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Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:03 pm

I just got a head temp gauge for my manx. it came with a sensor that needs to be drilled into head and taped. I got this from pacific custom. Now i know the cant be the way to do this. what have you done? is there another unit to mount on a bolt?

Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:09 pm

The head temp sensors, I have seen, are drilled into the head. I know this doesnt help much. Why bother with a head temp gauge on a Manx. Your motor is open. Head cooling is improved alot. An oil temp gauge (no drilling) will give you a reliable temperature reading of engine.

Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:32 pm

I've heard of people putting a head temp gauge in the exhaust. I think they were putting it 2 inches away from the head.

Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:16 pm

My cylinder head temp sender for the FI set up is drilled and tapped into one of the Bosses that used to hold the clips for the valve covers.Not a big deal, just take the valve cover off and be sure to get all of the shavings out, and use a good sealer or teflon tape.

Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:27 pm

Well I did not know what gauges to get. I have a turbo going in. and I had one open hole for a gauge. I was choosing between a oil temp , head temp and a fuel mixture gauge. I went with the head temp. The engine has a deep slump 10 ' of hose a oil filter and a 96 pass oil cooler on top of the dog house cooler. the fan never turns on due to it just does not get that hot. so I went with the heat temp in case something gets off (like too much boost for the fuel I am using) I may be able to see if something is wrong before it is too late...??

if I put it in the bale hole , Is that too far from the fire to say? I hear it needs to be next to the plug.. not that I can any way.. thank you ..

Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:34 am

Jowlz wrote: Why bother with a head temp gauge on a Manx. Your motor is open.

.....do a bit of off roading in the desert during a warm period (near Perris Calif. maybe) and reach a part of a trail where you are only able to do (for whatever reason)
10 to 15 mph for an extended period of time and watch that head temp climb through the roof while your oil only goes up a little. Yup, head temp gauge is a good thing. (.....thats a good place to pull over and pop open a road soda)
BTW, some of the sending units double as a spark plug washers on the number 3 cylinder. If this doesen't float your boat, contact one of the type4 people. Late type 4's have a specific place tapped for the HEAD TEMP sender(although not a U.S. option). I THINK it's actually in a piece of tin and not directly on the head. Sorry I forget exactly where it was, though.
Either way.....keep in mind IT"S JUST A GUAGE. Trust me when I tell you, it's not an exact science.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:58 am

If you aren't going to mount it under the sparkplugs, then don't even bother using it. Otherwise you aren't going to get accurate readings.

As for mounting it in the exhaust, I don't know what someone would be thinking when they did that. That's just idiotic.

Also, Jowlz, I disagree that oil temp is a reliable temp reading for the engine. Oil temp is only one of the things that should be measured to know exactly what's going on.

Daniel

Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:54 pm

I agree with that after seeing he is going turbo. I would go with a boost gauge and probably a air/fuel guage.

As for the head temp I can see the points you guys made. My experience is mostly water cooled so I tend to type before thinking air cooled. Usually we go all out off road. I cant imagine going 10-15 for extended periods out that way. What the reason traffic?

Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:28 pm

thank you. I returned it already installed a oil temp in its place. I will add a head temp from vdo later. just need to find a place for it. now i have every gauge except the head temp. it will work for now.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:18 pm

The gauge mounted in the exhaust was most likely an exhaust gas temp, a pyrometer. On turbo applications egts can be very helpful to know when you need to stay out of boost and let the engine cool itself down.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:02 pm

at a 170$ + gauge. it will have to wait.. but it soulds like a good gauge. i have one on my diesel truck.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:27 pm

Jowlz wrote: I cant imagine going 10-15 for extended periods out that way. What the reason, traffic?
.....no. It's usually an uphill rock garden area. It's not uncommon to come accross them for a mile or so in Baja . (add a few switchbacks and it could get down right s%$#y!) Deep, sandy washes or beaches..... you know, the kind of stuff you just do the 2nd gear, 15 mph, crawl.
Although, you can only imagine the type of traffic we get behind in the outbacks of Mexico.......that'll slow ya up, too!