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flathead temp. gauge

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by PipeWelder81, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. PipeWelder81
    Joined: Apr 7, 2010
    Posts: 122

    PipeWelder81
    Member

    gettin rid of the stock sending units, can i just use a mechanical gauge on one head instead of both sides?
     
  2. Saxon
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,157

    Saxon
    Member
    from MN

    You can but the flathead is like having 2 cooling systems. Better to have 2 mechanical gauges.
     
  3. bobj49f2
    Joined: Jun 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,926

    bobj49f2
    Member

    I have two, like Saxon said, a flattie is like having two separate cooling systems.
     
  4. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    That's all I did.
     

  5. Dammit
    Joined: Sep 10, 2008
    Posts: 79

    Dammit
    Member
    from Canada

    I set one up with two senders and one gauge using a double-on toggle switch under the dash to choose which side I want to monitor. Wires from both senders go to the switch and the center wire goes to the gauge. This is a good way to go if using electric gauges.
     

  6. Same here.

    I've been out of the loop for a little bit, but I seem to recall one of the HAMB-friendly gauge makers working on a single gauge setup that monitors both sides similar to the original. Anyone know if anything came of that?
     
  7. olcurmdgeon
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 2,289

    olcurmdgeon
    Member

    I have a friend who instrumented my flathead with two thermocouples. Drove it for several days and found which was my hotest bank. Installed the SW sender in that bank and put a Moon direct read gauge (from a HAMBer recently) in the other side. So now I can feel that I have hotest temp on the dash and when I open the hood, the moon gauge looks cool. We ran the moon gauge on our flathead rail (avatar) so it is like old times for me.
     
  8. Slick Willy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2008
    Posts: 3,053

    Slick Willy
    Member

    I run a moon gauge on the head. I have a uniflow radiator so if one side gets hot it still will read warmer on the gauge.
     
  9. bloodyjack
    Joined: Aug 29, 2007
    Posts: 649

    bloodyjack
    Member

    I run a gauge on one side and a temp switch from napa on the other that just lights an idiot light above a certain temp
     
  10. PipeWelder81
    Joined: Apr 7, 2010
    Posts: 122

    PipeWelder81
    Member

    ok guys, didnt really know that each side of the motor is seperated. Im new to flatheads, so this is a learning experience for me. I would like to stick with the mechanical type gauge, so i will probably run 2 gauges.
     
  11. big bad john
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 4,727

    big bad john
    Member

    ......I run two senders... with two gauges....about a 8* different from one to the other.......run about 168 and 175....figure it might be the gauges..
     
  12. PipeWelder81
    Joined: Apr 7, 2010
    Posts: 122

    PipeWelder81
    Member

    yea thats true, it can definately be the guages. That just seems like the best option, 2 senders and 2 gauges.
     
  13. 28 jalopy
    Joined: Jan 16, 2010
    Posts: 208

    28 jalopy
    Member
    from arizona

    My grandfather always ran 2 mechanical SW temp gauges on his salt racer flatty back in the late 50's. He liked the mechanical because they would work even if there was a electrical problem. But he also had to have them dialed in every so often. He told me that sometims if one bank got hotter that could be bad detonation on a cylinder from ignition problems or just a chunk of casting core sand that old Henrey J. didn't clean out. Ha Ha.
     
  14. MORRISGAUGE
    Joined: Jun 6, 2011
    Posts: 217

    MORRISGAUGE
    Member

    Definitely a fan of the dual mechanical temps. A mechanical temp gauge either works or it doesn't due that it is a physical relationship between the temperature of the coolant and the pressure in the sealed gauge. If the gauge springs a leak, it stops working entirely. The factory spec thresholds for electric senders are all over the place, leading to inaccuracy out of the box.
     

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