here's my dash

 

lil' What all did you have to buy to hook that up? did you get any of if online? if so how much and where? (does yours sensor just get clamped into the rad. line?)

anwould this work for me?

temp guage

what else would i need?

and then this one... but its starting bid of 50. (does this one include everything for install?)

guage 2

what size do i need to fit into the dash like that LIL? 2 5/8?

and DSJOBBER: what kind of bracket is that you have on the frame rail there? (i wouldnt mind just attatching a gauge on the side, so i dont have to mess with cutting out the dash.

did your guages come with what was needed to install?

 

roost, i'm pretty sure my guage is a 2 1/16" Autometer Sport Comp Electric Water Temp Gauge that you can find at Jeg's for around $40 i think, after that i think you will need a 1/8" tee if you want to keep you red light as well, if i were to do it again i'd buy some really cheap one from an Autozone or somethin like that, my autometer has broke once and i had to send it back, and a few months ago half my needle broke off, so wen i replace it i won't b using autometer again

 

do the guages come with any mouting hardware/wires to hook it up?

 

well you'll hafta buy some wire and a some connectors too, i forgot all about that, we've always had lotsa extra wire laying around so i never think n e thing of it

 

Lilnots you should run the mechanical sport comp from autometer. I would almost guarantee you wouldnt have any problems with it. The electric sport comps arent as rugged as the mechanical, you could have always used the liquid filled pro comp, but you can only get them in 2 5/8.

 

ok so to install one of these gauges i need:
The gauge (probably a 20-30 dollar one off ebay)
some wire (does it matter what ga. wire, and is it a single strand, or are there multiple hookups?)
connectors (i have both wire and various connectors from car audio stuff so i assume that would work)

but what runs to the radiator line? does it come with the gauge, or is it a cheap probe or somthing i can pickup?

does this include everything i need? (for the guage to operate) ?

ebay gauge

says it includes a capillary tube, is that what runs in the coolant line?

 

well by the looks of it that is a mechanical gauge, so it has tubing going to a water line, i personally didn't want to go the mechanical route just in case the tube every broke,possibly leaving you stranded, so i bought a electrical one, used a 1/8" tee and put it where the stock red sensor light goes, the i screwed the stock sensor and the gauge sensor into the tee, i wish i had a picture to show you,
for the ds my brother will be buying he will be installing a Power Fist Water Temp Gauge(for those of you who have the catologue for princess auto its on page 325), i bought it for really cheap, i think it was like $10 on sale, so i figured if it breaks o well, much cheaper than sending mine back to get repaired, i think it cost me about $20 last time to ship mine to autometer to get fixed, so once mine dies completly i'll most likely bet getting the same, it give you almost everything with the gauge, all you need extra is the tee,18 ga. wire(or atleast thats what it says to use in the instructions for the princess auto one, it should say in the instructions for whatever you buy), connectors, teflon tape for threads on the sensors, and a 2" hole saw,

BTW You can go to Princess Auto's website and download there catologue to see what gauge i'm talking about, and unless your planning on buying a cup to mount it onto your frame don;t get a 2 5/8", my 2 1/16" barely fits with my tach

 

oo, so the mech. ones actually have the water/coolant running THROUGH another line up to the gauge? i would def. not want that...

the electronic ones just have a probe/insert for the coolant line, then use a wire to the gauge? (i assume you have to run a wire to the battery for power?)

so for this tee, where would i go about getting one? because i would still want the red light in case the gauge went out, or gave a false reading.

so i dont have to drill/tap anything on the therm. housing? just screw in the tee, then both the gauge and the red light? (seems pretty easy)

do you know if its pretty common for the gauges to come with the needed probe/sensor deal that would plug into the coolant line/therm housing?
i would hate to get a gauge, and then have to go hunt for a sensor for it.

this auction says it includes " 72" Capillary tube and 3 adapters: 5/8" - 18UNF to 1/2" - 14 NPT, 5/8" - 18UNF to 3/8" - 14NPT, 5/8" - 18UNF to M16 x 1.5 with washer " (is the capillary tube what screws into the therm housing? so i take it this one is too large?)


guage link

so is this a mechanical or an electric gauge? too bad its not 2 1/16

then i found this one ebay gauge 2

which states it includes sending unit for 1/8 NPT (so direct fit right?)

 

EGT sensors monitor exhaust temps to assist jetting, but from what I heard here and there they always seem to differ from what the ideal jet is determined by a dyno. ideally, you're gonna run the jetting that gives the max HP, and if tuned that way temps will also be correct, but it seems some economy EGT's have an accuracy issue and can't always be relyed on - if you tune based on the EGT you may not be tuned correctly for max HP.


but for coolant temp monitoring, you need to be aware of the required gauge range. IMO the HeatSeeker gauge is useless - it only goes up to 220 degrees. Your fan switch doesn't even come until 203 (confirmed by shop manual and gauge both), and the red light doesn't allert you of overtemp until 239 degrees. You want a gauge that at least has a range to be able to troubleshoot all of the factory components on the bike.

Whatever guage you choose - mechancial or electrical - be certain to install on the short upper hose coming from the thermostat housing to monitor actual coolant temp coming from the water jacket. I use the ESR (Eddie Sanders Racing) gauge because it is as simple and reliable as anything can get. But electrical gauges are nice, I would be sure to solder and shirnk-tube all connections, and run the wiring in a manner to avoid future rubs and shorts. If you do go with an electric gauge, I'd maintain the fucntion of the red light too. Its a lot more liely to grab your attention on a dark deep woods trail than a gauge, no matter where you mount it.