The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop H20 Sending Unit

I recently bought a new gauge cluster for my 62. The water temp is a real gauge on the new cluster vs idiot lights on my old setup.

Can I simply buy a sending unit from the auto supply for my model truck?

After I get the right sending unit, how do I change the wiring from my idiot lights to make the gauge work properly?

Look at the back of the temp guage, there probably was a brass colored line going to it. If there was, your guage is now junk. There was a capulary tube type temp guage back then that was a sealed unit that screwed into the engine. No sendors or wires were used. I'm also assuming that you are putting in a factory dash and not an aftermarket set-up.
Keep us posted,
Scott

The auto parts store will probably have to look it up in a book. I got mine from Autozone for my 292 and it wasn't listed in the computer. I think it was a Wells, part# TU51. Should be the same for 235. ChevyDuty has one sender listed for gauges, years 56-72. It's $2 more than Autozone, $10 vice $8. As for hookup, it's one wire from gauge going to the terminal on the sender. I think the gauge is grounded by way of mounting to dash insert. The same way the single wire dash lights are grounded when inserted into holes.
-David
Kustoms-and-Sleds

The gauge is electronic.

I will eventually find the right sending unit but what I will need to know is how to wire in the gauge using my idiot light wires? The gauge has a two pronged outlet. I'm hoping that I can just plug in the idiot light wires to the back of the gauge after I change the sending unit.

THANKS!

Yeah, sorry about the bogus info, I had '52 instead of '62 on the brain.
Scott

Is this an aftermarket gauge?

No, it's a stock gauge. I got the cluster from some guy through the Swap Meet because my speedo was broken. Everything is the same as my old cluster, with the exception that it has a water temp gauge instead of idiot lights.

Then yeah, the one I mentioned from Autozone or the one from ChevyDuty should work.
Do you have a pink wire and green wire for your idiot light? If so, the pink wire goes to the ignition switch and such and the green wire will go the sender. Looking at the back of the gauge, the pink (power) should connect to right terminal and green wire to left.
-David

Hot goes to the "right" terminal? You mean the "hot" side of the gauge?

There's a pink and light green wire which goes to the "cold" light and a pink and dark green which goes to the "hot" light.

There's an old post here or one of the other sites about converting from idiot lights to gauges. I'll see i fI can find it...

Tab, try this

http://rmcavoy.freeshell.org/Truck_gauges.html

You should have 2 wires going to your current sender. Light green for cold and dark green for hot. Both lights share the same pink wire (as do other gauges/lights). Looking at a wiring diagram, I'd say you could cap off the "Cold" light wires and use the "Hot" light wires for your gauge. Pink going to right terminal (view looking at back of gauge) and dark green (dark green typically used on 60's trucks w/ gauge)connected to left terminal and then on out to sender. The same gauge wire is used for lights and gauges so you'll be fine.
-David

sixizbest: Thanks for that link

mugsy: Thanks.