A2 Coolant sensor?

[Mos68x]

Anyone with the A2 truck (6CTA8.3 engine)...Has anyone pulled their coolant sensor to replace it or even just pulled it in general? I'm thinking of changing the sensor, but was wondering how large/long it is. I'm considering changing it out with a thermistor so I can read it with something else entirely. Good majority of the "dash panel" will be non-functional once I'm done. I just haven't pulled mine since it works fine...plus it's under/behind the alternator, or at least according to the manual, it just doesn't show size very well.
Thanks

 

[Steelreaper80]

Anyone with the A2 truck (6CTA8.3 engine)...Has anyone pulled their coolant sensor to replace it or even just pulled it in general? I'm thinking of changing the sensor, but was wondering how large/long it is. I'm considering changing it out with a thermistor so I can read it with something else entirely. Good majority of the "dash panel" will be non-functional once I'm done. I just haven't pulled mine since it works fine...plus it's under/behind the alternator, or at least according to the manual, it just doesn't show size very well.
Thanks

I have a sensor, it isn't very big. I was going to replace mine but figured out I had a bad thermostat and went with the old adage of "if it ain't broke.....don't fix it". I now have a spare if it goes bad. Kind of a pain to get to, you will have to drain the coolant and move the hose above the thermostat housing. Mine was nasty looking and looked like a PITA to remove. Since it was working, I left it in. (Why lie, I was being lazy)

 

[Mos68x]

I have a sensor, it isn't very big. I was going to replace mine but figured out I had a bad thermostat and went with the old adage of "if it ain't broke.....don't fix it". I now have a spare if it goes bad. Kind of a pain to get to, you will have to drain the coolant and move the hose above the thermostat housing. Mine was nasty looking and looked like a PITA to remove. Since it was working, I left it in. (Why lie, I was being lazy)

I'm lazy too, but in this case, like you said that darn thing is a royal PITA to get to so I thought I'd ask here first. Do you have pic of it? I'm wondering if I have enough room in it's hole for a different sensor. Since I'm changing a bunch of stuff to digital in the cab.

This is the sensor I'm considering - thermistor sensor.

I'm actually working on an vehicle vitals panel so that everything that we need to look at is literally within inches of our line of sight. Personally it drives me nuts that I have to take my eyes off the road for more than a split second to check gauges while driving my truck, just because a lot can happen within that 3 seconds that I use to look down at the gauges, double check temps/air pressure/oil pressure etc and then look back up at the road. I guess, truth be told, it's not so much the time that concerns me, but more the fact that you don't see hardly any of the road while looking that far down, whereas in a regular truck/car you barely have to look down at all to check speed/etc and you can still see the road in the periphery or "subconscious driving" part, whatever you want to call it. I'm planning on putting the stuff I want to add above the "line of sight" right next to the air powered wiper motors, plus it'll all be above the "water-line" if I ever decide to take this beast fording.

It all started with the GPS speedo I'm making for the truck since I changed tire sizes, and will change likely again. Since I was already building that I figured that I might as well go for broke and put everything up there since I'm putting a few other things there as well. Water/meth controller and propane controller right now, but many others are in the works. And no, I'm not removing or modifying the OEM speedo. I'm simply adding another set of gauges.

 

[Mullaney]

I'm lazy too, but in this case, like you said that darn thing is a royal PITA to get to so I thought I'd ask here first. Do you have pic of it? I'm wondering if I have enough room in it's hole for a different sensor. Since I'm changing a bunch of stuff to digital in the cab.

This is the sensor I'm considering - thermistor sensor.

I'm actually working on an vehicle vitals panel so that everything that we need to look at is literally within inches of our line of sight. Personally it drives me nuts that I have to take my eyes off the road for more than a split second to check gauges while driving my truck, just because a lot can happen within that 3 seconds that I use to look down at the gauges, double check temps/air pressure/oil pressure etc and then look back up at the road. I guess, truth be told, it's not so much the time that concerns me, but more the fact that you don't see hardly any of the road while looking that far down, whereas in a regular truck/car you barely have to look down at all to check speed/etc and you can still see the road in the periphery or "subconscious driving" part, whatever you want to call it. I'm planning on putting the stuff I want to add above the "line of sight" right next to the air powered wiper motors, plus it'll all be above the "water-line" if I ever decide to take this beast fording.

It all started with the GPS speedo I'm making for the truck since I changed tire sizes, and will change likely again. Since I was already building that I figured that I might as well go for broke and put everything up there since I'm putting a few other things there as well. Water/meth controller and propane controller right now, but many others are in the works. And no, I'm not removing or modifying the OEM speedo. I'm simply adding another set of gauges.

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Got any pictures of what you are planning for position of the new gauges?

 

[Mos68x]

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Got any pictures of what you are planning for position of the new gauges?

Not yet, but imagine directly above, in the wasted space of the canvas top or hardtop area. I'll try to remember to work on a pic, but it's dark outside now.

 

[Mos68x]

 

[Mullaney]

View attachment 855787View attachment 855788

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Seems reasonable. Heck, you could possibly use an inch of windshield space if you needed to and still be good. Guess you don't plan to fold down the glass for anything? Different truck completely, but the guy I bought my M1088 has a "console" above the window in my truck. I wouldn't have done that - but with time - it has "grown" on me... There are a couple of light switches up there. A radio (that I don't use) but in that same screen is a camera system display and I do use that. Four cameras, so I can see behind me really well. Also has speakers tied to that same radio that will do GPS and talk to me loud enough to hear is roaring down the road. I could easily see it having gauges up there with a little work.

It isn't gorgeous or fancy or anything, but I could snap you a picture or two - for planning purposes on your project.

 

[Mos68x]

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Seems reasonable. Heck, you could possibly use an inch of windshield space if you needed to and still be good. Guess you don't plan to fold down the glass for anything? Different truck completely, but the guy I bought my M1088 has a "console" above the window in my truck. I wouldn't have done that - but with time - it has "grown" on me... There are a couple of light switches up there. A radio (that I don't use) but in that same screen is a camera system display and I do use that. Four cameras, so I can see behind me really well. Also has speakers tied to that same radio that will do GPS and talk to me loud enough to hear is roaring down the road. I could easily see it having gauges up there with a little work.

It isn't gorgeous or fancy or anything, but I could snap you a picture or two - for planning purposes on your project.

Sure, I'd love to see it. Definitely sounds like an interesting layout. I'm also trying to find space to put a radio as well. Once I finish the gauges and whatnot, then I'll see if I have any reasonable room up top for the dash/backup cam and the radio.

No, I've never used the hinges that fold the complete windshield down to latch to the hood. I also don't foresee any reason why I would want to do that. If it's that hot I just fold up individual glass windshields, not the entire frame. Plus, I'm fair skinned and I don't like getting sunburned if it can be helped lol

 

[Mullaney]

Sure, I'd love to see it. Definitely sounds like an interesting layout. I'm also trying to find space to put a radio as well. Once I finish the gauges and whatnot, then I'll see if I have any reasonable room up top for the dash/backup cam and the radio.

No, I've never used the hinges that fold the complete windshield down to latch to the hood. I also don't foresee any reason why I would want to do that. If it's that hot I just fold up individual glass windshields, not the entire frame. Plus, I'm fair skinned and I don't like getting sunburned if it can be helped lol

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I understand the fair skin and sunburn!

I will go out and grab a few pictures shortly.

 

[Mos68x]

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I understand the fair skin and sunburn!

I will go out and grab a few pictures shortly.

When I was overseas they either joked about me being a real redneck, or a lobster, depending on how bad the sunburn was. I was in a perpetual state of sunburn every time i was deployed.

 

[Jbulach]

I have a motor partially tore down, what are you looking for, port thread size, how much room is in front of port for the sensor? Can probably get you pics Saturday, maybe even pull sensor if needed…

 

[Mos68x]

I have a motor partially tore down, what are you looking for, port thread size, how much room is in front of port for the sensor? Can probably get you pics Saturday, maybe even pull sensor if needed…

I thought I already posted a reply, good thing I was wondering why I hadn't had any response yet, it's the only reason I actually checked the post.

The main thing I'm looking for is whether or not I'll have room for this thermistor within that mounting point for the coolant sensor. The threads are 1/8-28NPT, 1/4" in diameter and about 1-1/4" long after the threads end. Best that I can tell, it should work for what I want to do, I'm just trying to make sure that this sensor will actually fit in that location. If the threads are smaller than the existing hole, that is fine since I can use an adapter, which will also reduce the space needed "within" the block as well.