Water Temp Sending Units in Water Pumps

[bobgrice]

Has anyone used the plugged port in water pumps to house temp sending units? I want to have separate gauges on the dash for each head, but there are not enough ports up on top. I feel like the water pump locations would work OK, but I thought I'd see if anyone else had used those ports for anything. I believe they are the same 3/8" NPT as the head ports.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by bobgrice

Has anyone used the plugged port in water pumps to house temp sending units? I want to have separate gauges on the dash for each head, but there are not enough ports up on top. I feel like the water pump locations would work OK, but I thought I'd see if anyone else had used those ports for anything. I believe they are the same 3/8" NPT as the head ports.

bobgrice ...................
If you are talking of the early pumps, that is the original purpose of those holes in the water-pumps. They should work fine for you, as they are attached, directly to the heads.
MIKE

[G.M.]

You didn't say what year engine. You refer to 3/8" pipe threads in the heads which leads me to think 37 to 48? But most 37 to 48 pumps did not have the threaded fitting in the pump. The 36 type pumps have a straight thread, It was 1/2 or 9/16-20. Useing the pump threads on a 37 to 48 pump would use coolant that was was already cooled by the radiator. This coolant would be mixed in the radiator and not give a true temperature of each side plus it would be a cooler temperature than the outlet of the head. G.M.

[bobgrice]

Sorry, guys - it's an 8BA. I do realize the water will have been cooled by the radiator at this point. I wasn't sure if anyone had done any testing to see how the temperature at this point compared with the water in the heads, which has the heat from the block and heads. I'll still have the factory gauge telling me something, but I'm one of those who would rather know as much as possible about what's going on - especially in a new motor.

If someone had seen that, generally, the temperature here was X degrees or X% cooler than the hottest water, I would at least have a reference, even if not the hottest water temperature.

[G.M.]

Buy a hand held laser pointed thermometer. This will teel you the exact temperature on the goose neck thermostat houseings. This is the most important temperature on these engines. By knowing the the temperature you will know what's going on with your gauge. G.m.