I've looked for this until I'm about to give up. There's got to be a part off the shelf that will fit in a 2003 5.3 liter Vortec engine that sends a signal that a factory '86 K5 Blazer temperature gauge can read. Do any of you folks know what this part number would be? I do NOT want to drill out a hole in my head, and I'm not interested in mounting a temp sender in my hoses. I want to monitor head temperature using my old factory gauges. Any help would be appreciated.
CK5
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Need Temp Sender for Vortec Engine to '86 K5 Temp Gauge...
- Thread starter PWagon
- Start date
Was the original sending unit you had on the truck the "large" or "small" one? Both were NPT, but early heads used the larger ones, which do not work with at least the 5.7L Vortec heads.
I'm sorry I'm grasping at straws here, but one alternative MIGHT be the 3 wire unit used for temperature on a variety of GM vehicles. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACDelco-213...Parts_Accessories&hash=item5659f58caf&vxp=mtr
I know little about the LS series, so no idea if the CTS portion (for the PCM) would be looking for different specs, but if the specs for the CTS were the same, you could potentially use this sender to eliminate one on the motor, if that makes sense. Kill two birds with one stone in effect. The AC Delco number is 213-815, which you can cross reference for vehicle on acdelco.com under the catalog portion.
I'm pretty certain it's metric, or at least something "not common" on the older motors, as it's slightly thread larger than the small block oil drain plug, and finer thread.
Any chance you can mic the diameter of the last few threads in the head? I could mic the threads on the 213-815 I have in my garage.
My intent is to use them to replace my CTS and gauge sender, and use another as an oil pressure temp sender that my ECM can log as well.
Edit: Been a few years, but just did the testing on the 213-815. The sender is a 3/8" NPT thread. The testing I did compared the resistance across the two terminals of the "standard" truck CTS, and the two terminals of the 213-815 at ambient temps. The resistance was the same. I then measured the resistance on the "stock" single wire gauge sending unit to the sender body, and measured the same on the 213-815. Again, same resistance.
Hooked up a spare temp gauge to the 213-815, and took a heat gun to the sender. Sender quickly responded to the heat changes. I don't see there being any difference in measurements. It would be more accurate to measure at say, 200* as well, but I don't have the capability to test two senders at once.
I'm sorry I'm grasping at straws here, but one alternative MIGHT be the 3 wire unit used for temperature on a variety of GM vehicles. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACDelco-213...Parts_Accessories&hash=item5659f58caf&vxp=mtr
I know little about the LS series, so no idea if the CTS portion (for the PCM) would be looking for different specs, but if the specs for the CTS were the same, you could potentially use this sender to eliminate one on the motor, if that makes sense. Kill two birds with one stone in effect. The AC Delco number is 213-815, which you can cross reference for vehicle on acdelco.com under the catalog portion.
I'm pretty certain it's metric, or at least something "not common" on the older motors, as it's slightly thread larger than the small block oil drain plug, and finer thread.
Any chance you can mic the diameter of the last few threads in the head? I could mic the threads on the 213-815 I have in my garage.
My intent is to use them to replace my CTS and gauge sender, and use another as an oil pressure temp sender that my ECM can log as well.
Edit: Been a few years, but just did the testing on the 213-815. The sender is a 3/8" NPT thread. The testing I did compared the resistance across the two terminals of the "standard" truck CTS, and the two terminals of the 213-815 at ambient temps. The resistance was the same. I then measured the resistance on the "stock" single wire gauge sending unit to the sender body, and measured the same on the 213-815. Again, same resistance.
Hooked up a spare temp gauge to the 213-815, and took a heat gun to the sender. Sender quickly responded to the heat changes. I don't see there being any difference in measurements. It would be more accurate to measure at say, 200* as well, but I don't have the capability to test two senders at once.
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I'm pretty sure the early 88/89 trucks still had a separate temp sensor in the head but some still used the large thread. Classic Parts has a listing for the "small" thread sender for a gauge. I got one from them when I swapped a 93 TBI motor into my 86 GMC and it worked great.
Classic parts part number is 53-821 (temp sender with gauges) 3/8 pipe thread
Classic parts part number is 53-821 (temp sender with gauges) 3/8 pipe thread
I don't know that GM ever went to a three wire setup for coolant on the trucks anywhere near our bodystyle years. The oil pressure was combined with the oil pressure switch, but the sender portion still works with the 0-90 ohm gauges we have.
My suspicion is that the LS series use a metric thread, which means any donor would have to come off an engine that was also metric threaded.
My suspicion is that the LS series use a metric thread, which means any donor would have to come off an engine that was also metric threaded.
