Oil temperature gauge

I'm looking at installing a temperature gauge to monitor the oil temperature, perhaps another way of avoiding my engine overheating when out and about. Has anybody fitted one? I've trawled through the posts but can't find any links? Also what other gauges would any of you recommend or have already fitted? Thanks

 

the PO fitted one in mine mate, think its just a JK one, but sits in the far right dash pod and is back lit, great for peace of mind, do you need piccies of what it looks like?

B

 

machine7 do one

 

I got hold of a set of VDO gauges from a VW scirocco - you can get a set which is oil pressure, oil temp and volts. You will get a diverse range of opinions on this one, some say that you don't need them and you'll just spend your time looking at them constantly and worrying, others will say they are useful for monitoring exactly what is going on with your engine. I got oil temp and pressure and it helped me to work out when things were normal, and when they were not.

If you do fit gauges, then:

(a) make sure you get the correct senders. If it's a VDO gauge, get the VDO sender.
(b) don't look at them constantly
(c) use them as a guide to work out what is "normal", and appreciate that temperatures and pressures will go up and down according to different driving - your oil temp will go up on the motorway because that's when the engine gets hottest. If you fret over them constantly, you would be better off just ripping them out and just driving without them, life's too short.

 

Some useful resources on JK site cover this and other VDO gauges http://www.justkampers.com/articles/fittingguides/view/id/61/

 

i have one and you would be surprised how the temp changes to how/what style of driving you have ,

you only need a oil temp gauge thats goes up to 150 c

 

i've got a cht one which i've come to the conclusion is out of calibration in some way - it sits at 340 most times and goes up to 360 if i'm climing a big hill etc, it hasn't made much difference to how it fluctuates since i reinstalled all the cooling, so, as the oil isn't boiling (crude test is to see if you can touch the dipstick) i now use it as a guide to see if it goes over 350.... i call that normal and anything more is hot.

 

I have the same tea break thoughts as you. no more than 2 hours before stopping for a drink and a biscuit then set off again.

 

Oil temp gauge is good to have, but don't get obsessed with it! The VDO gauge and dipstick sender work well on a type 1 engine.

Your engine's not going to overheat anyway, if it's in good shape

 

And remember that the new vdo stuff isn't very accurate... up to 15°c out if I remember the Vworld article correctly!! So if you do use vdo, remember to use it as an indicator, and not take the temp as constant... major change could mean a problem, but you're wanting to use it as a trending/averaging gauge

I use either autometer or stack gauges... The stack ones do have a very "stock" look about them

 

Ive got an oil temp gauge with the sender in the sump. It's the only gauge I've got and if it goes much beyond the normal position it's usually time for a break. Don't know what the number is - just go by the position of the needle.

 

I have a vdo sump one and a vdo presure one, Dont take much notice of the numbers just get to learn the pattern and you will know if something is wrong

 

For me the oil temp gauge made me paranoid and ruined my driving experience, I have now covered it over with a rag and all is well . I don't get why people have to stop every 2hrs to give the engine a break, if this was an original feature none would have been sold!

 

Because you don't! Slow down 5mph and it'll cool down rapidly - far quicker than if you stop.

 

^this. No need to stop every five minutes. Especially on 1600s, if you hammer them more than they were designed to do (55-60mph), oil temps will start to rise. Slow down a bit, and they go back again.

 

Automotive stuff should work fine on automotive cable... otherwise it should state that you need a certain type of wire to connect the sender to the gauge!!

I've done plenty of work with K type thermocouples before

 

This is true. All those African and Aussie busses would've spent most of their time stationary.