Water Temp Sensor

[Scott91370]

I know the factory sensor is in the driver's side head but was wondering...

I'm installing Dakota Digital gauges and the fitting actually touches the header. I have places that are drilled and could use but want to see what you guys thought about accuracy.

Water pump
Thermostat neck
Edlebrock Manifold - Circled

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Where would you choose to be as close to the head temps?

 

[C10MixMaster]

in my opinion the head will give faster more accurate readings than the manifold. however if the manifold is the only place you place it fits it should be close enough to work.

 

[75gmck25]

My aluminum heads didn’t have the right fitting size for the old sensor so I moved it to the location circled in red. Conventional wisdom says that the temp in the intake is not identical to the head temperature, but I’ve never seen any major difference.

 

[Bextreme04]

I know the factory sensor is in the driver's side head but was wondering...

I'm installing Dakota Digital gauges and the fitting actually touches the header. I have places that are drilled and could use but want to see what you guys thought about accuracy.

Water pump
Thermostat neck
Edlebrock Manifold - Circled

You must be registered for see images attach

Where would you choose to be as close to the head temps?

That spot will work, but just be prepared for the temps to be higher than you are used to seeing. The thermostat is the exit from the engine to the radiator for cooling, so that is the highest temperature point of the entire cooling system. Every other point from there, through the radiator and back into the water pump is transferring heat OUT of the coolant. Once it leaves the water pump and is fed into the engine block, it starts getting heat transferred back IN to to coolant. The spot at the middle of the cylinder head gives you a good average temp of the coolant in the block, but the temp at the outlet of the water pump will be much cooler and the temp at the thermostat will be much higher.

 

[Bextreme04]

The only time I've seen the locations matter is if you have electric fans being triggered by a temp sensor. Otherwise they will be close enough to not matter much.