Temp Gauge for TZD Turbo

Roscoe · Unread post by **Roscoe** » 22 Aug 2005, 18:42

Hi Folks
I've seen a lot of posts here about fitting temp gauges to the Cit. turbo diesels as they only have the two warning lights. Most of those have mentioned removing the red high temp sensor and using that hole for the temp gauge sender. I was wondering if anyone had tried fitting a temp gauge in the block at the rear where the block drain is? My thinking on this is that if you lose coolant for some reason, at the top of the thermo housing, there is likely to be nothing but air, so the temp gauge may not work, whereas low down at the rear of the block, the sender would still be immersed in coolant.
Any ideas on this - I am going to fit one to my diesel as I've just redone the hg, cam and some other bits and don't want to take any chances on overheating it.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 22 Aug 2005, 19:13

The problem with that is the coolant in the block is at a somewhat lower temperature than that in the head, and by the time you have no coolant in the head its probably to late! I think fitting a temperatue gauge is a good idea, although I have never personally had a problem with overheating, but if you have headgasket leakage you can suddenly loose a lot of water when pushing the car hard. My way of checking is to put the heater on, if the water level is dangerously low the heater will go cold.

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 22 Aug 2005, 19:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">there is likely to be nothing but air, so the temp gauge may not work<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
My gauge went sky high when the water ran out!!!
It saved my BX- I had a hose start to split on the motorway, and the gauge started to go up beyond its normal range: without it I would have been relying on the lights of death, and by the time they would have come on at motorway speeds it would have been too late for the head........[xx(]
As it was, I was able to get on the hard shoulder and switch off in time!!!![:)]

tomsheppard · Unread post by **tomsheppard** » 22 Aug 2005, 20:25

Buy a fiver's worth of cheap digital multimeter, a 100 Ohm resistor, A .1uF capacitor and an LM35 chip. Download the datasheet, using LM35 as your search and assemble bits. Glue LM35 to head with epoxy. Costs £10 works well.

davek-uk · Unread post by **davek-uk** » 23 Aug 2005, 19:03

Tom, I guess this is cheaper than an aftermarket temp guage but is it better? Are you using the multimeter as the readout - how does this look?
Is this better than using an aftermarket temp guage and the "spare" hole in the fuel filter housing (http://www.bxclub.co.uk/diy/tempgauge)? My BX is a late 1.9D and has the later type housing of the TDs.
I plan to fit a temp guage of some kind and I'm interested in all the options before I choose one!

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 23 Aug 2005, 20:18

This is by far the best option.

I've done it to two BXTD's, both very neat and successful.
Oh and the other temperature control[:D][:D][}:)][}:)][:p][:p]

tomsheppard · Unread post by **tomsheppard** » 23 Aug 2005, 22:00

Depends what you mean by better. You can elaborate to your heart's content. I've designed a microprocessor controlled cooling system for mine which displays status on a display and works the fans for you if any of the Citroen bits fail but I use this this sensor which is accurate to 1 degree.

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 23 Aug 2005, 23:31

It all depends on your abilities and what you can get hold of: as I understand it, Tom's solution is especially useful as you get positive feedback of fan action rather than having to listen out for fans or hope they are working properly.
As detailed in the BX DIY site, Peugeot 205/309 GTi's and some other variants have a modular temp gauge that will fit in the space occupied by the "head cooked" lights, should a BX GTi dash not be available for swappery. This may work well, so long as the the sender used is one calibrated to the gauge.

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 24 Aug 2005, 01:43

The BXdiy site suggests fitting a GTI instrument panel, but these are like hens teeth now, even a normal BX is hard to find in a scrappers now!!!
I thought about going the digital route but didn't, because an analogue needle is much easier to look at very quickly while driving than a digital readout, to me, anyway....
Digital dashes never caught on because of this- drive a maestro vanden plas (if you can find one now....) or an Astra GTE, and you'll see why they never caught on!!!! Its so much harder to take in the information in busy traffic!

davek-uk · Unread post by **davek-uk** » 24 Aug 2005, 14:10

It's fine showing off guys but it doesn't get me any closer to a decision!

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 24 Aug 2005, 14:32

Dave, try and find a GTI instrument panel and temperature sensor from a scrapper. Would be less than a new temperature gauge from say Halfords.
If you can't find one, I should have one.

Roscoe · Unread post by **Roscoe** » 24 Aug 2005, 18:05

The GTI panel looks like a good option but how do you swap the tachs over from the petrol version to a diesel one?

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 24 Aug 2005, 19:05

Hi Roscoe
Just take the instrument panel to bits and swap bits around so you end up with GTI minor gauges and TD revcounter and speedo head

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 24 Aug 2005, 19:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tomsheppard

I use this this sensor which is accurate to 1 degree.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ha, beat you Tom.
My sensor's totally accurate down to the difference between summer and winter, so there[:o)][:o)][:o)]

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 25 Aug 2005, 01:37

I've got another panel currently sitting on the back seat of my BX, Dave, and can probably find a matching sensor. Only problem is that it's not strictly mine until the original owner agrees a price.
As far as the panel goes, it's a modular design in 4 parts, so each of the 4 sets of instruments can be removed and refitted individually.