***water temp gauge***

[catfish123]

I hope that the information I am going to provide here will help someone in the future. Background information is:

280 Mercury ROS
Old gauge was a Faria
New gauge is a Livorsi

I have the stock water (head) temp sending unit from Mercury that includes 4 wires off it so that it is not only sending information to the gauge but it also "feeds" the overheat alarm.

For the record, this sending unit IS NOT a water temp sender from Mercury, but a black head temperature sending unit that fits into a cylindrical hole in the starboard side of the motor. 280 HP motors are not "equipped" with a threaded hole up higher where a true water temperature sending unit can be used.

With the Faria gauge, My idle temps were barely enough to get the gauge off the 100 degree mark. In fact, on a lazer infrared sensor, the outside temp head readings were around 90 degrees. Up and running, the Faria gauge would go to 130-140 maximum.

Although I have read various places that many guys with 280's are running at 160-180 degrees, the person I rely most heavily on for accurate information told me that is too hot and that the 130-140 is the correct running temperature.

Now that I have a Livorsi water temp gauge, being fed by my stock Mercury "head" temperature sender, the gauge reads 125 degrees at idle and it goes to 170 or so when up and running. At first, I was concerned that my motor was now overheating but that is not the case. Apparently the ohm resistance level of the Faria gauge, and from what I'm told, most other temp gauges as well, is different than that of the Livorsi gauge.

A lazer infrared heat sensor gun has proven that my motor IS NOT getting to the temperatures the Livorsi gauge indicates. At this point, I think my choices are to either forget it if I want to keep the new, matching Livorsi gauge to the rest of my new Livorsi gauges, and accept that the reading is 30-40 degrees too high--------------or to go back to my old gauge or one that reads correctly with the Mercury sending unit.

I have found over the years that when I post my "problems" here and elsewhere, that I feel a lot of the time I'm the only one who has ever had the problem I'm posting about.

I'm sure for some the answer would be to use the Livorsi sender, but again, it is threaded and is not intended to go into the "head" temperature reading hole provide on the head by Mercury.

Sorry for rambling, but hopefully if anyone else ever has this problem, they may find this thread and avoid everything I've gone through trying to figure this out and worrying about it.
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[RiceKiller]

Bob if there is enough meet ware your old push in sending unit goes couldnt you tap it to the size needed to use the Livorsi sending unit? now you got me thinking if my new auto meeter gauges will work with the stock merc sending unit i havent got my motor back From Mr Bobby to se how the 260 heads are if there treded or not Humm

[h2oskiier30]

now you got me thinking if my new auto meeter gauges will work with the stock merc sending unit i havent got my motor back From Mr Bobby to se how the 260 heads are if there treded or not Humm

My AutoMeter gauge wouldn't work with the stock Merc sender...it requires a "short sweep" sender, which AutoMeter makes. I ordered it, and one of the AutoMeter #2260 threaded weld in bungs. You have to slightly machine the bung down just a bit to where it will fit snugly into the temp sender hole in the head. Then, I used a thick flat washer between the top of the bung and the horseshoe keeper to keep constant pressure on it so that it stays bottomed out and in constant contact with the head. Here's a pic....

[RiceKiller]

H20 do you have a link or part number

[Fish]

catfish, i have also had problems with all my livorsi gauges except the fuel gauge (i am saying that since i have never run out and had to get towed and it seems pretty accurate). tach is a few hundred off comapred to a ddt, temp was off as well comapred to infrared, fuel pressure was off compared to a mechanical, and dont get me started on the speedo. on the plus side, they are good looking but i share your dilemma with good looking gauges and just do the adjustments in my head as to what they should read or go back to my old gnarley gauges that actually worked.

[h2oskiier30]

RiceKiller, AutoMeter part number for the short sweep temp sender is #2258, and for the bung is #2260. I ordered them from www.summitracing.com

[RiceKiller]

thanks h2o

[Ken G Brown]

Hi there. I know your post is more than 10 years old but I need to know what Faria gauge (model #) you were using. Your issue sounds alot like what I am going thru. My water temp gauge has just broken so I'll need to buy another and it sounds like what I'm looking for on my 280. Thanks Ken