Technical FIAT 126 - engine temperature gauge recommendations?

[darkstrike]

Hi all!

I am currently in the process of importing a 1987 FIAT 126 from Abruzzo in Italy to here in Nova Scotia, Canada.

I'd love to have a temp gauge when the car arrives that I can install to give me a better idea of what the engine temperature is...but I would be looking for something small and unobtrusiveness.

Any suggestions would be helpful!

With climate change, our summer days can now get REALLY hot compared to what they used to be like (now 32-36C is not uncommon...) so I'd love something that would just let me keep any eye on things!
Thanks!

 

[dirkdeman]

Hi! Any oil temperature sensor M16x1.5 would do I guess, and there are some nice abarth-style temperature gauges available. Having said that, overheating usually isn't much of a problem with the aircooled 126s (They were designed in sunny Italy, after all!). Since they're aircooled there's no coolant that can boil and expand.

 

[darkstrike]

Hi - thanks very much for the reply!

Glad to hear overheating isn't much of an issue! I know they are aircooled unless we are talking about the BIS model, but the one I am importing is an air-cooled one

Is there a place somewhere where an oil temp. sensor would easily already thread into?

 

[dirkdeman]

You can buy a Y-connector like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-M16-1-5-Pressure-Adapter/dp/B0CZ76G5PH

 

[darkstrike]

You can buy a Y-connector like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-M16-1-5-Pressure-Adapter/dp/B0CZ76G5PH

Great, thanks so much for the help! I am assuming this just connects to the pressure switch for the warning light essentially?

 

[dirkdeman]

Yes, you screw the connector piece into the sump, the pressure switch goes in one side and the temperature probe in the other.

 

[darkstrike]

Yes, you screw the connector piece into the sump, the pressure switch goes in one side and the temperature probe in the other.

Awesome, thanks so much!