After Market Temp Gauge Wiring Q's.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

So I'm putting one in so I get a more accutare temp reading. Google has been all over the place on this one. The last one I put in was mechanical and this is electrical.

 

Q: Can I hook the new one up to the stock 4age signal wire which is also running the dash gauge or does it need its own signal source? (I have a rad hose sender mount). Would running two off one signal source result in inacurate readings on one or both gauges?

 

Q2: Does it need to be grounded to the engine, or just a good solid ground? I have read a few different opinions on this, some are adamant to use and engine ground, some say just a good solid ground on the chassis.

 

Cheers guys.

 

Reed

[towe001]

Mechanical has its merits but i prefer electrical myself.

 

From memory when i had my old ae82 seca i had the temp gauge separate but i just don't remember where i had it on the motor

 

The grounding part of the sender unit is the metal body itself. If your planning on using a "rad hose sender mount" i wouldn't be too worried about a grounding wire (on the ones i've seen they've never had one), unless the coolant's plastic or something its a pretty good conductor of electricity

[B.L.Z.BUB]

The rad hose mount thing has a ground screw on it (I'm assuming thats what its for) but a lot of google searches said use the block, but that may just be pedantic auto sparkys. If I can use the stock signal wire it'll keep my engine bay one wire free and tidier.

Edited April 15, 2012 by B.L.Z.BUB

[ke70dave]

pending how your cooling system is done....

 

if you have a remote thermostat housing off an ae82/92 then there are 2 temp senders in it, one is for the ecu, one is for the temp guage. (one green one brown i think, can't recall which was which....)

 

when i did mine, i just removed the temp guage one, and put in the sender i got with my temp guage (VDO)

 

you will have to install the sender that came with the guage, and use it for one guage only. they work off resistance so running 2 guages off one sender will cause problems i reckon.

 

and yeah it needs to be grounded to something, not necessarilly engine. when i had that remote thermostat housing i just ran a wire from the thermostat housing to the chassis.

Edited April 15, 2012 by ke70dave

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Hmm ok cool, Ill just install the sender it came with and try and hide the wiring as much as possible.

 

Cheers guys.