I finally have my 56 Laurentian running and on the road. Woo Hoo! But my factory temp gauge goes right to the H after it warms up. The gauge starts right in the middle between C and H. I am wondering if anyone knows if there is a way to calebrate the gauge. The car doesn't overheat at all but the gauge would indicate that it is overheating. Any info on thei would be great. Thanks.
-- Edited by Poncho Jode on Thursday 1st of September 2011 09:43:06 AM
Sounds like you've got the wrong sending unit in the block [assuming it's a electric guage, think 55's were mechanical] Guess you don't have orginal sender??? May have to hunt one down!!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
The factory temp gauge is mechanical on a 56 Can Pontiac. I used the original gauge with a 350 in my 55 and it worked correctly. If I remember right the gauge should start at the fully cold position and then move to the right or hot position as the engine warms up. I think your gauge itself is not working correctly.
Dang. I guess I am now on the hunt for a correctly working gauge. My car was an original v8 and now is a 350. So it seems the gauge isn't working right. The wire (or bendable cord thingy) is different from my 6cyl parts car. The 6cyl one is not long enough to reach an intake port.
If your 350 heads have the screw in plug for temp guage, you could go to the pass. side [right side] & use the plug at the rear side of head!!! if the "capillary"[thats the correct name for the bendable cord thingy] tube will reach instead of trying to go to intake or if long enough use the frt. left hole on drivers side head????
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
You can use American Pontiac gauge, they are all for V8 and will fit right in your dashboard, and the tube will easily reach anywhere. Do a search on eBay (and set it to send you a email whenever one becomes available), might take a while but eventually you will find one. Make sure you get it with the tube and bulb attached or it will be no good. No calibration issues since USA and Canada both used 'real' measurements back then i.e. degrees Fahrenheit.
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
If the gauge sits a midway with a cold engine, you may have pinched the capillary tube when doing the engine swap. Mechanical temperature gauges are built with a small bit of vacuum" negative pressure" in the line. Heat will increase the line pressure and move the needle. So if the needle is in the middle, you have a hole in the capillary tube.
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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb of torque.
easiest thing would be to replace the gauge. you may luck out a find a similar sweep (170 deg.) or which ever yours is and rebuild the factory gauge with the inerds of a new gauge.
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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb of torque.
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod