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A question for anyone who has installed an aftermarket water temp gauge:

Did you cut the top radiator hose and use an adapter like this:



Or did you simply remove one of the blanking bolts at the rear of the head and screw the sender in there (Where the factory temp sensor, heater hose takeoff is etc)

I haven't gotten around to install the actual water-temp sender/gauge itself (yet another part gathering dust ), but I have a similar T-piece in my top radiator hose which is for the coolant re-route.
I was going to install the sender there, but realised that coolant doesn't always flow through there 100% of the time, thus I have reconsidered getting a smaller adaptor, and installing it in the heater-hose.

One of the forumites (Wazman?) drilled a hole straight into the top tank of his alloy radiator and put the sender there.

Yea see the advantage of the fitting I posted above is that its rather simple, just have to cut the radiator hose. Only prob is it will only give an accurate reading once the thermostat is open, whereas the fitting at the rear of the block will show a temperature all times.

This theoretically shouldnt be a problem, since the main time one's eye would be on the gauge is when the thermostat is open, but still, if I can have a temp reading thats accurate at all times it would be preferred

Perhaps this then?
http://www.maruhamotors.co.jp/miata/parts/wsensoradapter.html

Fuzzlet wrote:....Only prob is it will only give an accurate reading once the thermostat is open...

This is an advantage and not a problem, you can tell if the thermostat is or isn't working and therefore if your engine is up to temp.

Except if your thermostat fails and doesnt open and you boil your engine, cos the new temp guage you just installed still showed ok...

I know what you're saying but if my stock temp gauge rises past normal and my aftermarket one hasn't budged then I know there's a thermostat issue.

If I only ran one gauge then i'd change the setup.

I know for sure when the thermostat opens and I only ever baby the car until I know it has opened, if the gauge was before the thermostat i'd only be assuming it was open.

Fuzzlet wrote:A question for anyone who has installed an aftermarket water temp gauge:

Did you cut the top radiator hose and use an adapter like this:



Or did you simply remove one of the blanking bolts at the rear of the head and screw the sender in there (Where the factory temp sensor, heater hose takeoff is etc)

I have done this, i used that exact adapter too.

That Maruha one seems the winner