Temperature Probe Adapter

[Dennisfly]

I recently bought a 35 Ford Standard that came with no temperature or oil pressure gauges from the factory. I can't drive it that way! I bought a set of Bosch mechanical gauges. The water pumps have plugs in them that are not tapered pipe threads and have an angled seat that seals in the port (see pictures 1&2). The probe has the same non-tapered thread that will screw into the port but the probe does not have the tapered seat and does not screw in far enough to hold the probe tight and the angle of the seat doesn't match anyway (see pictures 3&4).


The gauges came with several adapters but none of them are what I need. I can go to the local NAPA and see what they have. Summit Racing has a number of them but I don't know which one is correct. I'm not knowledgeable enough to be able to describe the size and type of fitting, but none appear to be a tapered pipe thread.


Can anyone shed some light on this?

[19Fordy]

The very first thing you should do is find out what size threads you are working with on your engine. Are they NPT tapered threads or SAE straight threads? From what you say, it seems you may have to make your own brass fitting to fit your situation.

But first, look here and see if you can buy adapters to mate SAE threads with NPT threads.
https://www.fittings.space/fittings-...3D%5D%5B0%5D=1

Doing a GOOGLE SEARH of: SAE to NPT THREAD ADAPTERS will reveal even more info.

You may find that you have to modify or combine brass fittings to accept the temp sender you wish to use. This may also require that you machine and silver solder fittings together to make a custom adapter. Silver solder is stronger than regular solder, BUT REGULAR COPPER PIPE SOLDER WILL WORK IF YOU DON'T OVER TORQUE THE FITTING. Do you have a lathe that you could use to modify your fittings?

I had to do something similar to adapter 8BA temp. sender units to a set of MCF heads.
The threads on the fittings and heads were NPT.

BE VERY SURE OF WHAT KIND AND SIZE OF THREADS YOU ARE WORKING WITH AS YOU DON'T WANT TO STRIP THEM. DON'T GUESS!!! Some SAE threads will screw in and feel like they fit NPT threads, so be careful. Can you borrow a set of NPT and SAE taps and an SAE thread gage to check the thread pitch?

Another thought: If the threads on your engine are SAE straight threads with a slight taper at the bottom, you could take a small, short piece of steel pipe, brass or aluminum and cut the required external straight threads and chamfer on one end and then cut the required internal threads on the other that match the threads on your adapter sensor. Of course you would have to first drill a "thru hole" for the sensor probe to fit through. Make sure TEFLON tape doesn't prevent "grounding" of your sensor, if grounding is required for the gauge to read accurately.

[Dennisfly]

19Fordy,


Thanks for the reply. Your solution would be best if I only had a lathe and the ability to use it. Sadly, I have neither. All of the threads are straight, no tapered NPT. I mistakenly posted this twice and in the other post there was a suggestion to use an O ring which I did. It has been filled and is leak free but we will see if it is OK once I start and run it.

[19Fordy]

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Glad the o-ring idea worked.