube type, or an electronic one? And if it's electronic, will it being disconnected screw with the ECU or trip the CEL? Again, the type I'd install is a pressure-tube type.
And where would be a good place to get ignition controlled + power? So that the gauge only gets power when the key is turned on. I thought the ignition power for the radio I installed, it's nearby and one of the few wires in the dash that I know what it is (remote starter was installed by previous owner, there are dozens of random wires stuffed behind the dash.
First, where is the coolant temp sender? (5.8L) I figured it would be right on the thermostat housing like on every other liquid-cooled machine on the planet, but apparently not, or it's caked beneath years of crud and I didn't see it.
Second, will the ECU get messed up if it no longer receives a temp signal? Will that just cause the gauge to not work or will it trip the CEL? I know on marine EFI motors that if the temp sender is disconnected the motor starts to perform very poorly, since apparently it messes with the ECU. The gauge I'd install is one of the old-school capillary tube ones, no electronics needed.
Same thing goes for the oil-pressure sender. My truck apparently had the conversion done so the stock gauge works, since it fluctuates at slow idle and in the course of driving. Is the stock gauge a pressure tube type, or an electronic one? And if it's electronic, will it being disconnected screw with the ECU or trip the CEL? Again, the type I'd install is a pressure-tube type.
And where would be a good place to get ignition controlled + power? So that the gauge only gets power when the key is turned on. I thought the ignition power for the radio I installed, it's nearby and one of the few wires in the dash that I know what it is (remote starter was installed by previous owner, there are dozens of random wires stuffed behind the dash.
#2
12-08-2007, 10:39 PM
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i dont think disconnecting the stock gauges will screw with the eec ....it hasnt mine...that i know of...... but the water temp sender is on the intake up top. cant remeber exactly but i am pretty sure its on the driver side, pretty much strait up from the oil sending unit(by the oil filter) i would go look but my truck is under 8 inches of snow.