TO35 Temp Gauge Work Around?

I was hoping I could get away w/ a quick & easy fix. Now its one more thing to do. If I'm looking in the correct place, the sensor (bulb?) is still in the port. It's just below the thermostat in flat space w/ a hole going up into the elbow. I feel what I think is a piece of the sensor cable. Can you tell tell me what's needed to extract it? Grab it w/ a pair of pliers and twist? Is there a lock nut?

Jim

Thank you. Guess I know now how I'll be spending part of Father's Day :) Who knows, maybe the previous owner changed out the gauge and nothing has locked up. I'll find out. Again, thank you.

Jim

Jim

The bulb is held by a clamping nut, so you need to loosen that before you try pulling the remains of the bulb out. You also need to lower the coolant level below that level or you will have it all over that part of the engine and you.

A gauge can be had with various lengths of tube. Being long is no great problem, it coils up without damage so long as its not bent so tight it crimps. Being too short is bad, it doesn't stretch without breaking. So measure the distance from the gauge to the bulb by whatever route it has to take, and go tour your better car parts places for a universal temperature gauge, probably NAPA has the best odds or visit tractor parts places on line, like YTMAG and others. It won't break the bank to buy one and there's only one other fix that is more expensive, an electric gauge and sensor.

Gerald J.

Thank you, the information you provided is very helpful. I'm not too concerned about the cost of the gauge it's the transport into town that gets pricey - I don't have a large trailer so round trip is about $150. Labor and parts add up too but the real kicker is time, the last repair took four weeks. Anyway, that's life. I'll try to remove the sensor and again, thank you. Your reply wil make that a much easier effort.

Jim

The sensor/sender and thermostat are out; the tractor is still behind the house. You're right, the work isn't complex but setting aside time, well . . . anyway, once the elbow was off and thermostat was out the sensor/sender simply dropped out after applying a torch. The previous owner seems to have simply glued it in to place. The new gauge and thermostat will go back in/on this weekend. Thank you for your information, once I learned a little from your posts I was comfortable w/ the work. Again, thanks.

Jim