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can i add a Tee for a 2nd water temp?

1K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  joe_padavano 
#1 ·
my 1994 van 350 temp gage dont work..new sending unit did not help...i changed it to a mechanilal gage and the engine runs rough...so i need the oringial for the 2nd wire on it that goes to the ECM..so it'll run right....can i add a Tee and use the orinigal and the machanical..i do have the room....but will i get enough water in the Tee for the reading to be resonabe ?..thanks for looking and your help...richard...tableclocks@comcast.net
 
#2 ·
If you look you'll see there are other ports you can place the mechanical gauge such as on the side of the heads or the intake manifold.
Thus, you should be able to reconnect the factory wire going to the gauge and have your mechanical gauge as well.
On the side of the heads or on the intake you'll see a threaded plug with a square entry, it should be common 3/8 ratchet size.
 
#3 ·
X2 on DoubleVision's comments. The proper place for a gauge sender (mechanical or electrical) is where the plug fitting is located on the exhaust side of the drivers side head. This is located just about between the pair of center exhaust valves which is the hottest place on the drivers side head which runs hotter than the passenger side due to the natural flow imbalance of coolant induced by the direction of pump rotation. If there is a failure of cooling, this location shows the extreme firstest and mostest.

The sensor by the coolant return is a data feed to the computer, it has a different purpose than keeping track of the hottest place on the engine's cooling system. So it is located close to where it gets an average of the return coolant temp. This is used to compute both cold start enrichment (choke) and temperature as it contributes to changes of air density within the intake. This is why you're getting rough running. This sender needs to be installed as the factory has it, not on a tee.

Bogie
 
#4 ·
To answer the original question, you cannot use a tee fitting. Unlike an oil pressure sender, which can use a tee, temp senders must be inserted into flowing coolant. Either use an existing plugged port in the intake crossover or heads, or get one of the sender fittings that splices into a radiator hose. You can also get a thermostat housing with a bung for a sender.
 
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