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Posted by: rnellums Feb 8 2010, 02:42 PM

So I've just realized that my 73 2.0 has never had a Head temp sensor. Do I need one? Where do i get it? Car use is street right now, wiht maybe some aX in the future.
~Ross

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Feb 8 2010, 02:46 PM

if your car has carbs it does not need one. If your car has fuel injection then it must have one. Maybe if you cannot find it it is on the drivers side head instead of the passenger side. Often heads are switched during rebuild causing the problem.

Posted by: rick 918-S Feb 8 2010, 02:53 PM

Ya, If you use a Chiltons as a guide they show the head temp sensor on the left head instead of the right head. At least the edition I used when I built my first type IV about 20 years ago. Easy to get that wrong. Ask me how I know...

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 8 2010, 03:10 PM

D-jet won't work right w/o one, so it had one at some point.

Even if you have carbs now, its a good idea to know what your head temps are doing. Its a window into the health and tune of your car.

Zach

Posted by: rnellums Feb 8 2010, 06:21 PM

I'm running 40 IDFs right now with no real plans to go back to FI, but it seems like a good idea to know what the temp is. So where to buy?

Posted by: detoxcowboy Feb 8 2010, 06:47 PM

You can get and aftermarket vdo head temp sensor/sender (spark plug #3) and gauge at Pelican Parts, The are digital gauges w/ sender made by dakota that are more accurate..

Posted by: underthetire Feb 8 2010, 07:30 PM

I don't see how you could even use a stock head temp sensor with anything but the FI. The head temp gauges use a thermocouple, totally different animal. The stock one is not very linear either, major change at 350 deg from what I see.

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 8 2010, 10:19 PM

Yeah, you need to get a spark plug sender and thermocouple wire to run to the gauge.

I am using the Dakota Digital one, but the VDO also works (but is not temperature compensated.)

Zach

Posted by: rnellums Feb 8 2010, 10:21 PM

so i should get http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=115/category_id=311/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd115.htm
and
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=347/category_id=248/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd347.htm
?

~Ross