Temp gauge sender, better in the head or intake?

[pagrunt]

This is another thing I've been toying with & not sure which spot would give better readings (even though it's a factory gauge.) The old 305 had it in the head, the original 229 obviously had it there too. Then when I had my '72 put to gether my '68 307 had the mechanical gauge probe in the intake with the warning light switch in the head. I know the pre '68 SBC's had them in the intake but was there a reason to go to the head? The only other thing I have thought about with this is if I figure a clean factory looking way to add a temp warning light to the dash the switch would go in the head. Any input?

 

[Ribbedroof]

I would be more concerned about head temperature than coolant in the intake. Seems to me like a more accurate indicator of operating conditions

 

[pagrunt]

That was one of the things I was thinking about since there is more operational heat at the head than the intake. But with the hole being right by the thermostat it would make you think that would be a judge of the coolant temps.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

x2 on putting the sender in the head. You would be amazed at the difference in readings. I would much rather read the higher side than lower.

 

[fleming442]

Gee, I don't know, Wally. Yes, the temp reading in the head would be higher, but it's not indicative of the overall system temperature; it's a hot spot.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Gee, I don't know, Wally. Yes, the temp reading in the head would be higher, but it's not indicative of the overall system temperature; it's a hot spot.

That's because Olds thought the same way, in the intake manifold. Look where the temp sensor to the computer to adjust air/fuel on the TBI sbc 350 went, in the intake manifold. I do get the hottest spot theory, us Olds guys don't get that choice.

 

[pagrunt]

Looks like the head is where it'll read from.

 

[fleming442]

My 2002 Series 2 sensor is in the intake, too.

 

[69hurstolds]

The Olds V8 intakes put the sender as close to the engine outlet as possible. I have a sneaky suspicion this had more to do with the fact of the real estate available to be able to put it there made more sense as you would almost need to put the sensor on one end of the head due to the exhaust port layout. For factory systems, I don't know if it's such a big deal if it was in the head or intake, especially with the inaccuracy of G-body factory gage systems.

For more accurate overall engine outlet temps, such as good, aftermarket gages with better face readings, I think the closer to the outlet you are, the better your overall reading will be. If you could put it directly into the outlet, that would likely be the best place, but the T-stat lives there, so there's that. And you want it on the upstream side of the T-stat.

There's pros and cons for every place you'd want to put a sensor, but if I had to pick a place, the intake next to the outlet would be where I'd go with it. JMO.

 

[TURNA]

On my big block chevy I have the temp gunge in the intake and the 180* fan switch in the head

The second my temp gauge reads180 the fans turns on.