Quick question: does anyone have any good tips on how to install the Cylinder Head Temp gauge sensor without getting it all buggered up in the threads of the spark plug?
It seems to slide sideways when I try to tighten the plug down and then it gets
deformed. Ideas on how to hold it to the plug?

You have to make a notch in the head, and also remove the sealing washer from the spark plug.
http://www.germansupply.com/xcart/customer...t_install_3.tpl

The threads are recessed into the head, so it's difficult. The ring is not an electrical connection, it's just a heat transfer. So if it gets distorted, it's not the end of it.

You've heard all the comments about the VDO CHT being kinda crappy, right? If not, do a quick search.

Mark beat me to it. The VDO gauge is not worth the effort - a good gauge is.

Zach

Thanks Mark, yes I've fully aware of the craptacular nature of these VDO CHT's!!

Thanks for the link, I'd been on that site but not seen that particular link.....

I'm not wild about any of my VDO gauges, who would make a good one?
I know Chris Foley was marketing a quad one, any others?

Aircraft Spruce has more than one. Good stuff, since people rely on them to keep from falling out of the air and dying.

--DD

Micro1000 is my choice.

The dakota digital is temperature-compensated, which is where the vdo is lacking.

Thanks for the great info, the Micro1000 looks very nice indeed. I do some more
reading on all of this; I didn't see the write up you originally had for the Micro gauge
for some reason.....but I have a short memory anyway.
I've seen the Dakota gauges and just can't say I like the digital readouts but I've
heard the gauges are good.

Like Mark said it's just a piece of metal so open it up a bit so that the plug rotates freely in the ring. Then with the ring on the plug bend it 90 degress. Now turn the plug again to be sure that it rotates freely after the bend. Insert plug into #3 with the wire at the 9 o'clock position (or towards the rear) and tighten. There seems to be a bit more room for the lead when installed in this position. at least my head had a bit more room to the left side of the plug. BTW, I left the plug washer on so I would not twist the sender. If you want to find out how much your gage is off then get an old plug or piece of 1/4" steel and place the sender against the metal after heating with a torch. Check temp with a known good instrument then see what your gage says. Once you know how much it's off your good. Try to test around 350F or close,

Thats a really good idea. I heard that ambient temps can have an influence on the readings as well though. Something like anything over 72 degrees throws off the reading of the CHT by such an amount. I can't recall if that is in reference to where the gauge itself is mounted or the lead. I was curious about this, so I did some testing, and since I don't have a backpad I was able to route an electrical temp probe from my multi-tester into the engine bay. This summer, the temps in the engine bay have been between 100-105 degrees, whether in full sun or cloudy. Don't know how much of an effect on readings this causes, nor whether the presence of airflow over the sparkplug/sender does either.