I have some aftermarket mechanical oil and water temp gauges to install when i get my engine rebuilt.

Where are the best locations for the sending units? I'd like to retain the stock units at least till i see how they affect the vehicle's electronic controls.
I can put the temp sender either on the head near the thermostat, or the right side of the block. Holes are tapped and plugged in both locations.

For the oil pressure gauge, should I add a tee to the stock sending unit on the pump, or would it be better to drill and tap into the main oil gallery? THe engine is currently disassembled down to the bare block, waiting for parts.

The kit also has an ammeter, but I'd need to re-direct the main charging circuit under the dash and through the meter via some fairly heavy wire.

The engine going to be a 1976 forged crank block with a 1987 head. Melling oil pump. Stock rebuild with .040 overbore. It's going into a 1987 Ram150 pickup.

oil off pump....temp near thermostat

I too am interested in others suggestions. I used an electric oil psi gauge and wanted to keep the idiot light, but was concerned what the leverage of a tee with two sending units might have on the pump housing. I made a simple strap that attaches to the right rear lower valve cover bolt and hangs straight down, I attached the tee to the pump (oem sending unit location) with .125 copper tube and compression couplings. A mechanical gauge would have been lots easier.

Re: water temp- several threads on this- you can put it in a tee in the heater hose (if you don't have a heater valve), or solder a bung in a radiator tank, or put a bung in a thermostat housing. Note: the sending unit for an electric gauge is smaller than the tube from a mechanical gauge. The advantage/ disadvantage of the tank or thermostat housing is knowing when the thermostat opens, but it won't read warm up.

question: the pipe plug on the right side of the block toward the rear- is that a coolant jacket? or is that an oil passage? could it be used? not sure.

I prefer watching volts instead of amps. If an alternator quits, you will realize the volts are dropping. i.e. Battery voltage is 12.6. charging volts is 14 to 16. Smaller wire size, easier, etc.

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The pipe plug that comes straight out of the flat surface is the coolant drain plug, and could be used for a sending unit.

On early blocks, there is sometimes a boss into the oil near the rear of the oil galley. This is not on all blocks, and I'm not sure when it was discontinued. Linda's December 1963 Block has this boss.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Dan explained the oil pressure sender locations yesterday in another thread.

http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38479
Im my application (my kids will be the main drivers in this truck) a gauge thats slow to register on startup may be a good thing.