Ok, i've got the .pdf instructions on how to linearize the stock temp gauge, and this looks like a bit much to me. How many of you have actually done this? It seems to me that it would be easier to just install an aftermarket water temperture guage somewhere. I haven't done a search yet on what's involved in doing that, but it's got to be easier than this!

 

yeah, the linearalization does seem to be a lot of steps. It's not hard, just takes a lot of time and requires things to be done that the average person isn't willing to do. I think an aftermarket water temp gauge consists of replace or installing a temp sensor and wiring up the gauge and mounting it.

 

I would just get an aftermarket one if I were you, thats what I did. You will know the exact temperature in degrees rather than hot or cold or somewhere in between.

The installation isn't very hard. I just followed this page: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=247152

All you really have to do is:
-drain coolant
-take off the termostat housing
-drill and tap it, install sensor
-run wire through firewall and to the gauge
-splice correct wires to existing wires in the car

It only took me a couple hours. I used the Tri-Power dash gauge pod that goes where the stock center speaker would normally be.

Heres a picture where you can kinda see how they look...

 

That doesn't sound too hard, and those directions look very comprehensive. Thanks littlemilla3. Now I just need to figure out a location for the gauge and pick one out.

 

If you purchase an Autometer Gauge, the sensor can go into the hex bolt on top of the housing without drilling like this pic:

 

Wow, that's convienient. Thanks Mahjik. Is the autometer guage pretty accurate? I was just looking at the Defi D Series gauge, but it's twice the cost of the autometer. I'm willing to pay a premium for accuracy though, since I don't want to over heat the car.

 

lol, the whole accurate thing....

Do Guess jeans cover your butt more than Levis? Nope. They do the same job, you just pay more for the other because of the name.

Accuracy has more to do with the placement of the sender than the brand name. There are many threads that go into the pros and cons of the various locations. There really is no clear "winner" as far as where to place the sender. However, the most common is somewhere on the water pump housing.

 

lol..good analogy. Ok, sounds like I'll be able to save a little green then. Now I just have to find a decent place to mount the gauge, I don't really want more than 1 gauge on my A piller (Especially since I don't want to take the boost gauge and pod off to put another pod on), looks like the steering column mount may be my next best option.

 

Mine is mounted with the steering column mount (from the RX-7 Store). I prefer that location as it's a little easier to monitor on track days.

 

This is what I would realy like to do:
http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...ges/index.html

 

Since I don't have a touring, I'm installing mine in the empty DIN slot. Up to 3 52mm gauges will fit there.

Go to http://www.egauges.com/ to fine the DIN mounting panels, or make your own.

I moved my radio to the bottom slot and put the gauges on top for better visability.

-bill

 

another very simple option:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...light=resistor

 

I linearized mine. You set the variable resistor so that the gauge needle is on the second bar up (cold normal) when the thermostat opens. This is easy to do as the temp stops rising when it opens. Then you let it warm up with the lights on. When the fans come on (just a hair over halfway up), you see where the gauge is, and that's 210F. When the fans turn off (around 1/4 the way up), you are at 190F. Easy.

Seriously, how many of 'yall need to know if you are 192 versus 196F?

I haven't let it get to 226F yet to see where that is on the gauge. But really, this is not that hard. The hardest part was to pull the dash off... Just pull steady and straight.

 

I really like the simple resistor idea, KevinK...so just mount some resistors in parallel from the sender to a ground point, eh? Sounds like a simple little thing I can create using tabs for an easily reversible solution.

Regarding the placement of the temp sender in the hex bolt location (used to bleed the system of air, I believe?) that seems like a great idea except I'm wondering if there's a possibility that the sender wouldn't actually touch coolant? I mean...when I'm looking into the coolant fill area, I usually notice an inch of air between the top and the coolant...

Just a thought...

 

i havn't found any answer if this a bad location or not. Anyone have any opinions?
Becuase this is a real convienent spot for the autometer gauge I got. I just have to get a 3/8" adapter instead of the 1/2" in came with.

(incidently make sure you get a 12ft version and not the 6ft )

 

i did what mahjik noted a while back, its great and gave me pretty accurate readings according to what was listed here..

only thing is i took off the gauge cause im moving it somewhere else, right now its not hooked up..

bad idea..