What kind of temp guage should I buy?

[trashcop 80s 80s]

I need to buy a aftermarket temp guage for my red e30 so I can see if it is overheating to make sure it is drivable in case someone wants to buy it and drive it home.

Should I get a mechanical or an electrical guage? I just want a cheap $15 Autozone guage. How would I hook up a mechanical one and how would I hook up an electrical one?

[nando]

maybe I'm an idiot.. but why don't you just fix the stock gauge?

[KenC]

maybe I'm an idiot.. but why don't you just fix the stock gauge?

This probably has something to do with it :D :

[Erick]

Re: What kind of temp guage should I buy?

I need to buy a aftermarket temp guage for my red e30 so I can see if it is overheating to make sure it is drivable in case someone wants to buy it and drive it home.

Should I get a mechanical or an electrical guage? I just want a cheap $15 Autozone guage. How would I hook up a mechanical one and how would I hook up an electrical one?

Just buy something that works.

[modifiede30]

I have an autometer oil temp gauge and really like it (although I don't have the lights in use).

[trashcop 80s 80s]

I need to know which would be easier to hookup, a mechanical or electrical. The reason I'm not fixing mine is because I don't exactly know whats wrong with it. I tried using a good cluster, a good temp sender, I tried grounding the temp sender plug to get the guage to respond and it didn't so I think the wire is messed up because there are many wires in this car that have been cut, taped, etc.

[trashcop 80s 80s]

I have an autometer oil temp gauge and really like it (although I don't have the lights in use).

I want something cheap and temporary like Sunpro. I just need to know if I should get Mech, or Elec

[EverWiser]

Then get that mechanical "cheapy" and then buy the necessary adapter to mount it in your stock sensor's location. Route the lead into the cabin and find out what's going on. Once you're done take the cheapy out and put your old sender back in and go from there...the mechanical is the cheapest way to go.

[trashcop 80s 80s]

Then get that mechanical "cheapy" and then buy the necessary adapter to mount it in your stock sensor's location. Route the lead into the cabin and find out what's going on. Once you're done take the cheapy out and put your old sender back in and go from there...the mechanical is the cheapest way to go.

So if I bought the cheap Sunpro $15 guage from autozone, what else will I need to hook it up?

[EverWiser]

You'll have to find out the the what size and type of fitting it will take to mount it in the existing temp sender's location. The kit will probably come with some adapters/fittings to make this easier but the threads/taper may not be the same. The kit will probably come with NPT style fittings (National Pipe Taper) and, hopefully someone else will chime in here, I think a lot of European cars/companies use BSP fittings (British Standard Pipe). The threads and taper are different between the two types. They do make adapters to convert from one to the other but I don't know if you'll need it. Find your stock sending unit and pull it out and take it with you to the autoparts store. Once you have the Sunpro/kit in your hands, compare the fittings and get whatever adapter you will need while you're there. Best way to see if the threads are the same is to put the threads of one fitting next the the threads of the other; if they mesh they are the same type, if they don't, they're probably BSP and NPT. I hope this helps.