2.0L Water Pressure Gauge

[sschefer]

Where's the best place to get fairly accurate water pressure readings on a 2.0L. After the thermostats is obviously not good and off the top, on the hose down to the poppet, doesn't seem like the best choice either.

Thanks

Steve

[sl!ck]

The fitting on top of the block.It's about a 3/8" plug you remove and insert a fitting in there. Mine works great.

[sschefer]

The fitting on top of the block.It's about a 3/8" plug you remove and insert a fitting in there. Mine works great.
There's no plug on my 91 but there's a 1/2 npt reducer with a 90 and a 5/16 tube end that connects to a fitting at the top of the poppet valve cover. That's where I have it now and it's reading pretty low. Water pump is pushing plenty of water and if this was a direct tap I'd have a lot more on the gauge. Running these gauges off a tee just dosen't cut it.

[fyremanbil]

The line it's T'd into is probably bleeding away faster than it can be filled, ie, your reading line pressure, not pressure in the block. You can add a second outlet up there that's not connected to something else.

[tlwjkw]

There's no plug on my 91 but there's a 1/2 npt reducer with a 90 and a 5/16 tube end that connects to a fitting at the top of the poppet valve cover. That's where I have it now and it's reading pretty low. Water pump is pushing plenty of water and if this was a direct tap I'd have a lot more on the gauge. Running these gauges off a tee just dosen't cut it.

Thats where its used on 9999999999999 thousand lake motors but if it isn't GOOD enough ....................

[sschefer]

fyremanbil that's exactly the case.

tlwjkw: Don't take this wrong it's just my early morning writing skills if it sounds beligerant. I don't mean it that way.:)

I think the idea is to have a gauge that can be used as a tool. If I can read real time block water pressure then I can tell exactly when the thermostats open and when/if the poppet valve is functional and at what pressure/rpm it's opening. Put that info together and you can save an engine which is what the gauge is all about.

Once the poppet valve is open the thermostats are no longer controlling the temp so if I don't see a drop in pressure at some specific RPM I know I have a problem.

Instaling the gauge where it is now doen't give me enough pressure to tell if it's the poppet or the thermostats that are causing the drop in pressure. That may be adequate for 99999999 of the boaters but 9999999 fry engines and I'd prefer to be in the .1% club that doesn't.

[sschefer]

I'm not one for drilling and taping assembled blocks but I do have the plate over the exhaust divider where the voltage regulator used to be. I wonder if I can tap a good pressure source there? I guess it won't hurt to try it, I can always plug it or make a new cover plate.

Thoughts?

[sl!ck]

I thought most performance boaters running this block used the washers to replace the thermostats anyhow. That way I know my thermostats are never not going to open. I have done this and experienced no problems , they actually have a kit to do this available from Pro Marine I believe.

[tlwjkw]

Tha hole on top IS tha first access to tha cooling flow straight from tha pump..........

[sschefer]

I thought most performance boaters running this block used the washers to replace the thermostats anyhow. That way I know my thermostats are never not going to open. I have done this and experienced no problems , they actually have a kit to do this available from Pro Marine I believe.

I understand that when pressure increases with RPM the poppet opens, the water temp drops and the thermostats close so when the poppet is open the thermostats are non functional. However, if you slow to idle and the poppet closes then the thermostats are back doing their job to keep the engine at a good safe operating temp. This isn't a high performance engine that I'm drag racing or running at WOT all the time so I think it's better that I leave them in.

Thanks for the info.. Maybe on the next one.

[sschefer]

Tha hole on top IS tha first access to tha cooling flow straight from tha pump..........

Yep, I just got a water flow diagram for V-6's and they don't even show the bleed tube going down to the poppet. I wonder if it's even needed.

[tlwjkw]

Try this one.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=126782&d=117755

Tha only reason it was added was to try to elliminate any air pockets on tha water cooled regulator.....Worked with tha poppet so they kept it around after that reg went away.........

[sschefer]

Thanks, that's a much better view than the Seloc manual.. and it's not in the Service Manual.

I think what I'll do is replace the top fitting with a bushing and put my pressure gauge fitting there. I'll remove the fitting on the poppet valve cover and plug it.

Hope the head gaskets hold:thumbsup:

Thanks.

Steve

[gmjim]

On my 2.0l that is the same vintage, i just deleted the bleed tube & i run my pressure guage from the top fitting, it works excellent, with the bonus of a bit more pressure without the bleed tube!!!

[sschefer]

On my 2.0l that is the same vintage, i just deleted the bleed tube & i run my pressure guage from the top fitting, it works excellent, with the bonus of a bit more pressure without the bleed tube!!!

Great minds think alike...:thumbsup: