Aftermarket water temp gauge source

[Neejay]

I don't know where to source my water temp gauge sensor. There doesn't look like there's enough hose to put in one of the water hose adapters in. How/where do some of you have your sensors mounted?

[DriftingisLame]

Note where the stock water temp sensors are located, this is coolant coming directly out of the block. That should be your most accurate source. If you can drill another hole close to the stock sensors, that would be ideal. If you cant do that, or fit a hose adapter on the upper rad hose, you'll have to put one in the lower rad hose, and just know that the temp is going to be lower due to just passing through the radiator.

[Coolwhip]

is this a RB20 or 25?

[Neejay]

is this a RB20 or 25?

25

[Coolwhip]

drill and solder a 1/8 NPT bung on the water inlet pipe on the intake manifold. Run your sensor from there.

[meet07]

i just tapped the signal wire in with the factory sensor. the blk and blue wire. it works for me. but ill relocate when it gets warmer.

[ANVIL]

i just tapped the signal wire in with the factory sensor. the blk and blue wire. it works for me. but ill relocate when it gets warmer.

what type of gauge do you have? you must be lucky, because typically the gauge needs its own style of sensor made for the gauge for it to read correctly. i havent seen any aftermarket gauges that work with factory sensors before

[ANVIL]

forgot to mention if you cant fit an inline adapter, HKS has an angled one if that would help fit your rad hose any better

[Carl H]

eh...not the right way to do it and even if it worked thats the ground for the sensor not the signal.gotta use the sensor that comes with the gauge you have.

i just tapped the signal wire in with the factory sensor. the blk and blue wire. it works for me. but ill relocate when it gets warmer.

[Neejay]

Yeah, that's news to me with using the stock sensor. lol

After looking back at the radiator hose setup and length, I think the hose water temp sensor adapter might fit just fine. I'll give it a try before I try to tap the manifold.

[DriftingisLame]

Hate to change the subject, but does anyone have an oil temp gauge? Where do you put the sensor, or do you have to buy a sandwich plate for your oil filter?

[Yellow4g63]

Hate to change the subject, but does anyone have an oil temp gauge? Where do you put the sensor, or do you have to buy a sandwich plate for your oil filter?

Greddy has a replacment drain plug where the oil sensor can fit into. I'm going to do that for my Oil temp till I put the cooler in.

[meet07]

i must be lucky. when i bleed the coolant system, the thermostat opened at 210 which is what my autometer gauge read. my cluster read in the middle. i tested this by turning off the fans manualy so the 25 would reach op temp.

[Carl H]

210*f is a little hot for the system...operating temp is 180*f or 80*c.210f = 98c = overheating and ecu in limp mode.stock gauge is not worth a damn, it should not be trusted.

[DriftingisLame]

edit: accidentally reposted, dont know how that happened.
Modified by DriftingisLame at 12:05 PM 12/9/2008

[Carl H]

this is how i fitted my defi gauge sensor.course mani has to be off the car for this.

[Sil240]

What about drilling and tapping the side of the upper hose outlet?

I'm talking about the actual metal tube that the hose attaches to, that also runs under the stock manifold.

Now I've just realized that I'm retarded and I used 2 stock SOHC KA lower rad hose tubes and put my gauge and fan sensors in there.

What I did was cut them and weld them together, then tapped them for the 2 sensors.

I didn't think about it too much, because the KA uses the a sensor in the lower hose.

[matafied]

i took the factory sending unit and drilled the center out then tapped the inside to 1/8 NPT. then just threaded it on my sending unit then screwed it in the factory rb sending unit location. worked out awsome

[USsil80]

i took the factory sending unit and drilled the center out then tapped the inside to 1/8 NPT. then just threaded it on my sending unit then screwed it in the factory rb sending unit location. worked out awsome

does your factory one still work??? if not that could be really bad

[RB_Seth]

he prolly replaced the sensor for the oem gauge in the cluster and not the one used for the ecu... thats just a guess tho

i tapped the waterneck on the intake manifold and put my sensor next to the factory sensors

[Neejay]

does your factory one still work??? if not that could be really bad

Not really, the cluster one is useless anyway. I don't think he replaced the ECU one.

[Sil240]

What should I do?I have 2 sensors that I need.I have the Aftermarket water temp gauge, then also the Fan thremostat.

I'm thinking I take the ecu sensor out tap it for the fan thermo. (but it sucks because I'm going to have to take the manifold off again.....So it probably wont happen for a long time.

Then I would drill and tap the side of the upper water neck for the gauge.

[ANVIL]

you NEED the ecu sensor. if you are tapping one out tap out the one for the stock gauge.

nothing wrong with using an inline adapter...

[Sil240]

I don't know anyone that has enough space with a RB to put a inline adapter in the top hose.

I would love to use one, because it would be MUCH easier.

[ANVIL]

i did. but i took it out when i got my PFC. any my fan controller goes off the oem ecu sensor.

it really doesnt take up that much space... have you tried it?

[Sil240]

It looks like I might, just use what I have now.But... run a crazy U shaped upper hose.

I'll get some pieces of hose to look like this:The 2 circles are my probes/sensors and the G is the grounding post.

-------- --------------------- ------------- l l l------------------------------l O G O -------------------------------

Its' gonna be ghetto as hell but it'd be the easiest and cheapest thing to do.Cause I really don't wanna tap the manifold anyway.

I'll post up some pics.If and when I do it.Really lazy and busy = this project a while from now. lol

[Coolwhip]

what I did for my 20.



sorry for the blurry pic but that is a 1/8 NPT thread inside.

[Carl H]

^ thats what i tell people to do...

[Neejay]

I ended up buying a super slim STRI water temp sensor adapter. Placed it in my upper radiator hose, fit like a charm with no leaks. (silver to keep the bling down)

Thanks guys.

EDIT: This is on a RB25

[johnny butt]

I ended up buying a super slim STRI water temp sensor adapter. Placed it in my upper radiator hose, fit like a charm with no leaks. (silver to keep the bling down)

Thanks guys.

EDIT: This is on a RB25

Where did you purchase it from? Price-wise? I am sure i will end up getting it from SUMMIT racing.

Also, what kind of gauge do you have, if you did not mention previously?

I have an Autometer water temp gauge and have looked at the same adapter, just want to make sure the sensor won't have any problems fitting (it shouldn't).