DansYellow66

I noticed today that my temperature gage was reading about 150 deg when I first started the car. I do get a little movement on the gage as the car warmed up but not much so I think the sender is getting pretty gippy.

I pulled the sender wire and the gage went to zero and then I grounded the sender wire and the gage went full scale - so from memory that indicated the gage is OK and I probably need a new sender.

I remember there is a recommended sender unit (Wells I think) that appears to be properly calibrated. Can anyone advise of the best source to go to for one?

Thanks

Dan

62Jeff

TU5, Autozone, it's a crap shoot as to whether or not it will be accurate.

azmusclecar

I just went through the same thing on my 64, I ended up with a BWD (Borg Warner Division) temperature sending unit. Funny thing, a lot of guys say NOT to teflon tape the threads and the unit I bought came with it pre taped with teflon. I won't say if I used the tape or not so as not to have your thread becoem a war between the threaders and non threaders........

You did right checking the gage to make sure it works. My failed unit kept reading about 40 degrees too cool so if and when the engine got to 240, like I said IF, the gage would have shown 200.

Since replacing, with a 180 Thermostat my gage runs 200-205 almost all the time. Now at least I have some confidence in what I see on the gage.

AZ

I bopught mine at O'Reillys

65GGvert

I've bought two of the TU5's for two different cars and both were right on with the IR gun.

DansYellow66

So it's a Wells TU5 that I need? Autozone & O'Riellys huh - for some reason I thought it was a unique piece and hard to find.

Thanks

Dan

65GGvert

Here's a picture of a TU5 sender on one of my cars.

jdk971

unless you use a whole roll of the teflon tape, i believe it should be fine. the threads will
cut thru, to ground the sender. jmho jim

1974purchase

i think mine is reading cooler than reality, and will try removing, cleaning and replacing the sender before replacing with the duralast/wells tu5. The sender is brass and my manifold aluminum. I have wondered if a corrosion problem results with different metals.

rwerth7

I have the same problem with a 66 sb with cast iron manifold. I've tried at least 5 different sending units, all with the same result. I'm guessing that due to age there is too much resistance in the wiring between the sender and the gauge. I'm going to change the wire from the sender to the firewall and see if that makes a difference. Either that or the gauge needs to be rebuilt.

Powershift

Or (most likely) the contacts in the firewall electrical junction box are corroded and need to be cleaned.

Larry

1974purchase

i was looking at oriellys and they show a ac delco g1852 that is compatible with 66-67. from the picture, it resembles what i have on the edlebrock/holley replacement of the tri-power.

DansYellow66

Autozone had it (TU5) in stock under the Duralast name. I'll try to get it installed in the next week or so.

63atlast

Lectric Limited (http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm) sells 'em. The one I got for my '63 works just fine.

1974purchase

not any more. borrowed the 30 inch pipe from the neighbor which fits over the ratchet, and i became superman. thought i might have to remove the thermostat housing which was partially in the way, but i was able to get most of the socket on the sender. amazing what leverage does. i also borrowed the 15/16 deep well six point socket to get it out. i am fortunate to have a neighbor that is a truck mechanic that is willing to lend out tools.

1974purchase

it was worth a try, but cleaning the ac temp switch did not make a difference. Installed a duralast tu5 ($9 and change with tax from autozone), put tape on threads, works fine.
Interesting to note, I took the ac part with me to the store, and the threads looked and measured smaller than the duralast with fresh cut threads. the person at the store said the threads on the ac were worn/pressed in and not to worry about the new part fitting in the manifold. He was correct, and recommended i tape the threads on the new.