oil mechanical/electrical temp gauge

[Clarkson]

I want to fit a oil temp gauge to my car,but not sure which one to buy??

It has to be Smiths classic range,but not sure what the differences are between electical or mechanical?? I would like to fit the sensor in the sump so I also need some sort of adaptor or something made up so I can weld it to my oil pan.

What's your thoughts??

[Purple AK]

Originally Posted by Clarkson

I want to fit a oil temp gauge to my car,but not sure which one to buy??

It has to be Smiths classic range,but not sure what the differences are between electical or mechanical?? I would like to fit the sensor in the sump so I also need some sort of adaptor or something made up so I can weld it to my oil pan.

What's your thoughts??

Mechanical is obviously the more accurate way to go 270 degree gauge etc But with the problems of installing the hard line capilery pipe. Gerry Hawkridge (remember him? ) does a bolt in adaptor for the sump for around a tenner

[Wilburn]

Originally Posted by Clarkson

I want to fit a oil temp gauge to my car,but not sure which one to buy??

It has to be Smiths classic range,but not sure what the differences are between electical or mechanical?? I would like to fit the sensor in the sump so I also need some sort of adaptor or something made up so I can weld it to my oil pan.

What's your thoughts??

mmm I'd like to do exactly the same thing too

[Clarkson]

Yeah I remember him,but don't really wanna call him tho!

[demus]

I fitted an electrical one to mine a while back, didnt fancy taking the sump off at the time, so fitted it into the sandwich plate for the oil cooler take off (before the cooler..), I would prefer it in the sump as its more accurate, but it gives me a good idea of whats going on..and it was easy.

[wilf]

If you have an oil cooler, Mocal do a housing that can be in line with one of the oil cooler lines and will house a mechanical temp gauge bulb. Same set-up as mine, and of course I have a 'stat in the take off housing. Then you have the choice of measuring oil temp as it comes out of the engine (like I do) or as it returns from the cooler.

[Clarkson]

No oil cooler fitted,want to fit the gauge and monitor it first. I have thought about fitting a remote oil filter so maybe I could fit it there.

[craggle]

I have the same thing as Wilf that puts the thermostat sender in the oil flow from the pump to the oil thermostat. It can been seen in the oil lines on the left of the attached picture.

You could easily fit the same thing in the pipes to a remote filter.

Craig.

[TonyD]

Mocal do some adaptors for the sump plug that take oil temp senders , ie a replacement sump plug that has a tapped hole through it that takes the temp sender.

Then you would be getting the true temp of the oil in the sump.

Cheers.,

Tony

[wilf]

If you just want to see what oil temps you have before deciding whether to fit a cooler or not, it would probably be cheaper and easier to buy an electronic thermometer off ebay, and glue the sensing thermocouple to the end of your dip stick - was what I did back in the day..........thermocouples can be made up/extended very easily (just needa soldering iron).