Wanting to mount a coolant sensor for a temp gauge on a 2.5 without using a radiator hose or heater hose fitting- bolt directly to the block somewhere in other words.. Some old posts on here talk about T-ing into the original temp sensor but some of the posters talk about that not working very well because of the probes no longer being in the water stream.., As many plugs as there seems to be on this block surely another method is available? Anyone make a piece that replaces one of the big coolant drain plugs (like the oem block heater does)? How about that steel fitting between the oil pressure sensor and the block- Could one of those fittings be re-used to mount a sensor anywhere for coolant? I know this block seems to have a lot of plugs on it, just not sure which ones goes into oil passages, and which into water...

what year? OBDII has the temp available so, some solution using the diagnostic port would work ; smart phone and Torque or similar app for instance, or standalone display device like ;

 

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/ScanGauge-Automotive-Computer-Customizable-Real-Time/dp/B000AAMY86/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361986606&sr=8-2&keywords=obdII+gauge

 

http://www.amazon.com/PLX-Devices-Kiwi-Bluetooth-Wireless/dp/B004B0C1NE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361986606&sr=8-3&keywords=obdII+gauge

 

http://www.amazon.com/OBD-II-Display-Speedometer-Voltage-installation/dp/B007PX8476/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1361986606&sr=8-13&keywords=obdII+gauge

 

HEADS-UP display! ; http://www.amazon.com/Head-Display-Speedometer-speed-water/dp/B004YHSO9E/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1361987093&sr=1-14&keywords=obdII+gauge

 

Do you own a Garmin Nuvi? ; http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-ecoRoute-Vehicle-Diagnostics-Communicator/dp/B003CLYMSU/ref=sr_1_11?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1361987093&sr=1-11&keywords=obdII+gauge

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

I'm not using that high-tech an app, it's a 97- But it's for a street-legal rail and all the diagnostic/ non-essential wiring has been stripped down to a running ecu harness. I'm looking to do an electrical or mechanical water temp gauge that stands alone from the computer, although the original temp sender is still there and wired, it no longer goes to any of the factory gauges. I could maybe find the signal and try running it to an aftermarket gauge, but would rather just tap into one the blocked ports the engine already has with a new sender...I have a pic saved on my desktop (but can't seem to repost it, my computer seems to be blocking some options) of someone on here with an older Suby and their water temp sender seems to also be using a steel fitting between the block and sender, and it looks identical to the fitting I mentioned on the oil pressure sender- So I plan of taking one of those fittings and trying it in a water port..I just thought with all the plugs these motors seem to have on them maybe someone would have a ready-made piece instead of the radiator hose ones..

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by donbarnes

The original gauge sender (1wire) works the same as any aftermarket sender. Just wire up your gauge to that.

The original gauge sender (1wire) works the same as any aftermarket sender. Just wire up your gauge to that.

All the old posts about this and it's that easy  ? I was leary of hooking into that one because I wasnt sure if it would affect the computer any, so I made me a new fitting today.. The steel fitting that the oil sender bolts into uses the same threads as the water temp sender, and has a built in flange around it, so I took one of them and cut the bottom half off, drilled a 5/8 inch hole through one of those big allen-headed drain plugs from the bottom of the block, then welded the two together- after polishing the weld a little bit it looks like a factory piece..

Computer has its own sensor for coolant temp. No connection to the gauge sender at all.

Pics of this custom made fitting?