VDO Oil Temperature Gauge Install

[Firehawk068]

I ran out of time getting the bike ready for the WCR, so since it was oil change time, I decided now would be a good time to put this on the bike.......




So, I was faced with 3 decisions........Where to mount the sender.........Where to mount the guage..........and what to do with the wiring.
I chose this location for the sender for a few reasons. One being there is plenty of room around the sender here. Another being not much chance of knocking the sender off if the bike accidentally got tipped over, and the other being there is plenty of stuff to zip-tie the sender wire to.(Anyone with knowledge of the insides of an FJ engine know where the oil in this galley goes to, or comes from? Might help with understanding of the oil temp readings I am getting)






Next came choosing where to mount the gauge........Really a no-brainer because there is really only one place you can mount a gauge on an FJ without using some sort of add-on gauge pod thingy(I didn't want one of those).
I found the only place on the inner fairing panel that is flat enough to mount the gauge, and has enough depth behind it, and marked it with a 2" circle.
A 2" hole-saw made super quick work of it. And then a quick touch-up with a sanding drum on my Dremel.




After some test-fitting, I found that I had to modify the bulb-holder slightly by shortening it to clear the frame. I used a cut-off wheel on my Dremel, and bent the tabs outward. I also bent the connectors for the gauge outward to ensure that no wires would touch the frame.
I wired everything up using a flat 4-wire trailer plug so I could quick-disconnect it whenever I remove my fairing panels.
I ended up tying the power wires for both the gauge, and the bulb into the right hand "running light" power wire since it was right nearby(and key-switched), and the ground wires to the bolt that holds the fairing stay to the frame.





Installation was fairly simple, and the placement is easy to read with a quick glance down while riding(it is well-lit enough to see at night also).
Everything appears to work as it is supposed to, and after riding it to, and from work this week, these are the temperature readings I get.

In the morning, my commute is stop-and-go on surface streets. Get up to about 45mph for a mile, then come to a stoplight.
It takes me roughly 25 minutes to get to work this way.
This week, the ambient temps have been around 70 during my morning ride, and it takes my whole commute for the oil to get up to 210* F.

For my commute home, I ride about 3 miles on surface streets over to the freeway, where I ride for about 12 miles at a steady 70-75mph, then take surface streets another 3 miles.
This way also takes me about 25 minutes to get home.
This week, the ambient temps were around 95 for my afternoon commute.
After a few miles down the freeway, the oil temp reaches approx 235-240* F and stays there the rest of the way home.

Yesterday, I took a 45 minute ride during lunch break during the mid-day heat all freeway riding, and the oil stayed at 250* F.
Ambient temps during the ride were probably around 100.

My '90 has the factory oil cooler(wich could probably use a good scrubbing, and fin-straightening)

Anyway, these are my findings so far in case anyone was curious.

[Perez]

This is exactly how I did mide except for the fact that I used a port on the right side.
In hindsight, your location is better.

[racerman_27410]

thats where i put my sending unit also and IIRC that is the oil temp going to the cooler from the engine.


amazing how long it really takes the FJ to come up to operating temps isnt it ?

a Setrab 10 row oil cooler will drop those temps about 30 degrees


Kookaloo!


Frank

[racerrad8]

thats where i put my sending unit also and IIRC that is the oil temp going to the cooler from the engine.

That is the oil that has been drawn from the pan, filtered and is in the galley to lubricate the main bearings.

The only way to check the after cooler oil temp is to add a fitting into the left oil cooler return line.

Randy - RPM

[Mark Olson]

Way to go Alan, 

thanks for the great write up and pics.

makes it easy for the rest of us to follow.

[Perez]

Racerman is right, and its a fairly easy mod.

[Pat Conlon]

Nice Job Alan, thanks for the write up and picts.
Question:  Does anyone foresee any heat problems with the wire and/or connector going to the temp. probe?
Those header tubes are awfully close........

Pat

[Harvy]

Nice Job Alan, thanks for the write up and picts.
Question:  Does anyone foresee any heat problems with the wire and/or connector going to the temp. probe?
Those header tubes are awfully close........

Pat

I was wondering that too.......which was why I used the rhs crank galley plug as my location.

Harvy

[racerman_27410]

Nothing has happened to my wiring in 6 years so i guess its not an issue 


KOokaloo!

Frank

[Firehawk068]

Nice Job Alan, thanks for the write up and picts.
Question:  Does anyone foresee any heat problems with the wire and/or connector going to the temp. probe?
Those header tubes are awfully close........

Pat

I checked my intended routing of the wire before I took the exhaust off, and again after i put it back on to make sure it wasn't going to be too close to the header pipes......
Seems like enough clearance to me....(there is factory wiring on my car that is just as close to the exhaust downpipes)
I'll just keep an eye on my zip-ties periodically to make sure none have broken...
I also made sure to run the wire behind the frame, front motor mount bolt tube, and oil cooler pipe to make sure it doesn't get hit with any road debris/rocks/etc.....
Doesn't appear like it would be an issue.

[Lotsokids]

I'm digging this topic up as I'm about to do the same thing.

** EDIT **

I found the adapter! Randy, You'll be hearing from me (again)...

http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Engine%3ARPMGP&cat=39

[nvmike24]

I think Oil Temp is a valuable piece of information. For me, Oil Pressure is higher on the list. Where would I have to install one of these adapters to read said OP?

[tqmx1]

I think Oil Temp is a valuable piece of information. For me, Oil Pressure is higher on the list. Where would I have to install one of these adapters to read said OP?

Same location would work just fine.

[ribbert]

I think Oil Temp is a valuable piece of information. For me, Oil Pressure is higher on the list. Where would I have to install one of these adapters to read said OP?

Oil pressure gauges mostly monitor the wear and condition of the bottom end of your motor.  On modern road use engines this is probably the last thing to wear out and in the case of a component failure or loss of pressure for some other reason, the damage will be done long before your eyes get to the gauge.  However, oil temp. on an air/oil cooled motor is critical because overheating can seriously shorten engine life, eg rings, and a severe overheating ( I know!) can kill your motor in one episode. It also allows you to check the efficiency of your current cooler for your particular riding conditions and to evaluate the benefits of different oils or if riding in traffic on hot day, know when you need to find a bit of air or when to pull over for while. And, if you really want to look after your motor, it will also tell you when it's safe to thrash it. Most people don't realise just how long it takes for engine oil to get up to temp. In an earlier time pressure gauges were a great indicator of engine condition but with modern engines, no longer necessary, particularly if it's one or the other.
Noel

[oldktmdude]

  What is the normal temp range for the oil? What would the safe maximum temp be? I've just fitted an oil temp gauge and really have had no experience with oil temps. The first couple of rides have shown temps at around 85-95 C (185-205 F), normal hwy speeds and warm ambient temps, no traffic problems.  Pete.