Fitting a second water temp gauge...

[Bongo??]

Hello again.
I`m thinking of fitting a second water temp gauge reading from 40 to 110 degrees.
Has any one done this and if so where have you `plumbed`it in?
I will be using a mechanical gauge so could i `T` into the bleed pipe because of its smaller size??
Any advice will be greatly recieved.
THANKS.

[Simon Jones]

You'd be best off talking to Haydn Callow as he's an expert on coolant alarms and temperature gauges. Personally, I would go for a digital gauge using a thermistor attached to the outside of a hose. These typically have an audible alarm to alert you when it reaches a preset temperature.

The problem with fitting a mechanical guage is that you have to break into the pipes ok which introduces a potential point for leaks or failure. You'll also need to bleed the system after fitting it.

If you decide to go down the mechanical route, than talk to Ady (Northern Bongolow) as he has experience of T'ing into pipes for various readings.

[Northern Bongolow]

t- ing into the system isnt a problem, as long as you dont use jubilee clips, best to use the gen mazda style constant pressure clips, or haydns clips, these allow for expansion/contraction, jubilee's do not. you will, as simon says, need to bleed the system if you do t-in.
i have an old scimiter gauge and sender that are a matched pair fitted to mine 0-120, and it woks very well. it sits with the needle verticle at running temps 80-90 deg c, which is good for the eye to spot when its out of range.
i have broken into the pipe from the rad top to the expansion tank, this is a constant flow from the head through the rad top back to the stat housing, so gives a good indication of whats coming out of the head and re-entering the stat housing,it is also the temp of the heater circuit.
on the whole ive found that the old capiliary or traditional senders seem to be as acurate, or even more acurate than the digital thermister type senders as they are in dirrect contact with the coolant, but i do have both types fitted. pan test whichever you fit before hand using a known thermometer. and if you fit the old eletrical type make sure you use a solid state voltage stabiliser for the positive supply (a few quid) this will ensure that a steady voltage gets to the sender regardless of the revs of the engine.
choose your set up carefully, and decide what you want, do you want an alarm, or just a gauge, where is it to be fit on the dash ect.
haydn does a really good range of gauges with voltmeters and alarms etc, check his webby for idea's.

[haydn callow]

I don't think I would "T" into the bleed pipe as there is no flow through it...I can probably supply a "in top hose adapter" if you really want the sender in the coolant rather than on the outside of a hose......Ther is little differance in the readings in or out of a hose. just a few seconds "lag"

[Bongo??]

t- ing into the system isnt a problem, as long as you dont use jubilee clips, best to use the gen mazda style constant pressure clips, or haydns clips, these allow for expansion/contraction, jubilee's do not. you will, as simon says, need to bleed the system if you do t-in.
i have an old scimiter gauge and sender that are a matched pair fitted to mine 0-120, and it woks very well. it sits with the needle verticle at running temps 80-90 deg c, which is good for the eye to spot when its out of range.
i have broken into the pipe from the rad top to the expansion tank, this is a constant flow from the head through the rad top back to the stat housing, so gives a good indication of whats coming out of the head and re-entering the stat housing,it is also the temp of the heater circuit.
on the whole ive found that the old capiliary or traditional senders seem to be as acurate, or even more acurate than the digital thermister type senders as they are in dirrect contact with the coolant, but i do have both types fitted. pan test whichever you fit before hand using a known thermometer. and if you fit the old eletrical type make sure you use a solid state voltage stabiliser for the positive supply (a few quid) this will ensure that a steady voltage gets to the sender regardless of the revs of the engine.
choose your set up carefully, and decide what you want, do you want an alarm, or just a gauge, where is it to be fit on the dash ect.
haydn does a really good range of gauges with volt meters and alarms etc, check his webby for idea's.

Would a modern gauge require a voltage stabilizer??....

[Northern Bongolow]

the modern digital box types usually have them as part of the circuits, but thats geoffs field so----------

[g8dhe]

Well Ady did say;

if you fit the old electrical type make sure you use a solid state voltage stabiliser for the positive supply

(My emphasis), I would agree, modern ones should be designed to be a lot more tolerant however.

[Bongo??]

t- ing into the system isnt a problem, as long as you dont use jubilee clips, best to use the gen mazda style constant pressure clips, or haydns clips, these allow for expansion/contraction, jubilee's do not. you will, as simon says, need to bleed the system if you do t-in.
i have an old scimiter gauge and sender that are a matched pair fitted to mine 0-120, and it woks very well. it sits with the needle verticle at running temps 80-90 deg c, which is good for the eye to spot when its out of range.
i have broken into the pipe from the rad top to the expansion tank, this is a constant flow from the head through the rad top back to the stat housing, so gives a good indication of whats coming out of the head and re-entering the stat housing,it is also the temp of the heater circuit.
on the whole ive found that the old capiliary or traditional senders seem to be as acurate, or even more acurate than the digital thermister type senders as they are in dirrect contact with the coolant, but i do have both types fitted. pan test whichever you fit before hand using a known thermometer. and if you fit the old eletrical type make sure you use a solid state voltage stabiliser for the positive supply (a few quid) this will ensure that a steady voltage gets to the sender regardless of the revs of the engine.
choose your set up carefully, and decide what you want, do you want an alarm, or just a gauge, where is it to be fit on the dash ect.
haydn does a really good range of gauges with voltmeters and alarms etc, check his webby for idea's.

The bongo is now up and running again,got it filled and bled this morning..
My second temp gauge,like you say,sits between 80-90 degrees,the standard Bongo gauge sits around 11o`clock.
All seems good.......................Thanks for the advice everyone........