I have googled this thing for the last couple of hours so no one can tell me I haven't tried to find this w/o beating this dead horse... And the Search on FTE no longer works for me and hasn't for some time...

2002 F250 4x4 5.4L

The factory "idiot gauges" have treated me wrong for the last time. I stopped out to Summit last night and picked up Auto Meter Phantom II gauges and I began to work on the install today.

Gauges: Water Temp, Tranny Temp and Oil pressure mounted in A-pillar gauge pod

I have discovered that I can mount the trans temp into the plug on the driver's side, just above the pan and just ahead of the shifter mechanism and have already installed that.

I have read that the oil sending unit 'should' be near the oil filter bracket but I don't see it.

I also can't find the water temp sending unit. There is a plug in the water rail at the front of the intake manifold plenum between the thermostat and what looks like the heater hose. It looks like the perfect spot to install the water temp sending unit but I've found no one that has mentioned this spot.

There are tons of threads I've found on here but no one mentions where the mount these things.

Anyone have EXPERIENCE with this?

 

Here is a link to some articles written by 1975StroppeBaja , look for the one titled Quad Pillar Guage Installation. He has written some good articles. Hope this helps.

LINK BELOW.
2004 F250

 

Thanks brd,

That article was one that I actually read and while a great article it also doesn't give much info on the sending unit locations. I think that one does mention the sandwich fitting for the oil filter. And after looking around under there it seems that the factory "oil cooler" has the coolant running over to the oil filter bracket. I expected to see a dedicated cooler.

Well, that's even more incentive to use the sandwich adapter as I will be looking to add an add-on cooler.

I was up at Autozone today for some wiring connectors and I asked if they knew where the sending units were. He even opened up a Haynes manual. That manual showed the water temp. sending unit at the top, front of the intake manifold. This is the exact spot I mentioned about putting the aftermarket unit.

I did find an article that mentions putting the tranny temp switch just above the pan on the drivers' side by removing the plug - did that.

I also mounted the water temp unit in that spot on the manifold. I also found what looks like the factory water temp sender at the front of the left cylinder head facing out the front.

So...I now only need to get the oil sending unit installed and then finish installing the wiring and gauges inside the cab.

Thanks!

 

The factory temp sensor is in the left cyl head under the intake at the front. It measures the temp of the metal not the coolant and the PCM needs that input to run the engine correctly. I would install the aftermarket sender in the crossover tube where you described and leave the factory CHT alone.

 

My goal is to run both the factory and the aftermarket temp gauges so I can do a comparison. Seems to me the PCM gets it's info directly from the sending unit. So, if the gauge is bad, the PCM would NOT go into cylinder shut-down which it has done.

So, that leaves only two scenarios. Either the sending unit is faulty and sending incorrect readings to the gauge and the PCM or it is not faulty and I have cooling issues elsewhere.

If I were to find that the sending unit is faulty leaving it connected to the PCM would only cause it to continue to want to switch the motor into cylinder shut-down. So...IF the sending unit is bad, do you suggest I replace it?

If it is reading the temp of the metal then I presume it does NOT enter the water jacket??

So while under the motor looking for the oil pressure sending unit (can you help with that 70f100?), I started looking to see just how big (or small) the oil cooler was. I discovered two huge hoses leading over the crossmember and connecting to the lower radiator hose.

Am I to understand that my factory oil cooler is actually the engine coolant being routed into the oil filter bracket and back out?? Seems like a pretty weak idea...

 

The factory temp gauge is the last part in the chain. The temp sensor sends info to the PCM, The PCM communicates that info over the network to the instrument cluster, then the cluster module controls the gauge. If the temp sensor (CHT) was bad the check engine light will be on. I have seen a lot of intakes leak under the aluminum crossover tube allowing coolant to leak into the CHT connector. The plastic surrounding the gasket breaks off and the gasket bulges causing the leak. The only fix is to replace the intake.
Yep, the CHT does not thread into the water jacket

The oil pressure switch is in the oil filter adapter. Look at the left engine mount and that aluminum part that is sandwiched between the mount and the block is the adapter. The switch is in front of the mount. It has a white one wire connector.

Its better than not having a cooler. It's necessary for the oil to get hot to make sure contaminants get boiled out.

 

70f100,

Thank you so much for the clear and concise answers, I truly appreciate the information.

If you have a few minutes read this thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-capacity.html

This is the original post I made when we got back from fourwheeling. I don't want to start it back up in here but I would guess after reading it that you'll have some idea of which direction I need to go.

The check engine light does come on when the temp gauge maxes out...well, the orange motor light comes on anyway. But will go back off after I shut-down and restart.

Your answers, thus far, are leading me to think that the overheating is a real issue and not just the sensor. When I first got this truck (about 6k miles on it) it had a slight coolant leak. It ended up being the lower radiator hose but one night when we went to the drive-in I was so busy I forgot to check and refill the coolant and it overheated pulling in.

It sat for a few hours (while we watched movies) and we put water in it so I could get home. Within the week it was in the dealership and they fixed the lower hose and refilled it with coolant (was still under warranty) but I've had NO problems up until these last two trips to W. Va. loaded up.

I pulled the connector off the sensor and everything looked good - nothing appeared to have been wet and the plastic was in good shape. I put the connector back on.

Made a lot of wiring pigtails tonight and will be looking to run the wiring in the cab tomorrow night or Thurs. I am wondering where to tap into for the power. I bought an adapter to plug into the fuse block and tap off that but I need one to be switched power and I need another power source that works with the interior light dimming switch.

Thanks again for the help guys!!!