Coolant Port for Gauge

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

I plan on getting some gauges installed while I have the interior gutted and wanted to make sure I got the right size temp sensor for the gauge for coolant. Glowshift has 1/8 - 27. This sound correct?

It is the front port if I remember correctly?

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

Rockauto shows a new sensor is a 3/8" NPT. If someone could verify this I would greatly appreciate it!

Thewespaul · May 26, 2020

Stay away from the glowshift gauges, you’ll be changing them annually and when they are “working” you won’t know to trust them or not. Get an autometer mechanical temp gauge, coolant ports are 1/2 npt. Autometer kit will come with all the adapters you need.

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

Thewespaul said:
Stay away from the glowshift gauges, you’ll be changing them annually and when they are “working” you won’t know to trust them or not. Get an autometer mechanical temp gauge, coolant ports are 1/2 npt. Autometer kit will come with all the adapters you need.

Thanks Wes.

nelstomlinson · May 26, 2020

I bought Autometer gauges. Hoping for buy once, cry once. Gauges are important enough, and enough of a pain to install, that I really don't want to have to revisit them.

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

nelstomlinson said:
I bought Autometer gauges. Hoping for buy once, cry once. Gauges are important enough, and enough of a pain to install, that I really don't want to have to revisit them.

Just ordered the EGT, oil pressure, and coolant temp gauges. Made in USA so at least there should be someone I can call if there is ever an issue.

nelstomlinson · May 26, 2020

I got oil temp rather than coolant temp. Figured that if coolant gets low, the coolant temp sensor might not show overheating, but the oil temp will.

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

Fair point @nelstomlinson I just went through the whole coolant system so fingers crossed I don't have that issue. Actually, when I dumped most of my coolant out of the head because the line broke, it was still reading the increased temperature. Obviously I don't know how hot as it is the stock NORMAL gauge.

nelstomlinson · May 26, 2020

I'm keeping the stock gauges, too. For coolant temp, NORMAL is good enough.

Kevin 007 · May 26, 2020

Coolant temps are far more often an issue then oil pressure, with these engines.... just saying.

IDIBRONCO · May 26, 2020

Scotty4 said:
Rockauto shows a new sensor is a 3/8" NPT. If someone could verify this I would greatly appreciate it!

Thewespaul said:
coolant ports are 1/2 npt.

I'm pretty sure that both of these are accurate. The coolant ports in the heads and on top of the water pump are 1/2 NPT, but the one in the block for the sender is 3/8 NPT. I used the one in the block for my mechanical temp probe. I lengthened the factory sender wire and put that sender in the port on top of the water pump just to avoid having a non functioning gauge (one of my pet peeves).

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

Would you say the block is more accurate.

IDIBRONCO · May 26, 2020

The theory (at least) is that's where it should be since that's where the factory took the temperature reading at. Also, in theory, the heads would be a little bit hotter. From my experience though, I didn't see any difference between the two locations. I don't work mine very hard and I don't have a turbo (for now). So this may affect the readings. Some people want to get the highest readings possible, but they probably work their trucks harder than I do.

Scotty4 · May 26, 2020

@IDIBRONCO Gotcha. Thankfully they’re all easy to get to.

BeastMaster · May 27, 2020

My take is water temp is nearly useless, because water boils away at a low temperature, holding the temperature down despite a serious malfunction.

I am talking phase change, latent heat of vaporization, stuff refrigeration folks see all the time.

Then when the water is all gone, the crap has already hit the fan, the temperature suddenly goes through the roof, and the gauge finally pegs.

If you've ever tried to solder copper pipe with the tiniest bit of water in it, you have seen what I am talking about.

I am with Nelstomlinson on this. I'd much rather have oil temp as a proxy for engine block temperature.

It should track as long as I have oil pressure and circulation.

Anyone know a good spot on the 7.3 for oil temp sensor? Also, type K sensors for this kind of thing? You know, correct thread and does not poke in too far.

Coolant Port for Gauge

Scotty4

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Scotty4

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Thewespaul

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nelstomlinson

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Kevin 007

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IDIBRONCO

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