I’d like to install an oil temp gauge - any suggestions on where/how to mount the sender?
Also, what’s the max safe temperature?
oil temperature sender
Fred42
#1
jlevie
#2
One way to mount the sensor is to drill & tap the bolt that mounts the oil filter adapter. Another, that I don’t personally favor, is to replace the drain plug with a temp sender. However from what I’ve heard oil temp isn’t ordinarily a problem on an M20 engine and having a temp gauge isn’t all that important.
Fred42
#3
Thanks - the filter mounting bolt sounds like a good idea. I’m assuming that the primary problem with replacing the drain plug is that you have to disconnect the sensor every time you change the oil.
Glad to hear about the M20 not having oil temp issues. I’ll probably get the gauge anyway - I need to fill up that hole in the dash. :laugh:
goldfish
#4
Fred, you can search this board for info - here’s a link to a thread on topic. I ended up getting the same adapter Dan has from Leatherz for both oil temp and oil pressure. It’s easy to install in the former OT sender location and works great - no drilling/tapping or running a wire to the drain plug. M20 doesn’t usually have OT issues, but you might want to look into oil pressure - there is a known issue with low OP on long left handers but can’t get OP off the pan.
http://spece30.com/component/option,com_mamboboard/Itemid,/func,view/catid,9/id,5537/#5537
Fred42
#6
Thanks guys, the dual sender block looks like just the ticket (BTW, I did do a search on the forum before posting - maybe I used the wrong search terms).
I do have an OP gauge already (and I’ll do a search before asking about Accumsumps…)
–Fred
goldfish
#7
sharkd wrote:
[quote]Goldfish beat me to the punch on my own post. 
The dual sender block from www.LeatherZ.com[/quote]
I was glad to be able to try to help, but definately wouldn’t have been able to without your suggestion Dan.
…a mere Goldfish swimming among Sharks! :laugh:
goldfish
#8
sharkd wrote:
[quote]Goldfish beat me to the punch on my own post.
The dual sender block from www.LeatherZ.com[/quote]
I was glad to be able to try to help, but definately wouldn’t have been able to without your suggestion Dan.
…a mere Goldfish swimming among Sharks! :laugh:
kristap
#9
When you guys purchased the dual sender block from leatherz, did you have any problems mounting it - did you need any sort of stand-off adapter or anything like that? I showed a picture of their block & sender to my mechanic and he expressed concern that the block wouldn’t fit in there very well as it looked designed for e36 where there is more room to secure it to the engine. Thoughts?
donstevens
#10
Fred42 wrote:
[quote]I’d like to install an oil temp gauge - any suggestions on where/how to mount the sender?
Also, what’s the max safe temperature?[/quote]
I like the looks of the LeatherZ block.
I don’t currently have gauges in this E30 but I did have in my old Alpina and in a previous Honda Race car. The Alpina had a drilled drain plug and it was a bit of a pain and a source for drips. The Honda had a bung welded to the oil pan with a sensor threaded thru. It worked. I never saw anything over about 220 even on the hottest track days in the Alpina. The Honda though, had no oil cooler and used to run 240 to 260 all day on synthetic oil.
On the oil temp issue, it is a hugely deabted topic but the bottom line is that you really don’t want to see anything over 260F on your gauge for any length of time. Most of these cars, with the factory oil cooler of the i model, will run about 210 to 220F under race conditions and this is fine. You might see 230F if you are really flogging it in 90 degree weather. Anything higher than this indicates some form of problem (usually oil flow and/or cooling related). Remember if you are reading sump temperature, this is the bulk of the already cooled oil. The temps at the piston ring and valve guides are way up there and depending the type of oil some coking may be occuring. Oil temp is much more of a concern on turbo and or/air cooled cars.
Don