integsracer

ok, so i was really stupid and over tightened the autometer temperature sending unit into my block, and i broke it. is there any other place i can tap into for a new sending unit? the broken one is stuck in the block and it isnt leaking, so i can drive around for now w/o any temp gauge. if not, how can i take out the broken one? my only idea is to drill it counter clockwise and hope it works its way out, but im afraid of getting crap into the engine.
any help would be appreciated.
thanks,
Jon

integsracer

by the way, i forgot to add, i saw a plug in the area i was working. what is it for? can i use it for s new sending unit?

Batouttahell

It happens to the best of us. You need to get your elbow calibrated to act as a torque wrench :naughty:.
Does the Autometer sender have the same dimensions as the engine coolant temp sensor on the water pump? A simple R&R would be ideal. If not, I'd still like to have temp info coming from the head/intake area (where the greatest T fluctuations occur) & not the block.
I'd leave the broken sender where it is; so long as it doesn't leak, and there are no loose edges to catch on anything (or anybody).
...And I wouldn't worry about metal shavings, better in the crankcase where they'll get caught by the oil filter, than up in the head. I guess if you wanted to be anal, strong magnets are available that you just slap on the oil pan.
Post back with where you put the new sensor.
g/l,
-W-

btw: the plug you saw on the block was probably the freeze plug, designed to pop out should the engine freeze from lack of antifreeze it lowers the odds of cracking the block.

integsracer

ok, thanks a lot. i tried JB welding a bolt into the broken sensor but i havent tried loosening it. ill let you guys know what happens...in the mean time, anymore idea on where to put a new sensor if i dont get the broken one out? the head/intake area sounds like a good idea, but where? i know i cant just go drilling anywhere. haha.
-Jon

Batouttahell

Ok. So where exactly on the block did you try to install this sender? On the oil filter side? Access must've been a beeacchh.
Also- did you check out the engine coolant temp sensor at the water pump? When you think about how the sensor probably works, it might use a resistor (a thermistor?) that sends different values based on temperature. I guess the only thing that's lacking in the stock temp gauge is that it's not graduated & it doesn't look very cool. That Autometer is a good gauge. Is it able to be calibrated? How 'bout getting some info for the rest of us: go ahead & temporarily test-hook that b- up to the stock temp sensor & see what it tells you. If it works, you could always tie the stock gauge's wiring back inline with the Autometer's.

BUT: If the broken-off Autometer sender is able to be removed from the block, definitely put the replacement sender in it's place, & forget about it. Ignorance is bliss.
-W-

integsracer

i put the new sensor where the old one was, right under the distributor.
there is one near the water pump? why are there two temp sensors?
the JB weld didnt work. i might try one of those reverse drill bits next.

Batouttahell

On the G3 teg the sender is located on the water pump. You got a G2?
Yeah, the E-Z Out extractor works pretty well, provided you can get a drill to the location. You drill the size indicated on the box (slightly larger than the extractor), bang the e-z out into that hole, & back it out with a ViseGrips.
-W-

integsracer

i have a gen 3. i just tried the E-Z out and it didnt work. it was really stuck in there. so i drilled it out and i got the stock sending unit to go back in. I dont really want to mess with it anymore. haha. to the right of the stock sending unit i saw some other kind of sensor. it had two wires going to it. maybe i can put the autometer sending unit there? anyone know what it is?

Batouttahell

Ok. I think I've finally got this figured out. Since your original post, you'd been saying "on the block". But in your last post you say that you put the stock sending unit back in, & asked what was that to it's left. This leads me to believe you were never working down on the engine block, but rather on the cylinder head. The larger fitting is the engine coolant temp sensor (red & green wires), the smaller one to it's right is the e.c.t. sending unit.
I think we're done here (fingers crossed
)
-W-

integsracer

yea i just realized that too. sorry about that. so whats the difference between the engine coolent temp sensor and the sending unit? can i take out the sensor and put the autometer sending unit in it?
by the way, thanks for helping me get through this.
-Jon