coolant temperature sender

coolant temperature sender

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By peeeot - 16 Years Ago

Hello! I have a 1959 Galaxie with a 292 and am having a hard time locating a replacement temperature sender. All the major parts sources I've checked list a unit that is small enough to fit inside the threads of the unit installed in my motor. My temperature gauge reads high when cold and low when warm. Has anyone else dealt with this issue? I have been surprised not to have found mention of it on the internet to date. Thank you!

By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago

Can the wiring at the gauge be reversed?

By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago

Use a bronze reducing bushing to install the sender - the internal threads of the large insert (pressed into the head) must be 3/8 pipe and you want to take that down to 1/4 pipe. the bushing won't hurt the function of the sender at all. The different T-bird suppliers also list an insert that goes right down from the head hole size to 1/4 pipe (so you don't have to use a bushing)

I don't know whether what Charlie suggests is what you have (reversed polarity) - but I think there is both a power and ground going to the gage.

By peeeot - 16 Years Ago

Thanks so much for the responses!

Here is an ebay link to a sensor like the one installed in my car: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-1955-Ford-Thunderbird-292-6V-Temperature-Sender_W0QQitemZ130280332543QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item130280332543&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A64%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

The difference is that mine has two spade-type connectors on it (male end). I don't believe it to be original; the shop manual shows your typical singe threaded post out of the sensor.

I tried reversing the wiring at the gauge to no avail.

Is it a common modification to adapt these small units to the y-blocks? They would not reach nearly as deep into the coolant stream as then old unit would.

By Hoosier Hurricane - 16 Years Ago

What you have is an early head on your engine, or an early engine. "54-'56 used the larger (3/8 pipe) sender, '57 and later used the smaller (1/4 pipe) ones. I believe it was the '56 that used the double terminal on the sender, though both terminals are common to each other. The '56 used a 12 volt gauge, all others before and after used 6 volt gauges. The easiest fix is to use the pipe bushing as stated above. The electrical terminal on the wire will need to be changed to match the sender. It has already been changed to match the '56 sender, now you need to change it back.

By peeeot - 16 Years Ago

It hasn't worked correctly ever, but I haven't had the car for more than a few months. It sat out of use for years before that. How would I know if the unit was meant for a light instead of a gauge? Wouldn't there only be continuity across terminals if the temp was high? I think the unit is supposed to work with 12 volts, it being a 1959...right?

By paul2748 - 16 Years Ago

peeeot (1/13/2009)

Wrong - As was stated above, Ford used 6 volt gauges in 1959 cars. Ford used, for lack of the correct terminology, a voltage reducer for the 6 volt gauges. If you don't have the sender unit with 1/4 pipe threads and the threaded stud, you probably have the wrong one as I think they used these after 56. I know it is correct for a 57.

Also as stated above, the TBird parts suppliers have the bushing for the correct sender. You can make a tool to remove the one that is in there now or buy the special tool for removal. If you have the hole for the 3/8 sender, you can usually find a reducer bushing at a hardware store or a parts store.

By marvsmerc - 16 Years Ago

My temperature Gauge stopped working months after I switched my system to 12 volts. Did I burn out the sensor or the gauge? It reads hot all the time. It was the only problem I had with the conversion. I did buy a sensor on ebay that is supposed to be 12v. It does have the 2 terminals on it & I believe the same threads........... Mike

By marvsmerc - 16 Years Ago

Don't know if I have knocked heads on here or what- but I never get much for answers like some say to the Newbies that you can certainly get all of them here. Maybe my posts have nothing to do with Hopp'n up the Y-block with certain heads or whatever.. I love the Y as all of you do but I am not interested in getting more power out of it. I am 60 and gone past that stage. I want to preserve it the way it was, & got on this site to connect with other Y-blockers & find some common ground on restoring them, but usually my posts are dead ended........ Mike

By paul2748 - 16 Years Ago

marvsmerc (1/14/2009)

Mike - It sounds like you got the 56 sending unit, which may not be compatible with the 54 gauge. In my 54 Ford, I used the 54 sender and the stock gauge and used one of those Ford gauge voltage reducers (not the correct name for it) and my gauges (temp and gas) work okay. I don't use the stock volt/amp and oil pressure lights.

By Ted - 16 Years Ago

marvsmerc (1/14/2009)

Mike. Sounds like this is an itch that needs scratching. Take this as constructive criticism which can also apply to everyone. No knocked heads here but you’ve attached your question to a post that was already in another train of thought even though it was temperature sensor related. Asking your specific question in a brand new post instead of ‘hi-jacking’ an existing thread would have been more applicable in this instance but hi-jacking does seems to be a way of life in many forums. I’m guilty myself in responding to some of these hi-jacked posts but for the most part there’s no harm actually being done other the post deviating from its original topic and potentially making a post several pages long. This in turn makes it difficult for someone using the search function to weed their way through several pages of a post that jumps around in the topic materal in order to find the pertinent information.

But regarding your own question, you’ve posted a problem that has a myriad of possibilities without much detail on what has or has not already been checked. More information up front will get more responses. Heed Toms and Pauls recommendations as both scenarios are valid. I’ll add that an ohm check or continuity test on the sending unit itself will help to determine if the sending unit itself is dead in the water. If the sensor shows to be ‘open’ then replacement of that would be at the top of the list.

By peeeot - 16 Years Ago

Hoosier Hurricane, I think I missed your post somehow before I responded. I had assumed that everything under the hood was original, given that the car was owned by one man. The only component I've checked numbers on is the carburetor, which is a correct number for the application. Perhaps I should double check the numbers on the heads and block to see if they are correct as well.

I looked on Mac's Antique Auto Parts web site and saw the exact unit I have installed, which, as you surmised, is meant for a 1956 vehicle.

If I'm understanding correctly, there is a pressed in bushing with threads adapted for the current sending unit. I need to either remove the bushing and replace it with one for the correct sending unit, or else use a thread adapter that matches the 3/8 thread on the outside and the 1/4 thread on the inside. Is that correct?

By peeeot - 16 Years Ago

Uh-oh! Should've known better than to assume anything of the sort. Block is ECG-A, heads are ECG-C. Looks like I have '55 272 block and heads with some other 2-bbl intake and a correct carb.

Ford-y-block.com didn't reference an ECG-A block; can anyone confirm if that's a 1955 272? It said ECG was for '55-'57 272s I think.

By pcmenten - 16 Years Ago

Whoops. ECG is a 272.

By Hoosier Hurricane - 16 Years Ago

Peeeot:

You are correct, change the pressed-in bushing to the 1/4" pipe one, or use a pipe bushing in the existing hole.

By PF Arcand - 16 Years Ago

Merv: I think a lack of answers is just bad luck or timing. It happens sometimes. I think you needed a voltage reducer, but re read the other postings & maybe it will be clearer..