DIY non invasive temperature gauge probe placement ideas...

[jaylee]

If you averse to invasive probing, this may be the answer - http://www.the-barge-inn.com/campsite.php

I actually managed to win on a £6.19 bid one of these.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Red-C ... 35b3b68f8d Cheers Kirsty fer pushing these in my direction...

After a fast send.. I've smoked the screen.. (Too red even when off, ignore the picture.) Expect a pimp soon!

Don't worry, mine goes to 125 C. Not that my engine does...

Looks a good bit of kit but why so apprehensive of doing what it will do well, looks small enough to fit painlessly into the top hose.

V,V Good point... Not sure if there is an adaptor to take the probe...? & if so, another connection to possibly leak? Should give an idea of what's going on (as is) for a cheap option....?!

Fair bit of play in the supplied sensor wire length too!!

[The Great Pretender]

Poke it in........Bu**er the consequences, live dangerous...........

[missfixit70]

No real need IMO to go invasive, mounting it on the pipe gives a good enough indication for me, for the sake of possibly eliminating a couple of seconds lag in temperature movement, not worth the aggro/risk, but I'm happy to be proved wrong

[jaylee]

Right... Just completed the cosmetic side...

Here is the business end which runs out of the loom grommet that goes into the engine bay behind the drivers foot well out under the brake fluid reservoir & tied/running along the front of the engine bay..



Looks a little OEM?



Now the gauge...

Cutting into this Mazda 626 clock surround where the original clock was took a fair bit of fettling...
It's not the fascia that's the problem but the plastic case gubbins holding the electronics for the original clock in place...

As mentioned earlier, i smoked the gauge screen using window tint to loose the slight red hue to the screen when off... Readout is still quite bright in this glorious sunshine!!

I already have a clock on the radio!!! & My sat nav...

[missfixit70]

Told ya it'd be neater than mine

[jaylee]

You wouldn't have thought it when i started slowly tearing into the back of it yesterday after work.. I nearly gave the fiddly affair up..!
I gave it another go after today's shift with a fresh view..

The irony of all, is the clock i removed also had an outside air temp gauge too.. Presumably for the 626 loom..?!!

Still haven't had a chance to give it a thrapping & see what temps i get yet...

[nigelgibson]

Excellent job thanks for info and pics , i'm ordering one from same seller in blue !

[jaylee]

Excellent job thanks for info and pics , i'm ordering one from same seller in blue !

Let me Know how you get on with the installation... There actually was no instructions with mine.. You may find it set by default to Fahrenheit.. but there is a DIP switch on the PCB for the settings to Celsius... (Just prise the back off the unit.) I don't know what the other three do, but i seemed to find the first one intuitively the first time!!

(On end, DIP switches to the top 2nd from left flip down.. There are four of em.. Ruddy tiny too!)

Impressed with the fast send from China though...?! Fair play!!!!

[The Great Pretender]

Neeeeeeeeeeet.

[nigelgibson]

thanks for heads up , will let you know how it goes.

[haydn callow]

I have some small rubber "fillets" that allow a wire to pass under a hose and seal.

Before you start !!! I am not trying to sell by stealth.....just help out.

[nigelgibson]

Anything that makes the job easier!

Not done this before so where do these fillets go and how many do i need?

who's been talking of stealth selling, if people don't know these things are out there how else do you let 'em know ?

[missfixit70]

The fillets go between the hose & pipe to allow the sensor to enter into the coolant itself. It means breaking into the cooling system & therefore will need bleeding & as Jaylee says earlier presents another leak risk ( IMO & his ). I'd go for the external mount for now.

[haydn callow]

You just need one.......it will involve removing the hose off the stub......getting it all dry.........inserting your sensor and the rubber fillet........putting a bit of sealant around....replacing the hose.....tighten jub clip very light......leave for 12 hours .....tighten jub clip......bleed.

If your wanting to go that way ....let me know and you are welcome to a FREE fillet..

But as stated.....fastening one to the metalwork will do the job almost as well.

and if you are going to have to bleed you would be better off with a adapted inline sensor as per website below......

[nigelgibson]

Thanks for advice and offer, not sure which way to go but will decide before unit arrives. Steve [ widdowson] has said he'll give me a hand to fit so might be dry route as i think his is this. will update later but unit on way fron china so may be a week or so.