The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Temp Gauge Question

'54 GMC with a '56-'57 Chevy 235. Temp gauge wire is severed. I had assumed that this was a capillary (mechanical) unit. However after looking more closely, the wire coming from the gauge is solid-not a hollow tube. Its like a solid core wire except it looks like brass and not copper. The wire is soldered to the gauge, which has no other leads to it. I do have a sender that I pulled from the head but I don't know what is supposed to connect to it. Does this sound familiar to anyone, or does someone have a picture or diagram of what a complete system should look like?

Thanks

It has to be a mechanical unit. GM didn't go to an electric temp guage until '56, then it was mid year on that chenge for the 235. However, the secription you give for the hookup for your guage is correct for a mechanical, the capillary tube kind of looks like a peice of bare solid core wire. Another clue is only 1 hookup at the guage. The electric guages have 2 leads, usually 18 guage, one for the power, and one to the sending unit. You might also notice a funny smell form the severed end. That would be the ether that originally filled the tube.

the hole in the capillary tube is tiny, when cut the hole will be invisible so the tube will appear to be a "wire" .... as Bill sez, the gauge is mehanical, but because the engine is 56/7, the sender in it will be electrical ...

Bill

Thanks for the replies.