water temperature sending unit part number PLEASE

I can't get my water temp gauge to work

nobody seems to know what sending unit i need, i went to pep boys and get one, its borg warner part WT359......it has a single clip end like my oil sending unit has....is this right? nobody at TGO has been able to identify the part #....

im trying to figure out why my 350 is running like crap, everyone keeps telling me to find out if my engine is running hot, and i can't get my gauge to work!

im not sure about the part number,but what u described sounds right to me. it just screws into the head and has 1 clip/prong thing that the connector connects to. i would just stick it in and try it.

BTW,i noticed u have close to the same setup i have and i was wondering what the difference is between ur heads and my regular Vortec's? b/c i have to send my heads back b/c 1 has a crack in it and kept leaking cooland into the oil (through the center head bolt under the valve cover). also i had a couple cylinders not firing the night we got it running and dont know y.

Pro topline castings are about 7lbs heavier per head due to a thicker/stronger casting, the CLAIM is that the extra weight decreases the chance of cracking that the stock ones had, i have no idea if its actually true, but it sounds good.

also the protoplines come ready to accept the bigger valvespring, so you don't have to pay to them machined to accepts springs that can handle more then .450 lift.

i paid 650$ for mine complete....

they are supposed to flow like 5 CFM more as well, but the only FACT is that they are machined to accept bigger springs so you can run more lift. The strength/flow is just stuff protopline claims on their website, i have no idea to the truth of it.

yea,i paid $560 for my Vortecs w/ all the machine work done,and they had springs,retainers,guide plates,screw in studs,etc. assembled to my door.

but now we have to send them back b/c of that 1 being cracked and my dad was tellin me about the heads u have and i was just wondering what the difference was,thanx for clearing that up. hell for 7 lbs heavier,id like the have a more reliable street car that i plan to take to the track more than a few times. its just after this motor ORDEAL i gotta do the rear w/ upgraded axles,and posi unit. then after that its time for suspension work. im prob. gonna buy the SSM kit that comes w/ subframe connectors,a torque arm and panhard bar (i think it comes w/ both of the last 2 anyway) for about $500 i think my dad said it was. i think it might come w/ LCA relocation brakets also.

That sucks man.

Back on topic, do water temp gauges go bad or does the sender go bad? Cause I finally got the damn thing to work, the problem was my wiring in my gauge cluster was screwed up so LAST time we tried to run the temp gauge it didn't work (my gauges were backwired) I tried the same sending unit off my 305 and magically it worked, but after 30 minutes of driving it only read 140*.

Are you getting 5 volts at the sender connector? Don't use teflon tape or a lot of thread sealer, it grounds thru the threads to the block...
Usually senders poop out, (heat & vibration),never seen a gage die but don't deal with many with messed up wiring like you said you are..

Originally posted by Rice Killer87
im prob. gonna buy the SSM kit that comes w/ subframe connectors,a torque arm and panhard bar (i think it comes w/ both of the last 2 anyway) for about $500 i think my dad said it was. i think it might come w/ LCA relocation brakets also.

Sorry to get off topic, but SSM went out of business, and that kit is no longer available. It comes with SFC's, lift bars that weld to the axle that replace the LCA's and torque arm, and a special trans crossmember.

Originally posted by StealthElephant
Back on topic, do water temp gauges go bad or does the sender go bad?

I tried the same sending unit off my 305 and magically it worked, but after 30 minutes of driving it only read 140*.

Yes.

Since you have it from a known good car then I would say it was your gauge. In any case, that has absolutely nothing to do with your car running crappy. The ECM doesn't know what the temp is from that gauge sender. Only you do. There is a 2 wire one that sits in the manifold to the right of the thermostat and the length is parallel to the ground facing the bumper. That is what the ECM reads from. You need a scanner to see what the ECM is reading. That way you can eliminate that as a source of problem. You also need an infra red thermometer so you can see what the temp of the sender in the intake manifold is compared to the reading on the scanner.

Its wierd, the stock gauge and sending unit from the 305 both worked prior to the 350 swap. Same sending unit from 305 was put on the 350, and reconnected, and it only reads 160* after alot of driving.

There are 2 temp sensors. Do they agree? Remember, it is cold in some places. What does the ECM one say?