Engine: 1960 Lark water temp sensor

[60 Lark]

I just bought my first Studebaker. A 1960 Lark VIII. I am a weekend mechanic so have limited knowledge. Can anyone tell (show) me where the water temperature sensor is on my V8? I'm not getting any temperature reading on my dash gauge and I thought I would start with the temp sending sensor. I downloaded a Studebaker-Packard corporation shop manual and it says that it is in the block toward the back left cylinder head. The sensor that I find back there matches info I have for the oil sensor not the water sensor.

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Left side is driver's side. (Left and right side is sitting in the driver's seat.) So the temperature sending unit is at the very back of the driver's side head, facing rearward. You have adequate room to unscrew it with a box wrench. Or, you might find that the wire has become disconnected.

[Skybolt]

If you look at the cylinder heads they are interchangeable left to right. This would mean that the front of the cylinder head that was on the left would now be the rear on the right, and vice versa. So, where the front of the cylinder head has the water pump manifold bolted to it it would need a block off plate on the rear of the cylinder head to cover the opening where the manifold could be bolted if the cylinder head was used on the other side. This block off plate at the back of the drivers side cylinder head is where you look for the temp sender.

Len

[60 Lark]

Thanks guys, Left,right,right,left makes all the difference. I'll take a look once it gets above freezing here in NJ.
Should I use teflon tape on the threads? or Anti-seize? or anything?

[az64stude]

You may want to test the gauge before removing the sending unit, it may be a faulty ground connection.

[58PackardWagon]

Teflon tape works well. I have also used the high temp gunk out of a tube.

[60 Lark]

Az64stude,
How would I go about testing the gauge?

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Locate the wire (orange insulation) that should be connected to the temperature sending unit. With the ignition switch on, and the wire not connected at all, the gauge should read "no scale." Next, ground that wire to the head or some convenient place. It may need to be held for 15-20 seconds, but if the gauge is functional it will read "full scale."
In my experience the dash gauge is rarely at fault. Most common is wire not connected to the temperature sender - easy to remedy. And sometimes the sender itself does need replacing - easy enough to do.

[62champ]

Congrats on the Lark! When you get the time, be sure to add it to the forum registry - http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...forum-registry

You add your own information, photos, etc.

Good luck.

[bensherb]

Is the oil gauge on the lark electric? It's mechanical on my '62 Hawk.

[BRUCESTUDE]

Is the oil gauge on the lark electric? It's mechanical on my '62 Hawk.

They have a sending unit for a warning light, so it's electrical. (I do miss the oill and amp gauge....)

[Zeus]

OK, so this thread has been idle for almost three years, but I'm trying to get this '63 Cruiser usable and hope to verify: As the test sequence above suggested, when the orange wire is disconnected the gauge reads no scale, and grounded (give it the 15 seconds...) it reads full scale. If there were a short to ground, then, the gauge should read full scale, right? This should verify the gauge and the wiring are OK, so now are we looking at an internal short in the sender itself? The gauge pegs after driving a very short time (but I think it's more than the 20 seconds above).

[345 DeSoto]

Believe it or not, but the temp sender block off plates in my Sky Hawk are at the rear on BOTH heads!...

[64studeavanti]

Believe it or not, but the temp sender block off plates in my Sky Hawk are at the rear on BOTH heads!...

You have 2 sensors? As stated in an earlier post, there should be a sensor in the driver's side block off plate. The passenger side should just have the plate with no sensor.

[az64stude]

I hope this answers your question.