Cub heat gauge

[Yogie]

One of the up coming winter projects will be replacing a radiator on a 53 F cub. At that time I'd like to install a heat gauge some place on the cub engine. This is a rough area pasture mowing cub that takes a lot of abuse in the high heat of the summer. Engine is a new rebuild so I worry not knowing what the temperature range is. Any ideas of where to place the sending unit ? Top water neck maybe ?

[ricky racer]

I would think the best spot would be the lower nech below the distributor.

[Eugene]

The upper neck would indicate the coolant temperature as the coolant exits the engine block. The lower neck where the manifold enters the bottom right front of the block would be easier to access. However that location would provide the coolant temperature after the coolant exits, has been cooled by, the radiator.

There are radiator caps with the indicator on top and the sensor in the coolant. But I don't know how you would be able to see the temperature from the tractor seat.

[farmtrac]

I always worried about the temp of my mowing cubs in the dog days of summer, so I bought a digital infrared temperature gun to check them with.

[Eugene]

If the radiator isn't boiling over, the temeperature is just right.

Few years back we checked the coolant temperature in the Cub's coolant. Just below 200 F. on a hot summer day after mowing for several hours.

[Gary Dotson]

If I were going to in stall lone, it would certainly be in the upper neck, measuring the temp. of the coolant as it exits the engine. Many say the gauge is unneeded, and that may be so, but I think that if someone wants a gauge, there should be a plan for installing one.

[radioguy41]

If you can squeeze it between the neck and the radiator pipe, this may be an option. You may need to trim a bit off the radiator pipe to make enough room for it. Assuming you have 12 volts.

https://www.amazon.com/GlowShift-Radiator-Attachment-Adapter-Temperature/dp/B000UO5O5C



https://www.amazon.com/GlowShift-Tinted-Color-Coolant-Temperature/dp/B007GD8VSM/ref=sr_1_5

[BigBill]

Get a Stewart Warner mechanical gauge we use on race cars. Drill and tap the housing. It comes with a npt adapter. I’m thinking the same thing. No oil pressure gauge where I can see it too.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sww-82326-60

[radioguy41]

My concern with putting it into the neck is how much it may restrict the flow since there's no water pump and it relies strictly on thermal action to circulate. It could be counter-productive. A thin walled adapter like above with a sensor protruding partially into it likely has as much flow as the thick cast neck without a sensor.

[Waif]

How about sticking a woodstove thermometer on it?

[tnestell]

My concern with putting it into the neck is how much it may restrict the flow since there's no water pump and it relies strictly on thermal action to circulate. It could be counter-productive. A thin walled adapter like above with a sensor protruding partially into it likely has as much flow as the thick cast neck without a sensor.

I drilled and used a npt tap in the neck for a temperature sensor. Used it this way for at least 20 years and it always showed about 200 degrees after warming up a little. The temperature never changed no matter how hard I worked the Cub or if it was just idling. Now I am testing a thermostat with the temp sensor in the side of the block. So far it looks promising.

[radioguy41]

OK, good to know.