My first trouble post, temperature sending unit specificed does not fit?
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
My first trouble post, temperature sending unit specificed does not fit?
Hi All! I'm happy to be part of this great community. I've been lurking for awhile and reading through tons of great resources on here about my baby, a 1979 L82. I've found all of my answers already by searching them out (don't you love it when someone's been a part of a forum before and doesn't just post a question that's already been answered without searching first)! However, I've come to a tough spot that I need help on.
I looked up the replacement temp unit for my car because the fin broke off and my gauge is dead. Several online corvette stores are telling me it's GM part #8993372. So I called my local Napa (I'm in Canada) and they gave me a generic replacement here: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHTS6641
Problem is I tried it over the weekend and my old unit is a) not imperial (between a 7/16 and 3/8) so I had to use a crescent wrench to get it out and b) the thread diameter is way smaller on the new unit! Now I'm worried, do I have the wrong part or do I have a different 350 engine in my car that I never knew about!
Thanks in advance for any help
Elliot
I looked up the replacement temp unit for my car because the fin broke off and my gauge is dead. Several online corvette stores are telling me it's GM part #8993372. So I called my local Napa (I'm in Canada) and they gave me a generic replacement here: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHTS6641
Problem is I tried it over the weekend and my old unit is a) not imperial (between a 7/16 and 3/8) so I had to use a crescent wrench to get it out and b) the thread diameter is way smaller on the new unit! Now I'm worried, do I have the wrong part or do I have a different 350 engine in my car that I never knew about!
Thanks in advance for any help
Elliot
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
What was the location of your sender (head or intake manifold)? Here is a thread where Tooonz had a similar problem, but the sensor he was replacing wasn't in the 'standard' position (in the head between spark plugs 1 & 3).
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-reading.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-reading.html
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
What was the location of your sender (head or intake manifold)? Here is a thread where Tooonz had a similar problem, but the sensor he was replacing wasn't in the 'standard' position (in the head between spark plugs 1 & 3).
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-reading.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-reading.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
OK, the parts houses that I looked up the temperature sender on (Napa and O'Reilly) seem to list a 3/8" sender for 79-80 vettes, but I think it should be a 1/2" sender. And, according to Lectric Limited, it looks like GM 8993372 is actually 1/2" thread. I agree with Frank_Nesta - take the sender back to Napa and have them match it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Bradley666 might be on to something. 79 L-82's with air had a factory electric fan as a back up, and had a sensor for the fan mounted in the passenger cylinder head btwn 6 and 8 cylinder. They might have given you the fan temp sensor, not the gauge temp sensor. I'm not sure of the thread size on either though.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The original sender was 1/2 x 14 N.P.T. for the temperature gauge. There is a sender on L-82 cars with aux. cooling mounted on the passenger side that is smaller.
Willcox
Willcox
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Aftermarket companies don't deal with this on a daily basis, they only go by what the catalog say's.. Which as you can tell can be deceiving.
I have the correct sender at this link: https://willcoxcorvette.com/79-80-te...e-sending-unit
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
I have the correct sender at this link: https://willcoxcorvette.com/79-80-te...e-sending-unit
I'll probably have to order one with my next order, just to have in my toolbox in case I ever need one.
