Inline coolant temp sensor with aftermarket gauge, while retaining OEM sender and gauge? (2.9)

[McWillies]

Not sure if this post belongs under this section of the forums, but there's a few other coolant/radiator questions, so I'll go for it.

Breakdown:

I don't trust the factory gauge, but I like having the OEM cluster with no aftermarket gauges cluttering things up. I also like having a backup for everything... "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." What I'd like to do is keep the factory gauge and sender (single wire) and install an inline adapter/coupling for a secondary sensor. I'm thinking it would be a better idea to put it inline with the inlet (upper) hose, because the OEM sensor gets more of a reading off the outlet... At least from what I can tell, please correct me if I'm wrong. As for the gauge, I'd mount it to the left of the steering column, under the headlight switch (rear defroster/wiper is there on some models, not mine). I know that makes the wiring a PITA because it's basically the longest route I can take, but I'm not worried about that.

I guess my question is if anyone else has done this, or at the very least used one of the inline adapter mumbo jumbos, and how did it work?

Here's a couple links of some that I found. I know Mishimoto is a popular brand for radiators in the Japanese car world and AutoMeter gauges are well known to us Muricans. They're both 1-1/2" to 1-1/2"... or 38mm if you prefer.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/atm-2283
https://www.mishimoto.com/mishimoto-38-mm-water-hose-connector-black.html?fee=1&fep=12757

 

[Uncle Gump]

They sell adapters that go into radiator hoses.

You can run them in either upper or lower hose. I've never used one but many have and it seems most like it in the lower rad hose. I think it gives the sender better coolant coverage for one... but remember you will be monitoring cooled coolant entering the engine opposed to heated coolant entering the radiator in the upper hose.

Check out Glow Shift on amazon... they have all kinds of stuff for what you're looking to do. Their oil filter adaptors are really nice... I use one on my truck for oil pressure.