I'm finally installing a set of TPI gages I bought 5 or 6 years ago and broke the sending unit for the water temperature gage trying to install it in an awkward place. Is anyone familiar with these gages? I need to know what the OHMS range is for the sender. I'm hoping they were consistant and it's the same 240-33 they used on the fuel sender/gage, because I've already got one of those on order. No info in the literature that came with it, and the telephone number listed is now Direct TV! And yes, if I knew then what I know now with the mixed reviews, I'd probably be buying a different brand...but I've got to at least try them out.
One way to figure it out would be to go to Radio Shack (quick before they go out of business) and buy a few resistors, perhaps an assortment, and power up the temp gauge, using a resistor in place of the sender. The resistance that makes the gauge read 100 degrees would be the cold end of the range, and the one that makes it read 260 degrees (or whatever the gauge goes up to) would be the hot end of the range. Then find a sender with the correct resistance specs for cold and hot. For example, try a 33 ohm, then a 240 ohm, and see what happens.
Does the sender have any numbers on it? Here is a whole bunch of wiring diagrams for TPI Tech Gauges. If you can read a wiring diagram you will be able to find out the proper sender (ohms range) in one of these diagrams. https://www.google.com/search?q=tpi...v&sa=X&ei=-JbTVMT3M8mzggT6nICwCg&ved=0CDMQsAQ or just tap TPI Tech Gauges into google and you will find a whole lot of information on them.
Thanks for the input. I am electrically handicapped, btw. I did go back to google and did some more searching. I found a thread where the same question was asked and the reply given by a gage repair shop was that is "probably a 450-29.6 sender, the standard for gages in the U.S." Guess I'll look for one of those this weekend at the Tri-State swap meet unless someone has some definite/different info. If there is "a standard for US gages", maybe the oem '95 Ford one has the same ohms range.....I know there isn't a "standard" for fuel sending units, maybe water temp is diferent. There was a number on it, 4 digits, but only the middle two are still readable....xB2x
Just a follow up. I installed the 240-33 "low match" sender for the water temp I found on ebay, and it appears to be the correct one, at least it appears to be working correctly for the length of time I could run my engine indoors with no exhaust ventilation. Thanks for the input...much appreciated.
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