Head temp sensor???

[Special K]

Can anyone tell me if the stock head temp sensor can be used with the VDO 600F Cylinder head temp gauge? Didn't want to have to buy a VDO sensor if I didn't have to.

[pbanders]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

Brad Anders

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Nope. They work con completely different principles.

The stock sender is a thermistor, a resistor that changes its resistance according to temperature.

The aftermarket sender is a thermocouple, which has two dissimilar metals joined together. It produces a very small voltage across its two connections (versus one on the stock style) that is used to drive the needle on the gauge.

I hear that you can use an oil temperature gauge hooked to the stock head temp sender--but obviously the markings will be all wrong. But at least it can tell you "hotter" or "colder"... I'm not sure what the range of the stock sender is on the gauge; it might only use the first 1/10th of the gauge's available movement, or it might try to use 10x what the gauge can show.

--DD

------------------
Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[Special K]

Thanks for the info, anyone need a brand new, in the bag, stock cylinder head temp sensor?

[pbanders]

What's the Bosch part number? I'm looking for a 0 280 130 012.

Brad Anders

[pbanders]

Originally posted by Dave_Darling:

I hear that you can use an oil temperature gauge hooked to the stock head temp sender--but obviously the markings will be all wrong. But at least it can tell you "hotter" or "colder"... I'm not sure what the range of the stock sender is on the gauge; it might only use the first 1/10th of the gauge's available movement, or it might try to use 10x what the gauge can show.

Dave, are you talking about tapping into the existing head temperature sensor or adding a second sensor? If it's tapping in, I would wonder if the presence (impedance) of the meter would affect the ECU's interpretation of the sensor's resistance. Might cause some mixture problems.

Brad Anders

[Special K]

Brad, Yep, that's the #,0 280 130 012. Email me with your address, and I'll ship it to you.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

I'm talking about adding one. Or rather, using the stock one on a car that doesn't need it for any other purpose. In other words, one that has been converted to carbs.

That was the image in my head, partly from an earlier conversation on the old 914 Club's BBS. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I do agree that tapping into the circuit and still trying to run the FI from that circuit would give you some odd results.

--DD

------------------
Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[willyw]

My 72 has a full console with all guages. The oil temp guage was not hooked up since this was not offered in 72 and there is no temp. sending unit. I didn't want to fork out the money to by a sending unit so hooked it up to the head temp. sender (just spliced into the wire).My guage now reads head temp, about 3/4 of the guage range in this 90 degree missouri heat, and I noticed nothing different in the way my car runs.A cheap way to monitor engine temp---hope this helps.