For those of you with 86's....

[Mike Morgan]

I have recently swapped 86' elky round gauges into my 79' and cant figure out what the right sending units are for the coolant temp. and oil pressure. For those without a computer on their car, what sending units do you use? i heard the senders have to come from the same year car as the gauges are. i have 350 small block, but that shouldn't matter. Not sure if cutlass stuff would work, but open to ideas.

part numbers are appreciated!

thanks in advance

 

[565bbchevy]

If you swapped from idiot lights to gauges then you need the senders for the gauges, I wouldn't think exact year would be as much of a concern as long as the wiring matches the senders.

 

[Mike Morgan]

If you swapped from idiot lights to gauges then you need the senders for the gauges, I wouldn't think exact year would be as much of a concern as long as the wiring matches the senders.

i did swap from idiot lights, which is why i need new sending units. however, the temp sending unit i got read 210 on the gauge, when my mechanical one i had before read 180 and i just replaced the thermostat with a 180 one, so im trying to figure whats up. the oil pressure sender i think is just a matter of getting the right psi one (60psi rather than 80)

 

[565bbchevy]

What application did you buy the temp sender for and is it mounted in the same location as the mechanical gauge/

 

[Mike Morgan]

What application did you buy the temp sender for and is it mounted in the same location as the mechanical gauge/

temp sender is for coolant and they claimed it was for a gauge. It is in the same spot, on the front drivers side of the intake, right by the waterneck

 

[565bbchevy]

temp sender is for coolant and they claimed it was for a gauge.

Who is they and what did you tell them it was for?

 

[oldsmobile joe]

sounds like its similar to my olds. some where between " and "87, gm changed the temp range of the gauges from 260 degrees to 280 degrees. buy the sender for the year car that the gauges came from. I've tried running a sender for 260 in a car with a 280 gauge and found the readings to be wrong. any one else find this to be true?

 

[Mike Morgan]

oriley's and i said 86' el camino with no computer, i looked ans specifically made sure it only had one prong on it

 

[oldsmobile joe]

also, the computer and gauges do not share sensors for temp and oil. the temp sensors are separate from each other. and the oil press sensor only feeds info to the oil press gauge. no oil press sensor for the computer.

 

[Mike Morgan]

also, the computer and gauges do not share sensors for temp and oil. the temp sensors are separate from each other. and the oil press sensor only feeds info to the oil press gauge. no oil press sensor for the computer.

how come some have two prongs and a little plastic housing then? for the coolant temp sensor