Autometer Water temp gauge and sensor Install Write Up

[S13FX]

Hey guys I don't know how many of you really need this, but I couldnt really find any help using the search button on this so I made a little write up. Hopefully it will be helpfull to some of you.

This will show you how to hook up your Auto meter Water Temp Gauge using the bleeder screw hole.

NOTE: While Using the bleeder screw hole the temp on the gauge is usually about 10 degrees higher then the collant really is. This happen because this is the hotest spot on the engine. However I don't think that should be much of a problem cause thats the time you have to let off when you see your car over heating.

First you want to drain your car of coolant. MAKE SURE the car is PROPERLY COOLED DOWN and there is no HOT coolant because that could lead to a big owie.

Things that should have came with you Kit:1 Gauge1 Light bulb with green and red bulb covers.One sensor with thread size 1/8-27And some mounting screws

Things you will need:The sensor which came with the auto meter gaugeThe thread size on the sensor is 1/8-27Electrical wire to run from the sensor to the gauge, and also to wire up your gaugeA Drill with a good set of drill bitsA decent powered vacuum cleanerVaselineAnd a Tap KitAnd two jugs of coolant.

1. First we will drain your car of coolant. Locate the bleeder screw on your car. This is a SOHC its right by the intake manifold and has a warning label next to it; it’s also next to the stock temperature senders for the stock gauge and ECU. It is a 10mm screw. Open that up.

2. Now locate the bleeder screw on your radiator and unscrew that.

3. After all the coolant has been drained take off the top radiator hose from the side it’s attached to the engine you might want to take the whole thing off for better access.

4. Now the fun begins, you took off the radiator hose so you can stick your vacuum cleaner hose in there; because once you start drilling there will be some shaving bits. What you want to do is get a drill bit that’s one size bigger then the bleeder screw hole and start drilling until it gets bigger, you will be repeating this using one size bigger drill bit until the hole is big enough for the 1/8-27 tap bit to go in so you can make the threads. Now here is how I did it. I had the vacuum on with the hose into the hole where the radiator hose was attached to while drilling but at the same time I dipped my drill bit in Vaseline. The Vaseline technique worked perfectly with catching all the shavings but I had the vacuum cleaner as a back up. I don’t remember what size drill bit I used at the end. But the size of the tap bit I used was 1/8-27 that’s the exact same size the auto meter sensor threads are. Now with the thread made your auto meter sensor should go right into the hole up to the threads.

5. Once you tap your hole and the sensor is ready to be put in so test it out if your sensor screws in, but make sure you take it out. You will leave the hole open. Double check that you don’t have any metal shavings inside there. Now start pouring coolant back into your radiator, with the bleeder hole open (sensor unscrewed) Make sure you put the drain plug back on the radiator. Now keep pouring coolant into the radiator until you start seeing coolant in the bleeder hole you just drilled and tapped. Once you see coolant in there you can put your sensor into your brand new tapped hole. Go to next step to see how I did it.

6. If you look at your sensor it has two nuts on top of it with a washer in between. Take those off for now, now put some Teflon tape on the threads of the sensor and screw it in to the new tapped hole you have. You don’t have to make it too tight but tight enough.

7. Now remember those two nuts and the washer you took off. Well put one of the nuts back on and then use a nice tip to put on there and secure it with the washer and nut. Now all I did for this part was use a 14 gauge electrical wire to run it from the sensor to the gauge. I have my gauge set up underneath a switch in a car because that’s how I like it. How ever you decide to wire your gauge electronically it’s up to you. Just make sure that the gauge it’s self has a ground all by its self. If you don’t you will freak out like me and have the gauge pointing way past 250 degrees heh.

8. Now after everything is complete and you’re ready to test you gauge out, make sure you turn your car on with out the radiator cap on for all the air bubbles to come out. Also add coolant as you see it go down. I did this on my car for approximately 10 minutes, until all my bubbles stop coming up and the radiator stayed full.

Hopefull this will help someof you out or at least give you an Idea.

Modified by S13FX at 10:22 AM 12/20/2006
Modified by S13FX at 10:32 AM 12/20/2006

[The All Mighty KA-T]

Good info, i installed my Autometer Phantom Water Temp Gauge about 4 months ago and i love it....... its just now starting to get hot outside and it really does help me keep an eye on the temp..........it's a hell of alot better then that dang stock temp gauge! i overheated last summer, so i think this gauge should me keep an eye on that as well.....

[S13FX]

yah I ment to ask whats your Normal operating temperature. Cause mine with both my Efans turned on gets up to like 205 and thats only when I driver her hard. I think thats also cause I have a Autozone 195 Thermostat installed. Would buying the lower Nismo thermostat lower my engine temps?

[The All Mighty KA-T]

the most i've seen my car go up to since i have had the gauge is 170, and with no fans and stock Thermostat and the average Temp. outside is about 65 F to 70 F, but it will be getting into the 80's and 90's in a month or so. And when those temps hit i will invest into a flex-a-lite fan and a Nismo Thermostat ( that open at 62 Degrees Celcius ) as soon as it gets summer time.
Modified by The All Mighty KA-T at 4:32 PM 3/29/2006

[S13FX]

Whoa really so would u consider my car over heating since I hit 205 at some points? I mean im pretty sure It's because of the high temp thermo I have.

[The All Mighty KA-T]

i would say thats pushing it........ if i were you, i would just spend the $60.00 for the Nismo Thermostat and call it a day........if you wanted to go all out here is a good setup :

Nismo Thermostat : $60.00 shippedKoyo Radiator : $350.00 shippedflex-a-lite fan : $250.00 shipped

So about $660.00 will get you one of the best setups, but really i dont have $600.00 to just drop on a coolent setup.........its really up to you.

[S13FX]

well hehe right now I have a koyo radiator, Altima dual efans and that high temp thermo. So basicly I just need a new thermo and I should be good

[The All Mighty KA-T]

yep......just get the new thermo and your good to go..........let me know how things went after you get the new one put in.......good luck....

[S13FX]

Quick question. Instead of buying the Lower nismo thermo for 60 bucks. Couldnt I just get the OEM one thats also a lower temp for cheaper. Cause they did have an OEM one which opens at like 170, but they didnt have them in stock only one they had in stock was some other one that opens at 195. And I needed one asap. I mean this way I save like 40 bucks hehe.

[TheOne]

you should get 1, 195 is really almost overheating,lol.

the OEM 1 does open @ 170, when ya get it, open it and check where the little burp hole is(for when air gets trapped at the back of the t-stat), if its on the inner side(right next to where the thing that opens is), then don't get it as it will still keep air in the system, get 1 with the little burp hole on the outer/top ring(the part that attaches to the t-stat housing), as that'll allow for air to not get stuck in that area and cause overheating.(this happened to a friend's car, we checked everything else twice till we just took out the t-stat and the car stopped overheating)

[Turbo 510]

The Nissan thermo for the KA24DE/SR20 opens at 170 and is less than 20 bucks. My KADET with a watercooled turbo runs at 175 all day and may get up to185-190 if I push it. Radiator is a Griffin "Scirocco Style" with 1.5" tubes and a cheesy, but effective, L-16 pully fan.