So you bought your new guages, read the DIY on installing them, but now you dont know how to hook up you temp guage? Well listen up, its easy, failry quick, and will take just a few hours.
The first thing youre going to want to do, run to a GOOD hardware store with LOTS of plumbing fittings. Bring your guage with you and about 10$. First, youre going to need an all female T fitting, probably 1/2 inch. This is what i picked because it has a large enough diamater to not restrict the coolant flow. Also, you will need 2 male tapered hose fittings, and adapters depending on what your sensor fitting is. Since I removed my Egr, I have lots of room behind my intake manifold, and decided to use the IN coolant flow to the heater core. This is important, you want the coolant as fresh from the engine as possible. The farther from the engine it is, the lower and less accurate your reading will be, and therefore making it useless.
Assembly
Now, you should also pick up some teflon tape, and some RTV silicone for some extra insurance at the high temperatures.
![Image]()
That is basically everything you should have.
Now, you will want to wrap the threads in teflon tape and screw them in as pictured. i applied enough RTV sealant around the fitting to coat it, and screw them in TIGHTLY. Use some pliers and vicegrips to get those suckers tight.
![Image]()
Now it should look like this. if you have a saw, cut off say 2 ridges on each side, trust me.
Then, you need to put together the sensor adapters. What i did, was make sure when i screwed in my sensor, it was JUST inside the inner diameter of the main flow of coolant, as to not cause any back up, but still get a very accurate reading.
![Image]()
You may need to use 2 or 3 adapters to get the height right. My fitting is 1/4, and there are 1/4 -> 1/2 fittings, but to get the previously described position i had to use 2 fittings, gradually stepping up. meaning I also used a 3/8 adapter.
![Image]()
Now do NOT screw in the temp sensor because when you get done and realize you have to put it through the firewall someone is going to punch your head. Now find a suitable place in the firewall to drill. remove the carpenting and the sound deading for this. be careful not to drill into your wheel well as i did.
WHAT I DID:
There is a rubber gromet attatched to a system i am not familiar with, but i think has something to do with the heating system that protrudes into the firewall on the passenger side. Go into your engine bay and pull it out. Then, bring your temp sensor wire behind your center console by the floor and out through this hole. Then cut a big X in the Cabin side of the grommet. Push the sensor and fitting through there, and then pull out the long end that was protruding from the firewall. Proceed to replacing the grommet, and your Temp sensor is now in your engine bay.
Now behind the intake manifold there are 2 coolant hoses, one coming from the block to firewall and one coming from the firewall to the.. uhh i dont remember. There should be an aluminum bent fitting In the middle of the Block-firewall hose. Loosen the clamps, and remove that, and the heat wrap surrounding the hoses. then hold up your fitting, and eye where the hoses line up to it. Trim as necessary, leaving a little extra. If you cut too much your fucked. Try to end up so as the hoses clamp on all the way but there are no pinching bends in the hose, like a yard hose when it bends too sharply.
Make sure that when you do this, You put your screw clamps on the hoses before your fitting, as the hoses are a bitch to get off now and you can slide them down to clamp. Tighten these, ensuring everything is in the described operating condition. NOW you can apply the teflon tape and sealant to the temp sensor fitting, and tightly screw it in to your fitting.
Voila your done. Now give it an hour or so to set, and while your waiting fill your radiator so you dont get air bubbles from all the coolant that exploded on your face. Then Turn your car on and let it idle. If you have done everything corectly, in about 10 minutes, your temp guage will start to rise. The stock temp guage rises at about 100' amd sits at "operating temp" from about 120 to 170, then rises as soon as you go above 170. gay as hell, i have found. Dont be worried, as it will probably take a bit for your guage to rise to about 170. annnd, yeah. thats about it
The first thing youre going to want to do, run to a GOOD hardware store with LOTS of plumbing fittings. Bring your guage with you and about 10$. First, youre going to need an all female T fitting, probably 1/2 inch. This is what i picked because it has a large enough diamater to not restrict the coolant flow. Also, you will need 2 male tapered hose fittings, and adapters depending on what your sensor fitting is. Since I removed my Egr, I have lots of room behind my intake manifold, and decided to use the IN coolant flow to the heater core. This is important, you want the coolant as fresh from the engine as possible. The farther from the engine it is, the lower and less accurate your reading will be, and therefore making it useless.
Assembly
Now, you should also pick up some teflon tape, and some RTV silicone for some extra insurance at the high temperatures.
That is basically everything you should have.
Now, you will want to wrap the threads in teflon tape and screw them in as pictured. i applied enough RTV sealant around the fitting to coat it, and screw them in TIGHTLY. Use some pliers and vicegrips to get those suckers tight.
Now it should look like this. if you have a saw, cut off say 2 ridges on each side, trust me.
Then, you need to put together the sensor adapters. What i did, was make sure when i screwed in my sensor, it was JUST inside the inner diameter of the main flow of coolant, as to not cause any back up, but still get a very accurate reading.
You may need to use 2 or 3 adapters to get the height right. My fitting is 1/4, and there are 1/4 -> 1/2 fittings, but to get the previously described position i had to use 2 fittings, gradually stepping up. meaning I also used a 3/8 adapter.
Now do NOT screw in the temp sensor because when you get done and realize you have to put it through the firewall someone is going to punch your head. Now find a suitable place in the firewall to drill. remove the carpenting and the sound deading for this. be careful not to drill into your wheel well as i did.
WHAT I DID:
There is a rubber gromet attatched to a system i am not familiar with, but i think has something to do with the heating system that protrudes into the firewall on the passenger side. Go into your engine bay and pull it out. Then, bring your temp sensor wire behind your center console by the floor and out through this hole. Then cut a big X in the Cabin side of the grommet. Push the sensor and fitting through there, and then pull out the long end that was protruding from the firewall. Proceed to replacing the grommet, and your Temp sensor is now in your engine bay.
Now behind the intake manifold there are 2 coolant hoses, one coming from the block to firewall and one coming from the firewall to the.. uhh i dont remember. There should be an aluminum bent fitting In the middle of the Block-firewall hose. Loosen the clamps, and remove that, and the heat wrap surrounding the hoses. then hold up your fitting, and eye where the hoses line up to it. Trim as necessary, leaving a little extra. If you cut too much your fucked. Try to end up so as the hoses clamp on all the way but there are no pinching bends in the hose, like a yard hose when it bends too sharply.
Make sure that when you do this, You put your screw clamps on the hoses before your fitting, as the hoses are a bitch to get off now and you can slide them down to clamp. Tighten these, ensuring everything is in the described operating condition. NOW you can apply the teflon tape and sealant to the temp sensor fitting, and tightly screw it in to your fitting.
Voila your done. Now give it an hour or so to set, and while your waiting fill your radiator so you dont get air bubbles from all the coolant that exploded on your face. Then Turn your car on and let it idle. If you have done everything corectly, in about 10 minutes, your temp guage will start to rise. The stock temp guage rises at about 100' amd sits at "operating temp" from about 120 to 170, then rises as soon as you go above 170. gay as hell, i have found. Dont be worried, as it will probably take a bit for your guage to rise to about 170. annnd, yeah. thats about it
