88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Im thinking of getting a water temp gauge and want to know what works, I would like a mechanical one but which ones work and where do you have them hooked up to? Or is there an accurate electronic gauge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 When driving I use the stock gauge. I have logged temps on the standalone and watched the stock gauge at the same time. I know my stock gauge will read almost half @ 176 degrees (operating temp) and about 3/4 @ 195 degrees (t-stat opening temp). Since I have verified those temps I feel the stock gauge is fine for my application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliConquestAlex Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 (edited) I have the mookeeh mk1 coolant tenp gauge. I hooked up the sender inline with one of the heater hoses. Works very well. Edited October 23, 2013 by CaliConquestAlex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmyers151 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 (edited) Mine is a "mechanical" gauge. I have it plumbed to where the stock coolant temp sensor used to go. I avoided the electric gauge because I'm not so great at wiring.http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4100/4785910687_df498dd6b7_b.jpg Edited October 23, 2013 by dmyers151 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Laptop gage in tuner studio. Plan to ether tap somewhere for a dash gage, or maybe use the AC temp switch location which I doubt would be an acurate location but would be just a waning type gage anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Something I have not seen anyone else do is install a buzzer. If the engine temp gets too high a buzzer goes off. Most of the time people don't notice a creeping temp gauge until the engine starts making noises or acts funny. For standalone guys a general purpose output can be hooked to a buzzer. For stock guys use the high temp fan switch on the radiator to activate the buzzer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntercooledFlatty Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 autometer sport comp ftw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 mechanical or electric if yu have questions have the actual engine temps tested with a touchless meter 1/2 on the oem gauge is normaly 190-200f , so if yours is running 1./4" above 1/2 i'd deff do some testing with a touchless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 mechanical or electric if yu have questions have the actual engine temps tested with a touchless meter 1/2 on the oem gauge is normaly 190-200f , so if yours is running 1./4" above 1/2 i'd deff do some testing with a touchless HMMMM now you got me thinking. Price has come down allot on a touchless hand held. Might just take one apart and point sensor at head and wire in car. Solves my gage / no current open sensor spot issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hincher Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 It takes two gauges to get a proper reading, the only information you get from the original temp guage is the where the coolant exits the engine, its not the hottest place thats in the cylinder head at the exhaust valve, but its how hot the coolant is at the thermostate you need a second guage at the lower radiater hose to find the coolant temp when the coolant exits the radiater and enters the engine couple of reasons for this, first it tells you if your radiater is working, second you can test if you are 'overcooling' If your coolant temp is 10 to 12 degrees lower as it exits the radiater back into the engine, you are in good shape, if you are dumping 20 degree cooler temps back into the engine, you create a thermo stress/shock on the engine and if you are only getting 6 degree drop, you got a overheating problem so get two matched guages, place a tube in the lower hose and place a second guage there and tune your thermostate and radiater to match the engines needs I know, I get too deep, I'm sorry..............I am German 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 ^ No I like that allot, and it's something for me to think about. I know for sure I am over cooling as I can sometimes struggle to make 180 deg. unless you run it and shut it off and let it heat soak. Then just starting will take it from ~ 200 to 170's in a few seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 autometer sport comp ftwhow did you install it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Mine is a "mechanical" gauge. I have it plumbed to where the stock coolant temp sensor used to go. I avoided the electric gauge because I'm not so great at wiring. which gauge do you have and did you need extra fittings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convette Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Autometer passenger side head sending unit, ecu readout on in dash tablet, driver's side head sending unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonnieJ Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Podi electric temp gauge. Need matching boost gauge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmyers151 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 which gauge do you have and did you need extra fittingsAll the center gauges are AutoMeter Phantom. I think this is the water temperature one I've got:http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=2674&sid=7 Also, I'm pretty sure you'll need this fitting:http://www.autometer.com/cat_accessoriesdetail.aspx?vid=68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 any temp sender has to be installed where it will see moving coolant and before the thermostat as Bill said having another gauge sender in or near the lower rad out let will give you an idea of how well the rad is doing it's job and one more thing if the gauge your using is not sensitive enough to show when the stat opens it's notsensitive enough to be very accurate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88-cnqst-tsi Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 anyone have pictures of their installs on he engine side and where it was routed to the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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