xacto rocker

hey i was wondering if any of yall knew of a good temp sensor that reads accurate. None of the ones i have tried. right now i have a guage that reads 210 or a little higher but with the infrared thermometer it reads about 195-197 thanks. i just wanted to get a better closer gauge since i just rebuilt the engine. its a 92 with the 2 sensors
-thanks for the advise.

dave1123

Mopar is about the best you can get. Standard Motor Products is a good alternative. Remember also that it's reading the temp at the hottest part of the engine and may be cooler near the thermostat. 210* is normal with a 195* thermo anyway. I wouldn't worry until it clears 230*, at which point I'd shut it off.

bluejeep2001

The sensor that feeds your gauge is identical to the sensor that gives intake air temp..If you are capable of using a multi-meter / ohmmeter...IN the morning when the engine has been given plenty of time to cool and equalize with outside air temp...take a resistance reading from the center tab to the brass casing on both sensors. If they read similar (within 10 -25 ohm) Then you can assume they are both fairly accurate. Colder is a higher resistance reading. You can also swap them and see what changes.

dave1123

I don't think they are the same thread though, are they? The hole in my Clearwater head is smaller than my IAT sensor. This head is tapped for both temp sensors, IDK why. The brass plug that's in it takes a 3/16 Allen wrench, so I'm assuming it's a 1/8" pipe thread.

Spencer_P

I currently have a Napa sensor in and I get the same difference in readings with a temp gun as you. Before the Napa sensor I had a Mopar sensor and they both had similar readings on the gauge. I blame the difference in gauge temp vs temp gun temp on the temp gun. I also use my Bluedriver obdII to see exactly what the temp is, but mines a 96 so that doesn't help you.

xacto rocker

I'm going to go out and check the ohms at lunch haven't driven today, at home. so just check the inner prong with the nut that tightens it? for both sensors?
and yeah I tried a Napa and read 240 all the time went and got a junkyard one don't think its Mopar but its much closer. Just wondering really would like it to not go past 210 or is that normal thanks.

Spencer_P

210 is normal operating temp. Mine stays just lower at about 199ish but will climb to 210 then to 222 where the electric fan kicks on if it's idling for awhile.

bluejeep2001

You might be correct..I could not verify that they are the same through the auto parts catalog but I thought they were for some reason...Its been a long time since my 92. I know they should read the same when left overnight but that doesn't help a n OBD1. I think I read on the charts once that both temp sender resistances compared to temperatures were the same for both sensors , maybe thats why I thought they were the same sensor..sorry for the confusion

xacto rocker

you would never guess what just happened i went out to check the resistance and pulled the plug off the sensor and half the sensor came out old ceramic. so yeah now i dont really wanna go no where without a guage. good times.

Spencer_P

They are pretty easy to break when installing, they're in a tough spot and then boom the wrench slips. I broke the Mopar one I got like that, figure it was pretty old and brittle. Unfortunately it was out of the 30-day return policy.

bluejeep2001

If you take the connector off the sensor in the thermostat housing the fan will run continuously and the chances of overheating is minimal you will set a check engine light and code

xacto rocker

Just tried one more time with the napa one after a failed junkyard run and no dice says I'm running over 240 so yeah any of you have any recommendations on company's thanks

dave1123

Standard Motor Products

Spencer_P

He said, she said. I got a Standard when I still had idiot lights and it would turn the overheating light on. And as I said my Napa Echlin seems to work fine. Have you tried a Mopar? If 92 is the same as 96, I got mine on Amazon.

xacto rocker

so what company did you end up getting saw standard on Amazon? Thanks