Technical 63 impala location for 2nd sender

Hey guys I’ve got a stock 63 impala with 327. I’m looking to install coolant temp gauge. It was screwed into where the idiot lights go but have reinstalled the idiot lights to have them working but now I don’t know where to put the accessory coolant temp sender.

 

You can buy a thermostat housing with a temp port



Better still
Put the gauge sender back into the intake.
Then solder a port to your radiator tank [below water level]
Wires are easy to extend

While you're at it , give the radiator a good clean. and use a 14psi recovery cap.
Then install a radiator overflow expansion tank [on the support panel]

 

Put it in the head.

 

You can drill and tap your intake manifold into the coolant p***age between the first two mounting bolts holding the intake manifold for 1/2" NPT.

 

And leave the teflon tape for something else - use Permatex 3H. Tape can cause false reading ...

 

Or use the teflon tape, then start a new thread called, "My Temp Gauge Ain't Reading Right".

 

I bought that sender with the tape on it

 

I bought a bottle of aspirin with a cotton ball in it, I removed the cotton. I think you will find you need to remove the Teflon tape as well. Check the head for a plug in the water jacket. If it doesn't have one, add the T-stat cover like is shown above.

 

That sender doesn't ground via the threads
It is a 2 terminal idiot light sender that uses a separate ground wire

What temp gauge are you using OEM or Aftermarket?

You could put the temp gauge sender back into the same port. [as before]

Then pick up another idiot light sender with a 1/4" NPT thread, and screw that into the drain plug port at the bottom of the radiator.
Then extend the idiot light wire with a male/female spades to the existing harness.

If you're budget friendly [aka "cheap"] bore out the 1/4"npt port and run a 3/8"npt tap into the same boss.
Then use your existing idiot light sender.

Later if you decide to change this configuration ,you can swap this for a 3/8"npt drain valve [approx $7]

 

Disagree with this, this is actually 2 senders in one, cold and hot. Both sides need to ground through housing.

 

This is iffy. Sender or temp probe will come in contact with the thermostat.

 

OK!
The RHD Impalas and Laurentians sold down our way didn't have idiot lights at all.
Maybe GM overestimated the competence of Kiwi drivers [less idiotic]

 

I think I’ll just go back and reinstall the temp gauge. I’m an idiot that can’t figure out the idiot light

 

With the key on ground the wires at the sender, should turn on both lights. If it does connect the light green to the terminal that turns the cold light on, dark green to the other one. If the lights don't come on, you have an issue under the dash or with the firewall connector.

 

If the temperature gauge is electric there is a way to make the idiot lights work from the gauge sensor. Using an LM393 comparator IC and some resistors, a circuit can be made that compares < 150f and > 250f from the sensor and sends signals to both cold and hot idiot lights. I am going to do this for my 59 Oldsmobile.