The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Temp gauge not work

I bought an aftermarket set of gauges a three set from harbor tool and freight. They were oil pressure, temp, and amp meter. I installed the temp sensor on the thermostat housing off of the old 283 i had ( i now havev a 1987 350). My temp gauge doesnt seem to work.
I've drove the truck around my block keeping it around 2,000rpms, total run time about 3 min.
Is this not enough to get the temp up to 130 which is the lowest temp on the sensor? or do i have a bad gauge.or is it not grounded well enough?(if it needs to be grounded?)
Another question i have is, ive got the 350 in the truck with a stock radiator and an electric fan.Will this be enough cooling power? without the gauge working im not sure if the motor is going to overheat or not.

The truck is a 1953

Which side of the thermostat did you install the sending unit? Sounds like it's installed after the thermostat, before the radiator. If your motor isn't getting warm enough to open the thermostat, the sending unit won't be submersed in coolant and won't register. Try installing in the block, cylinder head or intake manifold. IMO, I'd opt for a better set of guages than something from a cut rate tool supply company. Summit Racing has several guage kits like you describe for under $50. Just my 2 cents.

- 3 mins run time is not enough to reliably get up to temp
- the temp sender is the ground, hopefully you haven't used any paste sealer or teflon tape on the threads
- the sender location on a 283 stat housing should work fine, assuming you don't have an air lock
- the stock rad should cool a 350, providing it can stand the pressure [at least a 7# cap]
- without running the engine under load long enough for it to attain a stable operating temperature, AND then letting it sit at idle for a period [as in traffic at a stop light] you never will know if it's going to overheat

Bill

Ok so here's the things i figure i did wrong. 1 i dont remember for sure but i think i used teflon tape on the threads but easy fix. The second, is installing on the wrong side of the thermostat. The housing had the stat unit on the right side with another vacuum looking thing on the left (probably not stock). The new thermostat sender size was to big to fit in the old Tstat so i switched it over to the left side were it fit in just fine.
Would this be O.K. until i can get a new housing ( i assume once the Tstat opens the gauge will jump to temperature?)
The reason i didn't put it in the block in the first place was because i wasn't able to get the old one out.
And unfortunately i cant afford a decent gauge right now so just putting something in for a general reference.

Post a couple pictures on here so we can help walk you through this. Your idea of a "vacuum looking thing" may be something different to the rest of us. And yes, better to have something than nothing....I'm just one of those guys who tries to look for the Made in America stamps or stickers before I buy.

Added: An '87 350 should have multiple 1/2 NTP plugs where you can put a sending unit. Check the cylinder heads too. A few blows with a taper punch should loosen those plugs...or an impact wrench if there's enough room.