I have a Clark michigan 35b. It has an isuzu engine. It starts first first click. However all gauges have been disconnected and wiring removed. I would like to slowly but surely get them. Working again. I presume the picture below is where the tempature sender is just by the thermostat housing. How can I get this reading again? What do I need to buy to get the clock in the dash to read the temperature? There is no wires anywhere as they can all been cut off by some previous owner.
Does that sending unit have two electrical terminals? That looks like a switch to me. Maybe it had an capillary tube tube temp. gauge? i wouldn’t bother trying to make your existing bits work. I would open up a Isspro catalog and pick out a complete coolant temperature gauge kit and install it. If your heart is set on using the old stuff, wire it up and see what happens. It’s not rocket science. Every electric temp gauge ever made is wired the same. Ground the - side of the gauge and the needle should go to hot.
Might be easier to do as suggested above and go with aftermarket gauges/senders than to try and figure out how it all went originally.
Mechanical gauges don't need any power unless you want them lighted.
Which one is the mechanical gauge as it would be handy to not need a power supply? The capillary tube one suggested above?
Yes.
Sometimes an aftermarket electrical gauge is easier to install, just because of where it has to be routed. You only have to supply switched power to the gauge, the wire to the sending unit. The capillary tube can't be shortened or lengthened, and will be permanently ruined if bent sharply.
Yeah. Those capillary tubes are fragile. Sometimes a mechanical temp gauge is a great back-up for a marine engine or industrial application. Old school cool.
Yep an electrical gauge can be much easier as you can just use what ever length of wire you need. It's best to buy a gauge and sender from the same company to be sure they are compatible and make sure the power to the gauge is from a switched source.
So how would you go about powering an electrical gauge if you bought that kit ? I really appreciate all the advice