new vdo gauge

[clivetitchener]

 hi all i have a new vdo temp gauge installed in my grey motored fc ute i connected the sender wire to the sender in the cylinder head and had no movement on the gauge i think it may be because the sender only goes to an idiot light in the dash .has any one else  had this problem and is the cure a new sender unit from a later model with a gauge and if so which model all suggestions gratefully accepted cheers clive

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

The guage should have come with it's own sender in the packaging, you'd be right about the original sender.

[Harv]

Clive,

The original Holden sender is an on/off switch - it's normally "off", but turns "on" once you get to the "oh crap - too hot!" temperature. It won't drive a temperature gauge. To run the gauge, you need a sender that is always "on" - at low temp it is "a little bit on", and as things get hotter it gets "a little more on". Give the VDO guys a yell - they should be able to supply the right sender. You will need to think about where you are going to mount the sender though:
:) replace the original sender (then you get no idiot light),
:) tee into the original sender hole (then you get crappy temperature readings as the sender has no flow going past it),
:) use the second hole in the cylinder head (only good if you have a later FB/EK/EJ grey motor head),
:) use the spare hole in the thermostat housing (if you have an FX/FJ/FE/FC thermostat housing),
:) tap a new hole into the thermostat housing (if you have a later FB/EK/EJ thermostat housing),
:) try to find a sender that inserts under the radiator hose (similar to the Davies Craig thermofan senders).

Cheers,
Harv.

[clivetitchener]

thanks for the  fast responce i will get onto vdo and get them to send me a new sender unit i will then fit it in the original hole with an adapter if neccisary once again thank you