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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Temperature Sending Units-1951 V-8 Ford Custom

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Temperature Sending Units-1951 V-8 Ford Custom -- page: 1 2     TomO 05-19-2020 @ 12:06 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7243 Joined: Oct 2009 Jules51, The best test requires a spare temp gauge, 6 volt battery, a candy thermometer. and a pan of water. Connect the -6V to the gauge Connect the gauge to the sending unit Connect the + 6v to the case of the sending unit Heat the water to approximately 160 degrees Immerse the sensing end of the sending unit it the hot water and watch the gauge. It should read near the center of the scale. If you don't have a spare gauge, you could also use a jumper wire from the wire that goes from the sending unit to the gauge and use a jumper from the engine to the case of the sending unit. The last one that I tested, I used my ohm meter to check that the contact points were closed and making good contact. I heated the water to boiling, immersed the sending unit in the boiling water and waited until the gauge read HOT, then I removed the heat source and watched the gauge as the water cooled, comparing the gauge readings with the thermometer. Tom Jules51 05-19-2020 @ 6:36 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 58 Joined: Jul 2015 Thanks Tom for the testing procedure. Thanks Jules51 Jules51 05-22-2020 @ 5:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 58 Joined: Jul 2015 Tom, an update: I installed the 2 KS units, taking a chance without testing. I'm assuming, need to be sure, the functioning of sending units: When the car is off, the gauge is position at "H", once the car is switch on the temp gauge goes from "H" to "C", assuming this is correct. After switching to the KS units I have the reverse. Car is switch on the gauge stays at "H" and as the engine warms it moves towards center of the temp gauge. I've ordered a new after market sending unit just in case. Wire from harness to unit is connected to the short prong and x-over is connected to the taller prong, reversing had no change. One last point. I applied a non-tape thread sealant to each unit, not the tape brand as before. Thanks Jules51 TomO 05-22-2020 @ 7:27 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7243 Joined: Oct 2009 Jules51, that operation has me stumped. It sounds like you have a sending unit from a 1936-1938 Lincoln Zephyr, but those sending units required a reducing bushing in the head port to fit. The gauge should be at hot when the engine is off and go to engine temperature when the ignition switch is on. The way that the sensing works is that when the engine is cold, more current flows through the circuit forcing the gauge needle to move towards cold. As the coolant temperature rises, less current flows through the circuit allowing the gauge needle to move towards hot. My car is still in the body shop to repair the damage that wwas done on the way to Auburn last year, so I cannot check the series number stamped on those. I do not recommend that you use any thread sealant on the sending units for coolant or oil pressure. They need a good ground to operate correctly. Tom sarahcecelia 05-22-2020 @ 9:45 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1166 Joined: Mar 2013 It doesn't matter what side either is on. Some literature I've seen, shows the double terminal one on the right, and some shows it on the left. The single terminal one reads temperature, the double terminal reads Over Temperature. (The motor is over heating!) Regards, Steve Lee sarahcecelia 05-22-2020 @ 9:59 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1166 Joined: Mar 2013 180 degrees should read in the middle or close to it ; 212 degrees is at the far right! Some gauges are off a little; ! (they read past the 212 mark ; the far right; when the key is off; so they in turn will read that much past the mid point when you are at, or near, 180 on the thermometer check. So the best way to find that out is to run the motor with the radiator cap off until it gets to temp with a candy thermometer in the radiator, to read it against your dash gauge. If the thermometer reads 180, or within 4-5 degrees before or past it, the gauge should read close to that mid point. If it does, you are "Good to Go!! Regards, Steve Lee sarahcecelia 05-22-2020 @ 10:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1166 Joined: Mar 2013 JayChicago- 160 thermostats open just before 160 by a few degrees, but these flat heads will still read real close to the midpoint of the gauge when fully warmed up, because they still hold a temp real close to the 180 with any thermostat! Why you say? Motors don't operate well at low temps,and weren't designed to; that is very inefficient; plus if the cold pistons and other parts don't expand to the tolerances that they were designed to operate at, oil circulaton is poor, and an engine needs to be hot enough to burn off the water, acids,etc, that are in the oil and formed at initial start up. Look at you r tail pipe on initial start up and watch the drops of water coming out!! Do you want that in your motor and oil? NO!! Regards, Steve Lee sarahcecelia 05-22-2020 @ 10:24 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1166 Joined: Mar 2013 That 'Correct Wiring " depends on what book you read, or who you talk to; and mechanically it makes no diference which sender is in which side! I had a friend who had new 1950 when I was 18, it had a double terminal on the driver's side, and my dad had a New 1949, and the double terminal was on the passenger side!! Regards, Steve Lee

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