kirtondog23

Now that I can actually drive my truck I am really enjoying it! Night and day from that tired and old stock TBI350! Also having an overdrive gear on the highway doesn't hurt either. btw I swaped in the 6.0 LQ4 with a 4l80e.

Anyhow. Now that you know that I am happy and pleased. I had to put a couple of adapters on the engine to try to get my temp gauge to work. (I understand that the 2004 trucks did not have a temp gauge just an idiot light) correct me if I am wrong. Anyway, the highest wanter temp I have seen so far from 20 minutes on the highway with some city driving is 111. I am thinking that has to be way low and my adapters are not reading this right. My understanding is the stock thermostat is something like 195 or thereabouts. Has anyone else sen this or experienced it? What have you guys done to get correct temp reads? My sensor thingy is on the passanger side, rear, bottom side of the block.

Thanks

bczee

iTrader: (12)

What gauge are you using ? does it match up with the sender ? also, what thermostat do you have in?
Yeah.. most stat are about 195 and PCM turns on the fans at about 223 or so. My seems to run about 185-195 and about 200 in traffic (I have my fans come on about then) and have a 180 stat.

Did u use teflon tape on the sender ?.. that can cause incorrect readings sometime due to bad grounding.

kirtondog23

The guage is a Dakota Digital unit that worked with my TBI set up. The T-stat should be a stocker and there are like three adapter "thingys" all connected together coming out of the block. My mechanic said I needed them to get a temp read to the guage, but maybe don't need them? Or I have one to many? I will try to find out more about the adapters. The adapters don't have any tape on them and the whole thing sticks out of my block like a magic wand or something. as for as a match up with sender my guess is I don't have a match?

Thanks

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Not to trash Dakota.. but a lot of people have trouble with Dakota not alway getting accurate reading. My buddies 57 has problems with the Tach, Speed and Temp.

I would try and get a single adapter or a sender that doesn't need a adapter. Equus is a manufactor that markets adapters, look into them. Also check with Dakota to see if they have the correct sender now for the 12mm threads that would thread into the side of the head now. As many are now producting them or have a single adapter. (autometer, S&W etc..)

got any picture of what the magic wand looks like ?

kirtondog23

I wish I could but my wife took the camera out of town. The guage worked well with the old set up. but who knows. I'll see if they have a 12mm adaptor. and look into the other options you presented. Thanks for the assistance and hopefully this thing will start working.

eagleuh1

If the sender is sticking way out of the block, its' probably not in the real hot flow area inside the head. Its probably sitting in a deadheaded area of coolant thats not getting up to normal coolant temperature. I'd try and get rid of the extra adapters and get the sender farther into the head. Picks are real helpful.( said by someone that hasn't posted any)

RE AND CHERYL

iTrader: (31)

If you have several adaptors together, there's a good chance there is an air pocket in there keeping the coolant from the sensor. Try pulling the sensor till coolant leaks out then screw it back in. Even then the reading you get is probably effected by the sensor being out of the coolant passage.

Re'

ewingr

INteresting. Fans don't even come on until 223?

What temp can this engine go to before damage?

I just got mine started, and have only run it a few minutes. It got up to 195, and the fans didn't come on. I was worried that maybe I had them wired wrong.

ewingr

No one has any feedback on my above question?