I got tired of trying to figure out how to wire a water temp sensor correctly so I went to see Todd of J&T Products and he helped me install it. He was a very nice guy who went out of his way to help. So, here is a link to youtube on how to install a J&T Products water temp gauge. It is easy and anyone can do it.


Link to Water temp gauge installation

Thanks alot Blaine.I will be installing a bunch of those gauges durng the off season.I really like your usefull tips on the sport.

Good video Blaine. However, I must strongly disagree with taking out the idiot light. Yes, it is harder to run the wire from the guage to the engine, and you will need another location to put the sender, but, at 75+ MPH you don't stand much of a chance of catching the gauge go to high unless you stare at it all the time. With the light you will notice it, day or night, pretty well any speed.... that's why it's an idiot light. I have heard of more people blowing up their harley's for a similar reason. They take out the idiot light to have a cool looking gauge and know the exact pressure when you can't see it while you are driving anyway!

IMO the gauge should only be used to keep an eye on things as an average, NOT to catch a complete failure. Chances are you simply won't notice in time unless the light comes on.

Good point, but my understanding is that the idiot light comes on around 170 degrees or so. A sled with timing in it can seize at 150. If you leave the idiot light in, you have to leave the factory sensor in because it is calibrated to work together. I constantly watch my water temp and do glance at it going down the trail. True that a sled may get hot and you not catch it until it is too late no matter if you have a tamp gauge in it or the idiot light hooked up. The one condition that neither of them will catch is if you lose coolant and the motor gets hot. Neither the gauge or the idiot light will inform you of that situation.

You're talking to a guy who looks down all the time (When the situation is safe) to watch rpms and water temp. I am constantly monitoring how my sled is running.

Actually you could have the best of both worlds. I guess you could leave the idiot light all hooked up and use the "T" version water temp sensor that J&T has. You split a hose and insert it in the line. That way you could still have the idiot light and a water temp gauge. There, crisis averted.

My idiot lite on the latest 96 Thundercat came on at about 185 , I have always run a new wire and kept the idiot lite on my sleds. The red light is very noticable at night if you're running a little too long on icy roads. Great video though, I thought I was the only one who actually made mistakes!

Ya, I knew it was 170-190degrees...way to hot for an idiot light if you ask me.

Some day I'll show you the 3,000 ft scroll that contains all of my mistakes and that is just for this week. I couldn't believe that I kept trying to insert the gauge from the back of the hood rather than sliding it in from the front the way it is supposed to go. I have had a few people comment about how they like the chrome ring on it. I just tell them "thanks' and don't tell them that I screwed up putting the gauge in..haha.

I'm sure the JT gauge is a good one as they have great products, I on the other hand like the OEM Cat gauge(part# 1606-217).
You keep the Idiot light and "T" the sensor in the return hose.
No splicing of the wires, It comes with a factory harness that plugs into the exsisting hood harness.
Much nicer job

Exactly, that's what mine have, both the gauge and idiot light. I watch the gauge often when I am in low snow conditions and to confirm that it is warmed up. After that I just glance at it here and there. Like you said, if you lose coolant slowly you won't notice. The only other thing that can go wrong all of a sudden is water pump failure. My solution: change them often.

Snow800, is that part number for the cat gauge with the numbers on it or just a green and red zone? The last one I got came with no numbers (almost useless but I know where it runs and I know where too hot is) while the other one I have has the numbers. I want to order another but not sure what the PN is. The cat gauge is a pretty slick setup. All the wiring is included and looks factory.

Yes it has the numbers on it, the early gauges didn't have the numbers, just colors

Blaine,
I watched the video. Nice sounding pipes........are those Hooper wrinkle pipes?

My scroll would be very, very long! I like the crome trim ring, looks custom. Every time I see you're avitar, I think of our old Deers, we had 75 and 76 Green Machines, 80 and 81 Liquifires, great sleds and great parts service, they would ship you the parts overnight the same as their farm equipment.The 80 Liquifire was the first fast sled I owned.

Mike,
is that gage a 1639-217 ?

FYI. Last year I was relocating my coolent temp switch so I decided to test it and see when the sw. closed and turned on the light. So, I got a hot plate, metal container, some ATF, temp gauge and a continuity gauge. The 0630-140 sw. closed at 255*. The 0620-049 sw. closed at 240*.

Auggie

This gives me something to look at on my Tcat. I recently melted a piston....temp gauge was in the read, idiot light never came on. Gauge was installed by dealer when new, will have to see if they disconnected the idiot light.

Really? That seems a bit hot. I've never tried, I think I will next year now. Are those relatively new senders?

Edit as I type: Those are the idot light switches?

Yah, they are like a light sw. on your wall, they are either open or closed. As you know coolant boils at 212* F unless its under pressure. My sled has a 13# pressure cap (our race sleds have a 19# pressure caps) and every pound of the pressure cap raises the boling point 3*. So 13 x 3 = 39* + 212* = 251* F before the coolant will boil and I think I noticed on Blaines temp gauge that it was green up to 200*. So if the red light comes on shut it down and cool it off because if the pressure cap opens your engine will start to belch coolant. I went out and bought a 16# cap for a little insurance. Oh, the temp sw. I tested were from a 2001 ZR 800 and my 2000 ZRT.

Auggie

800 on the hood 900 on the cylinders lol.

one simple thing to keep in mind which i'm dumbfounded as to why blaine hasn't/hadn't done so, is to rotate guages so when optimum maximum temps (and rpm's on tach blaine ) are reached/achieved, the respective needle is in a straight up position,, much easier to monitor this way with just a quick glance, anything past 12:00 position will signal issues to be looked into

Blaine told me that the motor is actually a 600 motor with 900 heads and an 800 hood.
What's a mystery to me is how he gets those wrinkle pipes to work on that set up.


Blaine doesn't have time to look at no stinkin' gages while riding....he's too busy glancing at the scenery.

Hmmmmm,,never thought of that

One thing I would do if I were Blaine is to swap the temp gauge with the gas gauge for better viewing.

Auggie

I put this on my list of things to do this summer too after having issues on my last trip. It's pretty tough to look over bars with 3" risers and see the temps when the gauge is at the bottom like that.

I have my temp gauge on my 900 where Blaines gas gauge is, the gauge is nice when your riding on marginal snow, snirt, snavel, snock, or just plain old pavement.

I'm going to fix that by putitng 800 heads (Machined and not stock of course) on my 1107, Then It'll be an 800 again when I open my hood. I just beat them by a sled length or two and they never catch on, it just drives them nuts that an "800" can beat them. I'm sadistic like that.

You're right. I have just gotten used to looking at my gauges, but it is easier to turn them and monitor them your way.

Good idea, but I'm tall enough so I can see my gauges. Besides, if I were shorter and changed them I'd run out of gas all of them time. ..( couldn't see the gauge..) haha.

Actually I'm too busy trying to hang on to watch any gauges!! hahaha.