Has anybody installed an aftermarket temp gauge (one that actually read in a temperature rather than just having inaccurate bars)?

I'd ideally like to do something where the sender is a match for the thread pitch of the stock sender making installation a bit easier/more straightforward.

TIA

 

I am wondering that myself.

I also have oil pressure and water temp, and don't know the best place to tap for those.

 

I know when we did them on nissans, there were some japanese companies that made them with nice metric thread senders, making them direct bolt ins, but I'd hate to play tester on that, and I'm having enough trouble with my cooling system without pulling senders and having to bleed the system again, so if anyone knows either the depth/thread pitch of the female sender area, or even better, knows of a company that makes a nice direct bolt in replacement, I'd be very interested.

 

FYI:

<img src="http://www.weissach.net/images/944TemperatureGuage85.5.jpg" alt=" - " />

Karl.

 

I do have experience with VDO but I do know that the AutoMeter stuff uses NPT fitting for most of their gauge sending units. Means you will need to tap/create new locations or retap existing locations.

 

Exactly why I'm hoping to get a direct bolt in rather than going autometer (or vdo which I guess would be npt as well from what I remember from my summit catalogue)

Karl, I appreciate the knowledge, but part of my wanting the aftermarket gauge is also based on the relative lack of consistancy from the stock gauges...many here have posted about where their gauges sit (and none seem to be just like another), and I'm relatively unconvinced as to the accuracy of any one unit regardless of what the hashmarks represent

 

The other possibility is to tap a new hole in your head and thread in a separate sender, metric or NPT. There's a flat-spot on the head right next to the existing sender where you can install another one. This will allow your existing gauge and dummy light to work.

 

Personally not having a garage or clean area, nor being a big fan of adding stress points to motors if they aren't engineered in (I know, It's not really a big deal, it's more that I don't really trust myself), I'd rather leave a dead gauge and reuse the original sender port than start drilling holes in my block. I'm also not a fan of any metal shavings in or around my motor...