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I needed a way to monitor my coolant temp. I don't trust the stock system, what with comp boards and Volvo electrical competencies I've observed from my wiring harness. So I was looking to place an old-fashioned tube sender gauge in the system somewhere. This is what I came up with. I have run the heck out of it with no leaks - so far. It is masde of 2 3" lenghts of standard iron pipe, a tee and a tapped insert plug. All are standard household 1" inner diameter pipe.. I hack sawed off the threaded ends of the inserts, took a ginder to the cuts and polished the clamping surfaces with the wire wheel on my grinder. The pieces were screwed together using a pipe wrench, a vice and pipe thread compound.
Prices:
Pipe Tee (1" ID) - $4.00
2ea 3" pipes - $1.50 each so $3.00
tapped insert plug - $2.30
Pipe joint compund - $2.00
Hose Clamps - $1.00
Aftermarket cooling gauge - $19.00
1 extra upper cooling hose I keep in the trunk in case this experiment fails - $9.00
Total: $40.30
Take the cooling gauge brass tap plug and the upper hose in to the hardware store with you like I did and you can piece it all toghther before you leave the store.
It works just great. I can even tell the moment when the thermostat opens by comparing the in-dash Volvo gauge with the new one. I also have performed the electric fan mod, so ensuring good coolant flow is important as we head into summer here in the Norhthern Hemisphere.
Let me know what you think. Has anyone else ever done this mod on the brickboard? My pre-project searches never indicated anyone else has done this. So warning this is untested to my knowledge.
Disclaimer: Don't come crying to me if this MOD kills your brick.
Otherwise enjoy.
http://brickboard.com/GALLERY/images/2954.jpg
http://brickboard.com/GALLERY/images/2953.jpg
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1985 244GL - St. Joseph, Missouri
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