Coolant temp sensor in water neck

[jordanfr13]

When I put my new motor in this winter, I came across a little problem... I wanted to use factory cutlass rally gauges, so I bought a factory water temp sensor to make sure it's compatible. However, I also used vortec heads, which created a problem since the holes into the water jacket on vortec heads are smaller than on regular sbc heads. So I put my sensor in the one place that worked, my water neck. Do you think the readings it puts out would still be somewhat accurate? I've noticed if I drive on the highway, my temp is normal, but if I drive around town casually, my temperature goes way up and stays there until I drive on the highway. Once I get up to highway speed, the temperature stays high for half a minute and then drops pretty fast right back to normal. I'm thinking that since my sensor is after the thermostat, it's throwing off the reading.

Also, I'm running a mild small block with a 7 blade flex fan and a 2 core aluminum rad.

Thanks

 

[Bonnewagon]

I'd say that since the sensor is after the stat, you're getting a coolant temp reading very close to whatever it takes to open the stat. If you take a stat and boil it in a pan of water and check it with a candy thermometer, you will find out exactly what the opening and closing temps are. With the stat in a cylinder head, you get a high reading because the head will get much hotter than the opening temperature until it actually opens. Your symptoms sound like poor airflow over the radiator at street speeds, and your gauge is telling it like it is.

 

[Phoenyx]

Why not use some kind of adapter for the head fitting? And wow, that oil gauge is almost maxed out lol.

 

[nycutlass]

i run mine in the intake manifold works fine for me .

 

[woodss]

i run mine in the intake manifold works fine for me .

x2 - intake manifold. Having it on the neck you may get some signifigant varaitions depending on the t-stat being open or closed that wont neccesarily represent actual engine temp.

 

[jordanfr13]

Thanks for the advise guys. I feel pretty stupid now....but I just assumed that my coolant was full. However, it was about 10 inches low in the rad, so i filled it up and drove it up to the garage to do an oil change, and noticed that my motor is rather soaked with liquid, which I at first assumed was oil, but when I wiped it up it had a slightly green tint to it, so I did a bit of searching and determined that it was coming from on of my gaskets between the engine and water pump. So I took off tha alternator and loosened the water pump, and was nosing around in there a bit, and happened to notice that I have a more serious problem:

A leak between my intake and block
So, I guess thats where my leak is. My newest question is.. Would it be coolant or oil coming from there? I thought that behind there is the lifter valley, so there would be no reason for coolant to come from there?

 

[Phoenyx]

Maybe its coming from there?
l
l
l
V

 

[pontiacgp]

I have vortec heads and the OEM temp sensor fit in the head

 

[jordanfr13]

I don't think so...If you look closely at where you started your arrow, it's right on where my intake gasket is blown out.

And pontiacgp...Can you take a picture of where yours is?

 

[pontiacgp]

it's on the drivers side between #1 and #3 plug...same location as it was with the 305