1969 Temp sender(s)?

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Jul 29, 2006 | 10:33 PM

GruntyPants

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From: Kennesaw GA

1969 Temp sender(s)?

I'm trying to get the water temp guage working on my '69, and found the 'normal' sending unit on the passengers side in the head, but the nipple was broken off and there was no wire to be found to hook to it. But on the driver's side, between #1 and #3, there is another sensor in the head with a slide on connector that is coming from the alternator harness. I cleaned it up and re-connected it, but still no temp guage.
So I'm pretty sure the sensor on the passenger side is the right one, and I'm missing the wire for it, but what is the one for on the driver's side? This car has no other options, no power steering, or AC.

Thanks!

Jul 30, 2006 | 12:34 AM

C3 Stroker

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From: Youngstown Ohio

On my '69 (and all others I've seen), the temp. sending unit's stock location is in the head, driver's side, between #1 and #3. The wire connector comes from the alternator harness and is the green wire on mine. It should have a slide-on connector that fits straight on top of the unit, if it has not been changed....I've never seen a sender on the passenger's side of a '69 unless someone added it later.

Jul 30, 2006 | 01:11 AM

Bob Onit

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From: Connecticut

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3 Stroker

On my '69 (and all others I've seen), the temp. sending unit's stock location is in the head, driver's side, between #1 and #3.

Yup..same through 1976 at least

Jul 30, 2006 | 01:34 AM

chris73cpe

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From: Naperville IL

the passenger side temp sender has something to do with emissions. I think it tells the idle solonoid on the carb to do something at some temperature, but mine is missing the wire and the terminals so I don't know for sure. try grounding the wire on the drivers side sender to the frame somewhere and wee if the temp guage spikes, that will tell you if its the sender or a wiring/guage problem

Jul 30, 2006 | 02:34 AM

GruntyPants

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From: Kennesaw GA

Thanks guys, I'll ground out the wire on the driver's side sensor and see what it does to my temp guage. Hopefully it's just a bad/dirty connection at this point and I can move on.

Does anyone know if the sensor in the passenger side head is a switch or a transducer? If it's a switch then I might be able to use it for an aux fan, like on the later years. I'll pull it out and run some tests on it.

Last edited by GruntyPants; Jul 30, 2006 at 02:37 AM.

Jul 30, 2006 | 02:40 AM

griffths

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From: Long Grove, IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by GruntyPants

I would be careful about grounding the temp sender. I believe that the sensor never goes completely to ground so you may fry the temp gauge if you connect it to ground.

The switch/sending unit is not original to the car so there is no way to tell what it is without seeing it.

Regards,

Jay

Jul 30, 2006 | 02:47 AM

GruntyPants

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From: Kennesaw GA

The sending unit on the driver's side seems to be the stock one, with the slide-on connector that comes from the alternator harness. I'm pretty sure (now) that this is the original unit. As far as the one on the passenger side goes, it looks like the standard temp switch for idiot lights on my Chevelle and my C10. I'll look more into how the proper sending unit works before I start grounding and slapping things. Thanks for the heads-up.

Jul 30, 2006 | 02:31 PM

dennis

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You didn't say small or big block. My 70 has the temp as others have stated in the driver head between #1 and #3. Green wire covered with a insulating black loom. My temp switch has a straight pin connector and corresponding white plastic push on connection. Believe 69 is the same. This piece was very hard to find as well as the temp switch until recently. Lectric limited now offers the wire/plastic connector as a repair. They also have the correct temp switch.

BTW The provision in the right head is for the temp switch for the TCS. Not available until 1970. Just a thought, but I believe the right and left head are interchangable. If the pin connector swithch is on the right and the blade connector,(would be 2 blades for a TCS switch),is on the left, maybe the heads are reversed? Assuming not original.