water temp gauge question

[ADV]

I am sure this has been covered on here but I cant find what I was looking for.

I am planning on adding a water temp guage to my truck. Along with new water pump, thermostat, coolant filter and swapping the radiator.

I was going to go with a z series auto meter to match my egt gauge but will a gauge with a 100-250 reading be the one I want or should I get the 140-280?

Water pump is starting to leak, factory guage always shows its cold and heater dont give much heat so I think thermostat is stuck open.

 

[whiteboyslo]

250 is already cause for alarm, but if those are your two options, I'd go with the higher temp option.

Mike

 

[smolkin]

I got a 100-280* one (different brand) because I don't like looking at an almost-pegged gauge. Warmed-up I'm reading 220* with sender in factory gauge port, and with the new radiator it hasn't gone over 225*. Higher range on gauge makes the needle more "centered".

 

[wildman7798]

I am sure this has been covered on here but I cant find what I was looking for.

I am planning on adding a water temp guage to my truck. Along with new water pump, thermostat, coolant filter and swapping the radiator.

I was going to go with a z series auto meter to match my egt gauge but will a gauge with a 100-250 reading be the one I want or should I get the 140-280?

Water pump is starting to leak, factory guage always shows its cold and heater dont give much heat so I think thermostat is stuck open.

Some IDI owners say to sack the factory gauge as it is nothing more than a glorified on-off type gauge. I like to have the stock one as well as an aftermarket mechanical - The stock one mostly because I don't like to see gauges with pointers out of place and I go with the 100-250 on the aftermarket. Never really understood the logic of anything above about 235, if you get there you have problems anyway - seeing it higher than 250 is going to do nothing but cause more useless anxiety because the damage has probably already occurred. There are exceptions to this like using waterless coolant to raise the boil point. If work your truck hard or live in a hot environment an oil temp gauge is a great add. It is also possible your heater core could be plugged up some limiting coolant to the heater core.

 

[ADV]

Mechanical sending unit better than electric? The 140-280 guage is mechanical.

So a normal idi water temp is 220?

 

[wildman7798]

I got a 100-280* one (different brand) because I don't like looking at an almost-pegged gauge. Warmed-up I'm reading 220* with sender in factory gauge port, and with the new radiator it hasn't gone over 225*. Higher range on gauge makes the needle more "centered".

I usually rotate my aftermarket gauges in their cluster so the pointer at most extreme or average normal is straight up and down. You can glance at all your gauges and immediately know if there is a problem without having to read it. It's all in what you like and how it looks.

 

[GOOSE]

I graduated to electrical sending units and am very pleased with them.

 

[icanfixall]

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

These are my Isspro gauges and 2 Banks gauges. These are the EV electrical style and I like them. I installed the new gauge in the stock port where the dash gauge was. Thats the location near the injection pump gear housing on th drivers side of the top of the block. You can use the head location but thats going to run as much as 7 degrees hotter. Thats the large sender that pegs the dash gauge when you reach 242 degree. The dash needle pegs over way past the "L" and the check engine lite comes on. Wanna test this sender just remove the wire and ground it. Engine can be warm or cold. No matter the gauge will peg.. Kind of a simple test. I like a 270 degree sweep gauge like these...Well the site wont connect to my pics so I will post later... Gees...

 

[wildman7798]

Mechanical sending unit better than electric? The 140-280 guage is mechanical.

So a normal idi water temp is 220?

Mechanical gauges are generally higher accuracy and prone to less needle bounce. The down side is it's a capillary so it's not quite as easy to install, and when you work on the engine you always have to be careful not to damage the tube. Both styles are plenty adequate.

 

[whiteboyslo]

So a normal idi water temp is 220?

You'd want a gauge that can go that high, but that isn't a 'normal' operating temp. I used to hit as high as 230s when towing light loads uphill, but with the new thermostat the same loads don't put me higher than 215 or so and that's without babying it.

FWIW, I have this gauge in my truck and like it a lot:


http://www.amazon.com/Auto-Meter-6337-Digital-Temperature/dp/B001E6GQGQ

Mike

 

[ADV]

I think I am going with the 140-280 mechanical guage. Now I just need to figure out where to put it

 

[whiteboyslo]

You have an OBS, so I would take advantage of the fact that they make a-pillar pods for your truck that go right in. I modified a 3-bay Autometer gauge pillar pod for an OBS to go into my bricknose and have no regrets.

Mike

 

[smolkin]

You'd want a gauge that can go that high, but that isn't a 'normal' operating temp.

Is 220 too high for an IDI? It warms up quickly to that temp and stays right there. I thought that was a normal running temp for good efficiency?

You have an OBS, so I would take advantage of the fact that they make a-pillar pods for your truck that go right in. I modified a 3-bay Autometer gauge pillar pod for an OBS to go into my bricknose and have no regrets.

Mike

Or...save some money and use street elbows!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[icanfixall]

220 degrees is not too high for an idi 250 and up is too high but some have run that high without issues too. Whats your thoughts about this gauge.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunpro-CP8217...mperature/dp/B000FJQWXU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_8

 

[whiteboyslo]

Is 220 too high for an IDI? It warms up quickly to that temp and stays right there. I thought that was a normal running temp for good efficiency?

220 isn't going to hurt anything, but it's pretty high for a normal operating temp (i.e. just cruising down the road, no load). Assuming everything is up to ***** and you're not running the AC in the middle of Death Valley in mid-August, your cruising temp should pretty much be right about where your thermostat opens up, which if you have the OEM thermostat in our trucks is 195°F. Actually, I've seen it said that our BEGINS to open at 195°F and opens completely by somewhere around 212°F, so anywhere in there is about right.

Of course, temps will vary depending on the location of your sensor and the accuracy of your gauge, but if you're running 220°F all day long with no load, I'd say something isn't right. Not going to hurt anything at that temp, but still not right.

Mike