Hot cold temperature switch ‘63 Riviera

[rodneybeauchamp]

The green COLD light is not coming on when I first start my ‘63 so thinking the switch no longer wants to work that side. The RED light does come on at cranking so that side is fine. Grounded the GREEN light circuit and all working.

 

When I first got the Riviera the cold side of the switch was intermittent ( working, not working). At least now it is consistent ( not working)

 

Any suggestion to where to source a good switch from ( prefer a Non Overseas made unit). I really liked the COLD light as a good reminder to warm things up first.

 

Thanks

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[RivNut]

Which vendors have you checked with so we won't be tellingf you something that you already know.

[Jim Cannon]

NAPA says they have one:

 

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHTS6625?partTypeName=Temperature+Sender+Switch&keywordInput=temperature+switch

 

.

[Riviera63]

5 hours ago, Jim Cannon said:

NAPA says they have one:

 

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHTS6625?partTypeName=Temperature+Sender+Switch&keywordInput=temperature+switch

 

.

 

Rodney,

 

Make sure you test the unit before you install it or have it installed to make sure it works properly regardless of what brand you buy. My shop uses NAPA parts and they went through 5 switches before they got a working one.

 

Bill

[60FlatTop]

I still have a gauge tie wrapped ti the AC line on the inner fender well as a test when mine did that. Must be about 15 years now. I guess the test can be considered over but I still look at it after a drive once in a while.

 

A well maintained cooling system is more reliable than the sensing bulb, anyway.

[JJ62]

I thought NAPA had some of the more reliable parts out there.

 

I've gotten 2 of these AC Delco senders for my '65 Rivieras recently. Both worked fine.

 

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/acdelco-2729/lighting---electrical-16777/sensors-16480/engine-sensors-25049/coolant-temperature-sensor-sender-switch-11362/6f9ac56eadb2/acdelco-2-terminal-coolant-temperature-switch/d1897a/2491606/1963/buick/riviera?q=coolant+temperature+sensor%2Fsender%2Fswitch&pos=1

 

Jim

[Turbinator]

16 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

The green COLD light is not coming on when I first start my ‘63 so thinking the switch no longer wants to work that side. The RED light does come on at cranking so that side is fine. Grounded the GREEN light circuit and all working.

 

When I first got the Riviera the cold side of the switch was intermittent ( working, not working). At least now it is consistent ( not working)

 

Any suggestion to where to source a good switch from ( prefer a Non Overseas made unit). I really liked the COLD light as a good reminder to warm things up first.

 

Thanks

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Mr. Rodney when my hot light comes on I say to myself, “ Too late.” 60 Flat Top sez a well maintained cooling system is better than a bulb. No argument from me.

Im the guy who wears suspenders with a belt to hold my pants in place.

I put in a capillary bulb heat sensor in the left side of the engine block on my 63 Riv. I still have the bulb and Fahrenheit water temp gauge along with oil pressure in stalled in my ashtray. Fold the ashtray lid down and all is out of sight.

The original warning lights are still in operation. I suppose it is what you like.

Turbinator

[RivNut]

One thing to consider when installing a gauge to support the idiot light. Think about where the port that you're using is in relation to the flow of the water.  Water exits the engine at the thermostat housing to get o the radiator where it's cooled.  Therefore that water has been through the entire block.  Water at the port toward the back of the block is much cooler because it hasn't made the complete circuit yet. You might not be getting the reading you need.  It would have been much easier for Buick engineers to have wired into the back of the block rather than the front. They pulled temperature from the front of the block even though routing longer wiring was more difficult.

[rodneybeauchamp]

Hi all,

No problems with cooling system, recorded radiator, new pump etc and I have a reliable gauge fitted already,

 

simply just wanting the GREEN light to work as it should.

 

As I am down under, (Australia) NAPA and others may not ship and certainly don’t want to ship anything inferior to OEM. Hoping to find NOS from here.

 

cheers

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

3 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Hi all,

No problems with cooling system, recorded radiator, new pump etc and I have a reliable gauge fitted already,

 

simply just wanting the GREEN light to work as it should.

 

As I am down under, (Australia) NAPA and others may not ship and certainly don’t want to ship anything inferior to OEM. Hoping to find NOS from here.

 

cheers

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

Hi Rodney,

Be careful to order from overseas today. I have a small package in Chicago that isn't moving (sent through USPS). I think the problem is with Australia not have enough flights coming here. Another order from Clark's Corvair was sent through FEDEX and came on time, I guess it helps to have their own flights.

 

Good Luck,

Jan

[rodneybeauchamp]

Hi Jan, Thanks for your reply.  All American Auto Parts in Victoria list them, And now have it on a back order with them. Thanks for the info about the shipping as I was also looking to find a nos one too!
Cheers

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀

 

[telriv]

Ever try cleaning the wiring connectors & tightening them & the switch terminals.  Might be surprised in reality you don't need a switch at all.

[rodneybeauchamp]

Thanks, was the first thing I tried. When I first got the Riviera, it wasn’t working but did when I cleaned the terminal and the socket. It worked for a short time but then the warranty ran out so it stopped working. 😀😀😀

 

I located an aftermarket one from an Australian parts importer so waiting on that to arrive Monday. 

Should be a fix, let’s hope.

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

[rodneybeauchamp]

Supplier surprised me with a call last Thursday and a Wells TU42 arrived today. Bench tested it first with a multimeter then connected the plug on the car and grounded the unit. All circuits tested working including the RED light, all this before fitting.

 

Used a Loctite liquid thread sealer and didn’t loose much coolant in the changeover. Wells, Made in USA, pictures worth everything.
 

GREEN light goes out quicker than I remember but I have an LED fitted, not the incandescent globe. Whether that has any bearing on the length of time. Happy now 😀😀😀😀😀😀

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀

[rodneybeauchamp]

Well, that was short lived 😢😢😢😢☹️☹️☹️
 

Second time I use it , NO green cold light! Third time, still nothing! 

 

Test the original sender with Ohm meter, It was faulty, that’s a plus. (Sort of)

 

Test the replacement, shows it should work, grounded when cold. That’s a double plus.

 

Replaced the dash LED with a incandescent globe, still not working. ( that’s a whole story in itself as the LED and holder disappeared under the dash somewhere, never to be found!)  Still not working! 😢😢😢😢

 

So it seems I might have a poor connection in the cold light circuit. I thought about removing the main plug at the back of the gauge cluster and putting it back in to clean up the contacts, but perhaps looking at a better way. There is not much room back there to work around, so not sure how easy it is to pull out the cluster.

 

I have stripped it down before from the outside but left the gauges in situ.

 

Can members give me a clue on how difficult it is to get to the back of the gauge cluster to get this working, or anything else I might have missed along the way!

 

as another member states, “I am smarter than any inanimate object I choose to work on” 

 

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

[telriv]

Rodney,

 

     That Loctite liquid thread sealer could be preventing the sender from grouding to the cylinder head. OR MAYBE the grounding wires on the rear of each cylinder head are not there or hooked up. Remove the sender from the engine with the engine cold & the radiator cap still installed. Very little coolant should come out.  Clean the sealant from the threads on the sender & in the head.   NO SEALER should be nec. when installing anything with a NPT thread as the sender gets slightly larger the further it's screwed into place.

 

Tom T.