What options for a Water Temp display??

[mdoffroad]

So, since this car is the first I have ever been in, that didn't have water temp and oil pressure.... what options do we have? Anything electronic? Are there sending units in place and they just arent displayed?? I would imagine you would need these sensors in order for OBD2 etc to work... correct??

options?? if only regular gauges, where do I tie in for them??

Bear with me, I come from the land of Jeeps, where there are plenty of tie in spots for gauges etc..

 

[Blue Moon Sonic]

Ultragauge makes a nice digital gauge that reads your cars vitals through an ODB2 port and has various different mounting options. You can have 7 pages of what you want to monitor along with Engine code reading functions along with code clearing capabilities and each page except for 2 support 6 different sensors at a time. the other 2 do 8 I believe. You can also set the refresh rate down pretty low so it give close to real time data.

 

[ahtoxa]

Scangauge II does the same as Ultragauge, just looks a little more basic. I've had my Scangauge II for years now.

My understanding is that oil pressure and temp are not available, at least on the Scangauge. Water temp is.

 

[$ub$onic]

Scangauge II does the same as Ultragauge, just looks a little more basic. I've had my Scangauge II for years now.

My understanding is that oil pressure and temp are not available, at least on the Scangauge. Water temp is.

Oddly enough on my new aero gauge, I can see oil temp. Oil pressure is a no but I was surprised I could see oil temp.
With that said, I'm not sure if it's a "calculated" number or real number.

 

[busterbrown]

Oddly enough on my new aero gauge, I can see oil temp. Oil pressure is a no but I was surprised I could see oil temp.
With that said, I'm not sure if it's a "calculated" number or real number.

Didn't think there was a sending unit for oil temp on these engines. I may be wrong...but I remember reading it somewhere on the forum.

 

[LorbeerTLC]

Auto Meter Gauges

Didn't think there was a sending unit for oil temp on these engines. I may be wrong...but I remember reading it somewhere on the forum.

I wanted oil pressure, water temp, and voltmeter. I decided to go with good old fashion gauges because I use OnStar and hooking anything up to the ODBII port seems to interfere with OnStar's self diagnostic service.
http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/286750-post95.html

The gauges were from Auto Meter.
Gauges
Auto Meter Universal Dash Pod.
Universal Triple 2-1/16" Dash Pod

So far they have worked flawlessly and it also looks factory!

 

[mdoffroad]

Ok, where do you tap into for watwr temp and the oil pressure???

 

[LorbeerTLC]

Ok, where do you tap into for watwr temp and the oil pressure???

Oil Pressure: Comes off of the base of your oil filter. You'll see the OEM factory "idiot light" oil pressure sending unit sticking out below the base of your oil filter. That's where you'll want to replace your Oil Pressure Sending Unit. Keep in mind that the original sending unit uses a 10mm thread and the Auto Meter Oil Pressure Sending Unit is 1/8" so you'll need a fitting adapter.
NOTE: If you want to retain your factory "idiot light" sending unit, you'll need to get a Brass "T" Fitting Adapter that's 10mm and 1/8" (see link below):
Brass T Fitting Adapter For Vdo Or Autometer Oil Temperature And Oil Pressure Sending Units

Water Temperature: I used a 3/4" Heater Hose Adapter from Auto Meter:
Heater Hose Adapter, 3/4"
You use the sending unit supplied when you buy your Auto Meter Water Temperature Gauge and it goes into the small opening located at the center of the adapter. The 3/4" Heater Hose Adapter goes to your lower heater hose. You'll need to cut the hose in half at the center and attached the adapter using the hose clamps (included). You'll also need to ground out the Heater Hose Adapter to make the sending unit work.

By using both the Brass "T" Fitting Adapter and the Heater Hose Adapter, I was able to keep both EOM Oil Pressure and Water Temperature sending units. So besides gauges, I'll also have the original idiot lights to grab my attention.

Because of the tight space and lack of proper tools to attach the gauges, I had this professionally installed.

 

[Stew]

I'm sure his gauges came with their own sensors. Not all sensors are compatible with all gauges and I think most oil pressure sending units are simple on/off switches these days, even if you see an actual oil pressure gauge on the dash.

My 93 explorer which sits most of the time has an oil pressure gauge but the factory sending unit was an idiot light type sending unit, to make the gauge functional all you had to do was install a variable sending unit and bypass a resistor on the backside of the gauge cluster. Newer Fords this didn't work because the gauge wasn't a real working gauge.

Edit: Yep, I was typing this as LorbeerTLC was typing his reply.

 

[sonix13]

So, since this car is the first I have ever been in, that didn't have water temp and oil pressure.... what options do we have? Anything electronic? Are there sending units in place and they just arent displayed?? I would imagine you would need these sensors in order for OBD2 etc to work... correct??

options?? if only regular gauges, where do I tie in for them??

Bear with me, I come from the land of Jeeps, where there are plenty of tie in spots for gauges etc..

I just installed my Ultra-Gauge this weekend, Already love it.
Super easy install and gives me everything the car was lacking except the oil of course due to the lack of a sending unit.

 

[Stew]

The 3/4" Heater Hose Adapter goes to your lower heater hose. You'll need to cut the hose in half at the center and attached the adapter using the hose clamps (included). You'll also need to ground out the Heater Hose Adapter to make the sending unit work.

LorbeerTLC, I have gauges that I just need to get off my butt and install, one of which is a temp gauge. Being that you had the adapter installed in the lower radiator hose I take it that the lower hose is the coolant entering the radiator? Otherwise if coolant enters via the upper hose you would be reading the coolant temp after being cooled by the radiator.

I'm sure it'll be obvious once I actually look but I thought I'd double check if you know for sure.

 

[LorbeerTLC]

You Are Correct!

LorbeerTLC, I have gauges that I just need to get off my butt and install, one of which is a temp gauge. Being that you had the adapter installed in the lower radiator hose I take it that the lower hose is the coolant entering the radiator? Otherwise if coolant enters via the upper hose you would be reading the coolant temp after being cooled by the radiator.

I'm sure it'll be obvious once I actually look but I thought I'd double check if you know for sure.

Stew yes sir, you are correct. The lower hose is the coolant entering the heater core.
The upper hose is coolant exiting the heater core.

PS: Used to live up in North Marysville, WA near Shoultes Elementary School. We just moved in December 2013 to Dallas, Oregon. So sad about the shooting at MP.
Smokey Point is a great area! Take care!

 

[Stew]

PS: Used to live up in North Marysville, WA near Shoultes Elementary School. We just moved in December 2013 to Dallas, Oregon. So sad about the shooting at MP.
Smokey Point is a great area! Take care!

Yep, I remember! In fact I'm pretty sure I passed you once on 132nd St NE as I was heading over to 67th Ave NE. The shooting was a sad time for this area as you can imagine being a pretty small community.

Edit: I see you installed the sensor in the heater hose, I was thinking radiator hose. I think the heater hose is an even better choice because the coolant is always circulating through that but only circulates through the radiator one the thermostat starts to open. Thanks for the info!