Water temp gauge install

[Stomps]

hey i know it sounds stupid but is there any trick to installing an electronic water temp gauge on a 7m, i hooked all the wires up properly but when i hook up the signal wire to the temp sender, (on the thermostat housing, wire leads to the factory digital gauge) my digital gauge no longer works and the other gauge shows 60 degrees when the water is cold as... when i start the car the gauge soon shows increasing temps at a stupid rate.. for example after 1 min of engine at idle temp shown is 90 degrees...


WTF???

someone told me you cant use the factory temp sender.. is this true??

cheers

Stomps

[45aken]

did the gauge come with it's own sensor? if i did then i highly suggest you use it. the reason why it may not be reading properly is becuase all sensors will have a different signal (voltage etc) and the gauge is probably set to pickup a different signal.
hope this helps

[Stomps]

yeah it did, i was trying to get around having to use it but i guess im gonna have to..

cheers man..

oh by the way does anyone know what all the wires on the thermostat housing go to..

[45aken]

if you dont feel like drilling and tapping into the block, you can always make up a small bit of pipe (same OD as your radiator hose's inner dia) and drill/tap that. then you just cust out a section of your radiator pipe and put it inline using hose clamps. (or just buy one for 30 dollars)

[sw20r]

Dont use the stock Sensors as the reading will most likely get stuffed as you experienced.

Like forsaken said. Just goto an exhaust shop as for a 1.75" pipe or 2" pipe, drill a hole to match you sensor.

Line it up to your front radiator hose (probably near the cap) and cut a section off so you can place the pipe inbetween the radiator hose.