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Old 06-06-2021, 01:24 PM   #1
JimNNN
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Default What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

I'm looking for a decent quality aftermarket numerical water temp gauge for the original 352 in my '61 Mercury. I really prefer a mechanical gauge, but will accept electrical if it has a good reputation for accuracy. BTW, under dash mounting is what I'm looking for.


The problem I'm encountering is that the threaded hole for factory sending unit in the manifold seems to be too small to accept any of the aftermarket mechanical gauge sending unit fittings in the kits I've seen. The one gauge that I like and have in my Y-Block wagon is a Longacre/Accu-Tech Sportsman. I bought a second one...the sender is large enough to to get in the original 352 hole, barely, but there obviously won't be enough room to get an adapter that one needs need for the Sportsman's fitting. Talked with the counter guy at Speedway for 40 minutes and he found nothing mechanical that would work.



Mecury FE's from just a few years later have a larger hole, it seems - I have a 1967 Merc 390 in my T-Bird, and the Sportsman sender will fit on that with an adapter (so that's where I'll use it.) The holes from '61 are smaller, I guess.



For this reason, I'm thinking that I'll have to settle for an electrical gauge...which is ok if it's accurate. Can any electrical gauge be used with any gauge sender? (I presume that idiot light senders won't work.) Looking for specific brand and model of gauge from someone who has one on their early sixties FE with the small water temp sending unit hole. Thanks.

Last edited by JimNNN; 06-06-2021 at 01:30 PM.
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Old 06-06-2021, 02:38 PM   #2
Lanny
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Have you got a Good auto parts store near you, NAPA, etc.
Look for the oldest parts man in the store, get him to help you.




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Old 06-06-2021, 02:43 PM   #3
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Is the temperature sending unit hole in the intake manifold 1/8" NPT? If it is, one option is to drill and tap that existing hole to 1/4" or possibly 3/8" NPT. If it's the intake manifold I'm thinking of, the distributor would need to be removed to do this but would solve the hole size if considering a mechanical temperature gauge. If going electric, then there are some 1/8" NPT sending unit temperature gauges available. Ted Eaton.
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Old 06-06-2021, 03:57 PM   #4
JimNNN
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Quote:
Originally Posted by TedEaton View Post
Is the temperature sending unit hole in the intake manifold 1/8" NPT? If it is, one option is to drill and tap that existing hole to 1/4" or possibly 3/8" NPT. If it's the intake manifold I'm thinking of, the distributor would need to be removed to do this but would solve the hole size if considering a mechanical temperature gauge. If going electric, then there are some 1/8" NPT sending unit temperature gauges available. Ted Eaton.



Thanks for responding, Ted. I admire your engine building skills.



I think the guy at Speedway said my original was 1/4" NPT. That's what it matched in his thread checker, anyway. However, anything I see online says nothing about sender thread size, if it even has a sender.


The sender I took out of my Mercury the other day looks pretty new...or not very old. I might've replaced it about the time I put an aluminum radiator in a year or two ago. Should it work with any 12 volt electric after market numerical gauge?



I don't really want to ream out the hole and retap. Despite the aluminum radiator and accompanying shroud, the car is pretty original. In fact I'll use existing factory under-dash holes to mount the gauge. Thanks everyone.
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Old 06-06-2021, 07:32 PM   #5
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Gauges generally will not work with just any sender. The sender must be matched to the gauge if you are talking electric.
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Old 06-06-2021, 08:40 PM   #6
JimNNN
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

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Thanks Paul. I was wondering about that. Curious though, I've seen a few aftermarket gauges that don't come with senders. Maybe they specify one in the instructions.



That will make finding even an electric numerical gauge a bit of challenge, given that my small sender and hole doesn't seem to be a common size.
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Old 06-07-2021, 06:24 AM   #7
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Classic sells good stuff. Give them a call and they will fill your needs. Check with Summit as well. The electric gauges have come a long ways since the first ones that were out there.
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Old 06-07-2021, 09:50 PM   #8
JimNNN
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Default Re: What would you recommend: Water temp gauge for 352 FE from 1961?

Okay, thanks for the input everyone. To make a long story short, I basically found a correct and workable adapter, and the Sportsman temp gauge is installed in my Mercury. I tested it out before I installed it and it read 212 degrees at the boiling point of water, so I think it's pretty accurate.

After I installed it I drove my Mercury today in the hot weather to see how well everything is cooling. As is usually the case, when I was cruising on the highway for 45 minutes it stayed a consistent 165-168 degrees. (About 95 degrees outside at the time.) I drove through town to see how it would do. Crept up to about 185-190 for typical city driving. I also intentionally crawled slowly through some side streets for a while to see what the temp would do...slowly crept up to just over 200 at stop lights, but went back down when I returned to typical city driving. I don't usually drive in this kind of weather because I don't have A/C. Pretty comfy on the hiway without A/C though.
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