I want to install a temp gauge(non digital) on my 17ft center console. Where is the best place to put the temp sensor wire on my 1996 88hp Johnson O/B?
The wire goes wherever you put the temp sensor. They come in three varieties 1) screw into the water jacket if a threaded port is available, 2) thermocouple under a head bolt, and 3) on a bracket that allows the sender to touch the cylinder head. The sender needs to match the gauge.
The water pressure gauge is a good indicator of water pump performance but will not tell you that the water is actually going through all of the cooling passages of the engine.
The temperature gauge is a good indicator of the thermostat performance and of the water pump performance and will give the attentive operator a heads up long before the engine overheats, which the horn sender will not do.
The temperature gauge will tell you if you are running too cold as well.