My friend had a guage laying around and Im tryn to figure out if its mechanical or not. How could I tell? Am I right by wanting an electrical water temp guage or will the mechanical one do?

 

A mechanical guage will have a metal line with a sensor attached that connnot be undone. An electical gauge will have an electrical connection on the back of the gauge and a sensor that get connected via standard electrical wire. I like electrical gauges better because it is easier to route the connection. Plus your not limited by the factory length of the machanical connection.

 

Its mech then. So I got the t fitting and everything to hook this up, but like you said its not easy routing the line. I was just gonna run it around the door but Im gonna have to find a spot in the firewall. how thick is the firewall and is there anywhere I can put it through. I was thinkn by the clutch would work. What do yall think?

 

Depending on hit thick the sensor is, I dont think there is a big enough hole in the firewall to put it through.

Ditch the mechanical gauge and get a electronic one, much simpler. Prosport sells them as low as $40

 

the mechanical gauge's downfall is that the liquid must be transferred by a tube too the gauge.
That tube need to go into the cabin.So if it leaks in the cabin it is quite the friggin mess.
I use electric gauges as the wires can get curled up a bit..but the gauges will still read.
I find snaking wires in to the firewall is easy.It's under the dash where it gets to be a Pain..Yay..

 

No coolant flows through the temp gauge, it just gets heated up, its is a closed system

Oil pressure different story.

 

True dat.
The capillary tube and sensor bulb of a mechanical temp gauge is typically filled with ether.

 

a friend of mine has a mechanical oil pressure gauge, it was a rather old one. And when it burst.......I laughed my *** off LOL

 

I have always ran mechanical oil pressure, always used the plastic tubing too, now i use the braided line.

 

Mine leaked all over my Radio..never again will I use one.

 

Im sure one day they can leak, but i been using them in at least a dozen cars over the last 20+ years without any

 

Im still working up the courage to drill through the firewall. Not to mention my tps probs

 

Nothing like hot oil to destroy your trim and burn your legs.

 

Dont drill. Slip it through the electrical boot under the clutch master cylinder.

I have several wires, including the 8ga for my trunk mounted amp and the mechanical sender/probe penetrating that boot.

 

The speedo cable grommet is another candidate.

 

The temp probe thing is pretty big, I ll try n stuff it through one of those tomorrow and see what happens.

 

There is always the fear of the heater core leaking hot coolant in the car too but what can you do??

86rxna- You can fit it under the wiring harness on the passenger side, push the boot away with something and push the sensor through.
Push it where it meets the firewall, not the wires

 

I had my manual temp gauge probe threaded into my thermostat housing in a hole i had tapped.

Use plumbers tape or you can definitely expect leaks.

Also i could remove my cable to the gauge it was threaded on with a nut, yours isnt removable? Strange.

 

It wasn't hard at all. I'm sure there is a preexisting hole. Since I removed my ac I used those holes...easy as pie. Non rotor heads thinks this is stock.

 

Ok thanks to everyones help I got her done. I ended up pushing it thru the drivers side hole with a screwdriver. After installing the temps havnt gone over 190 yet. The stock temp guage still shoots up past half so Im pretty sure shes the faulty one.