Cool/Heat: Temp Sender-56 Prez

[60ragtop]

The temp sending unit on my '56 President is kaput. (When I grounded it, it went immediately to all the way hot.) The P/N for this for the '56 V-8 and early '57 is 1539876. According to SI, it is NLA, and the person I spoke with knew of no other P/N that that substitutes. After comparing the shop manual pics and instructions in the '56 manual to the '59-64 manual I see no obvious difference between this unit and the later one which is available at 1/3 the cost unless it's maybe some internal electrical thing. Any reason why I can't use the later model sender, P/N 1545220? I'm going to drive this car to Gettysburg tomorrow so if the later sender substitutes, I'll likely be able to find one. And yes, I'm a little nervous about not knowing what's going on temp wise on a 400 mile round trip.

Frank Philippi
Ocean Pines, MD

[dong]

Why don't you install a mechanical gauge for the trip. The $20 and a little bit of time would sure provide a lot of peace of mind.

[StudeRich]

The thing that you failed to consider is the DIAMETER, if you had looked up the Stude. Part Number of the Cylinder Head End Cap, it is different.

So the solution is, a '58 and newer end cap will solve the problem, it has a smaller hole.

I guess it is one of those Stude. "GOTCHA's"!

[60ragtop]

Rich,

Thanks for the info. The P/N for the end cap appears to be1543523. It's referred to in the 59-64 chassis book as Adapter, water temperature gauge. You wouldn't happen to have one in stock by any chance, would you? If not, I know where there are some engines that have been pulled out of parts cars.

Frank

[gordr]

The end cap is nothing more than a diamond-shaped piece of steel plate about a quarter-inch thick. The old senders used a 1/2" pipe thread, and the newer ones used a 3/8" pipe thread. If you can't find the right adapter plate, just use one of the blank-plates from the right-side head, and drill and tap it to suit your new sender.

[1954khardtop]

Why not use a brass reducing bushing 1/2 to 3/8 NPT?