Can anybody tell me at what coolant temperature the temp "idiot light" should illuminate on my '65? (327CID/250HP)

I assume that the sender is just a switch that makes contact when it gets hot enough. Is there an easy way to test the sending unit?

Also, I have a manual temp gauge I'd like to install, but I'd hate to give up the warning light. I'm a firm believer in audible or visual signals when something's wrong.

Any ideas on a dual installation?

Thanks

[This message has been edited by JJ'65 (edited 01-31-2000).]

Not sure what kind of intake you are using...but I just installed a after market gauge set and I left the original sender in the head and installed the aftermarket sender in the intake next to the termostat housing. I am using a Edelbrock RPM intake...don't know what your running.

You might check on your intake to see if this is an option for you. Hope this helped http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif



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Scott
1968 Chevelle
350/Th350 10 bolt 3.73

i run original and aftermarket gauges with senders in rt head and intake mani

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Rich
Cocoa Beach, Fla
Team Chevelle #380
46 but feeling like 20 when i'm in my 70 SS 454
wa3men@aol.com
www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg)

Ignorant question:

Do my original '65 SB heads have a plugged hole for a fitting for a sender? The original idiot light sender is screwed-in at the left front top of the intake manifold. The gauge literature says the senders need a good flow of coolant across the bulb for an accurate reading.

Thanks

I don't think the early heads have the sender hole. I have a 65 283 in the garage and it doesn't. The temp sender is in the intake like yours. I'm not sure when they stated putting it in the heads. My 70 had the sender in the head.

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Philip Valentine
Gold Member #42
"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another."
philip@chevelles.com

Neither my 64 or 65 - 283's have the head holes. Both are in the manifold with no holes in the heads. I installed my gauge sender in the manifold (Holley street dominator) and my idiot light is NOT connected.
If you find a way, let me know as I wish I also had the idiot light. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Gotta have a Chevy !In Durham N.C.
Make it look the way you like it, forget what the other guys say! :D

My son's small block has only the one spot in the intake for the sender to the idiot light. I too wanted him to haver the guage and the light. I put the guage bulb in the existing hole in the intake and drilled and tapped another hole in the intake on the oppisite side for the sender for the light. Every thing seems to work fine. His engine is a 327 and it too has no holes in the heads. Although I had the intake off so it was very easy and only took a little bit of time to do. I am using the idiot light and a guage also. But this requires no more than a extra fitting or two. Good luck.

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Steve

Thanks Slime.

Couple more questions:

Is your manifold cast iron or aluminum?

Can you tell if both senders are "seeing" the same temp coolant?

Could you e-mail me a diagram of where you drilled the hole?

I think this info will be useful to a lot of people who want to keep the "idiot light" too.

Thanks mucho