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!

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

Can the wiring at the gauge be reversed?


Lawrenceville, GA

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.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

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.

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

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.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

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?

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

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.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

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 

     

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

     

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.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ