Mechanical Water Temp Gauge Installation

[TerryS]

I was asked, yesterday, at the local British Car day event in CT about installing a mechanical water temp guage on a Rover V8 engine. I did this on my Defender, but it would be the same for Range Rover classic, and 3.9 Disco.
Without looking at the intake manifold on my son's XD, I couldn't say for certain that it will work on 4.0 Discos and Rangies, or 4.6 engines, as I don't have their intake manifold so indellibly burned into my brain.
Any way, If you take a look at your intake manifold, in the front, right corner, you will see where the electric water temp guage sender is tapped into the manifold, horizontally. Above it is a flat boss, with nothing there. That is where I drilled and tapped a 3/8" FPT hole, into the same pocket in which the electric sender is mounted. Most aftermarket mechanical guages come with adapters for installing their capillary tube sender, usually in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" MPT. The half inch adapter is just borderline too big, so the 3/8" was just right. I did this when I had the manifold off, set up on the Bridgeport miller, but if you're carefull, it can be done in situ.

[John C]

Hey Terry,

Can I bring my manifold over and have it drilled?

Too bad I didn't know about the British card day, I would've loved to have attended. Oh well, maybe next time.

[TerryS]

Yes, I'll be happy to do it, and yes, it's too bad. It was held at Harkness Mem. Park, in Waterford, literally a stones throw from the waters edge. You could just hear all that British Iron quaking in fear of a salt air breeze.
Between my son and I, I think we own 20 or more cameras. Do you think either one of us Dumasses would think to bring one?