Help! Electric fan thermostat placement on 76 vette small block 350

[sweetwater.ron]

Background: I have a 76 vette and have a aluminum radiator with two fans on the way..I want to purchase a fan install kit that will monitor the engine temp. My question is where do I put the thermostat, since the vette is already using one to monitor engine temp and sending it to the gage panel. Is their another place on a small block 350 (L-48) for the 3/8" brass probe that will accurately read engine temp? All help appreciated......
Regards,
Ron

 

[TimAT]

Anyplace you can get the probe into the water jacket. There's a plug in the right head between the back 2 cylinders, but it can be near impossible to remove.
Is there an unused plug on the front of the intake? Or maybe you can swap to a thermostat housing that has a bung in it?

My 77 has a Performer intake- At the front there's a bolt hole for mounting something- I drilled and tapped a 3/8 bolt head for the probe on the temp switch. It's not in the water, but seems to sense temp just fine.

 

[bill81vette]

On the 81's there is a spot between cyl's 6 & 8 where mine is.
they kick on at 234(?) degrees.
I would imagine that yous would be the same in case the heads ever came off...
Good luck!!!

 

[Vette D.R.S.]

Hey everyone, as stated above the place is between cyl. 6,8, RR of engine, it can be a little tough, it is a 3/8 pipe plug it may have a hex or square to remove it, I used a 6" extension and a matco wobble, I believe that mine was a 10mm hex that was in it, this was all 3/8 drive tools, and of course it was ICE cold...haha

As to the comment on temps when fan comes on....the OEM switch has been discontinued and now uses a single wire instead of the two wire, the new switch turns the fan on at 205 deg.
There are many of these single wire switches that turn the fan on at different temps.
Mid America is where I got mine, decent deal nothing to rave about, it is the switch and pigtail and instructions on doing the change part#601972 .
hope this helps.

Dave

 

[glen242]

I purchased a thermostat housing that had a provision for screwing in a temperature sender. I have a '76 with a performer RPM intake.

I believe that I will purchase a Derale adjustable fan controller (#16749), as I do not like the on/off range the fixed sender has.