The link I sent you was for a "mechanical" temp. gauge, so hole required would be slightly larger than if you where using an "electrical" gauge. The firewall has plenty of areas where one can drill a small hole to route your wire(s) or any sending unit. As others have mentioned, make sure you use some sort of plastic/rubber grommet to prevent chaffing the wire(s). You can drill hole close to the existing plug on firewall where fuse block is or in the center of the firewall under the cowl lip. I have route cables along the underside of the fenders and then into the passenger compartment behind the kick panel(s). If I recall, there was a small rubber grommet/plug where wires/cables can be routed through or if not, you can drill hole. At one time I even used the area where the antenna passes through behind the front passenger kick panel and up through the small square opening where one of the fender bolts attaches just in front of the cowl, lots of places to use........ I would check your firewall, perhaps there is already hole where someone before you has made that you can use, prior to drilling anymore than you have to. Another area would be just where the tunnel starts, great for aftermarket gauges mounted under the dash, plus do not have to worry about objects in the way, such as heater box etc. and you don't have to be a contortionist to feed the wire(s)........ David
Let me suggest, If going to aux gauge for water temp, may as well go w/ tri-pack,water, oil and voltage. Then you have much better info on what's happening under the bonnet/hood. I am partial to AutoMeter gauges, wide selection of sizes, colors and supposedly made in USA.
If your car has factory AC, then it will have a rubber plug where the heater core used to come through. You can remove that plug and route everything through that hole....then use the rubber plug as a grommet to prevent the wires from being chafed.
So I installed the gauge, it is working and monitoring temperature. But the engine light is still there, the car has been seating since the incident so def cold, I turn the key and first thing that lights up and stays on is the Engine light... So def not a temperature issue! I even plugged it to a new temp switch just to see if it would cool it down! So I am going to replace the oil pressure sensor but any ideas of an other potential issue would be welcome! Cheers
So did you go for an aftermarket analog or mechanical temp gauge? If so, you might as well get matching aftermarket oil gauge, at least both will provide a "true" measurement of temp/oil, then if Engine light is still on, just pull the bulb........ David
I should do so, but if the oil sensor is not to blame then it's the oil pump right? Is that thing hard to change? Also, when I have my Oil Pressure Gauge on, what are the normal readings I should get? Thanks
I do not know how much for OEM oil sensor, but the only way to really know what your oil pressure reading is to use a gauge. Even if you go to places like Harbor Freight or any auto supply shop will have a cheap gauge with pipe thread fitting that you can just screw into where the factory sensor goes, at least you will have a better indication what the oil pressure is, which in turn will tell you if oil pump is OK or if some other "issue". Easier than changing oil pump and finding out that is not the problem, you may not even have an oil problem at all! As for changing out sensor or installing mechanical hook up, can change it out without draining engine oil, obviously engine not running.......might be little oil coming out, but nothing to worry about, have clean up rag under sensor to catch anything that does come out. Having aftermarket dial or digital type gauges for temp/oil is the only way you can get a true reading, easy enough to install and even inexpensive ones are better that OEM sensor/light, IMO............ David Ford Service manual lists oil pressure with engine hot @ 2000 rpm: 30-50 psi 200 ci 40-60 psi 250/302 ci
If the engine has no oil pressure, it will be making a clack, clack sound, soon followed by wham, wham, finally BOOM. For hot engine, a reading of 10 psi per 1000 RPM is good.
No weird noises so far! Also I bought a pack of copper spark plugs the day before that light came on and on the pack 2 were actually platinum, would mixing both type be bad? Like bad enough to have that light come on? Thanks
Always best change and keep the same type spark plugs all at once and not mix/match........ spark plugs should not have anything to do with engine light coming on, having incorrect heat range, gap or fouled plugs may run bad, but not turn light on........... one used to mix/match different heat range plug(s) in cylinders where plugs where oil fouled, this would sometimes temporarily correct the problem until "issue" was fixed or engine rebuilt. David
