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Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:05 pm

If one was to install an oil temp gauge, where would the sending unit need to be installed for the most accurate reading?
Is this a difficult procedure?
Finally, what would be a fair 'ball park' price if I were to have it dune by a quality shop?
Thanks
James

Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:54 pm

Mine is a replacement for the drain plug. IDK if that is the best spot for it since it is located at the bottom of the engine, but it probably gives you a fairly accurate reading.

If you are worried about watching the engine temps, a cylinder head gauge might be a good option as well.

Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:17 am

I used a 'T' but it looks more like a 'Y' made by VDO. It goes in the left side of the motor where the stock oil pressure sender goes. The 'Y' allows you to use both the stock sender for the oil light and the oil temp sender for the guage.

Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:24 pm

Mine is in one of the oil relief plugs. Seems to be relatively accurate. and it's out of the way. Only issue with the 'T' or 'Y' setup mentioned above is that there really isn't any flow past the sender, so who knows how accurate it is.

Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:18 am

5150bossman wrote: Mine is in one of the oil relief plugs. Seems to be relatively accurate. and it's out of the way. Only issue with the 'T' or 'Y' setup mentioned above is that there really isn't any flow past the sender, so who knows how accurate it is.

I don't think you have to worry about flow too much for a temperature gauge. Most say it is best reading the temp in the sump area where the oil is stored.

Jeff......

Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:28 am

mine is in the stock location also. doesn't have to be exactly accurate. if the temp is good when you install it, you know what it is normally. anything higher is bad.

Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:14 am

I have a VDO oil temp gauge I plan to put on my buggy.

I might go with the T fitting (cause I'm not sure which oil drain plug sender to use).

Whats the size of the stock Oil drain plug?

CIP offers a bunch of different size oil temp senders

http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=oil+temp+sender&Search2.x=23&Search2.y=13

I'm also running a CB Maxi Filter Sump and I'm not sure if that uses the stock size oil drain plug.

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=202

Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:44 am

My engine came with a VDO temp sensor in the oil drain. It looked pretty beat from road debris when I removed it. It was further damaged by the P.O. when the engine was dragged across the floor. I opted to go with the "T" solution. I'm not looking for temperature accuracy traceable to NIST. I just want to know if it's way out of bounds.

Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:21 pm

bugvert, i am using the stock sender location in the side of the case. i use a T with a pressure on one side and a temp on the other. here are the number i used. got them all from www.bugsandbuggies.com who were very helpful figuring this out in the first place.

temp sender-300deg
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_send.asp?Sender=300F_150C

M14 x 1.5 $9

oil pressure-150psi
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_send.asp?Sender=150PSI_10Bar

M10 x 1K $25

T adapter
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_acce.asp?Subgroup=T_Adapters&Manf=All

M10 x 1 $7

had a small leak with it. so small i drove with it for half a year. but i just took thm apart again and sealed them with some thread seal. no leak now.

Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:30 pm

Those anodized fittings look great when installed between the case and the sending units. However, the anodizing prevents a good electrical connection. A little bit of battery acid will strip off the coating and baking soda to neutralize the etching process should do the trick. Only a small area on the threaded ends is all that's needed. Use teflon paste instead of the tape on the threads too.
Aloha!
John

Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:28 pm

Great info guys. Sorry I haven't replied to the responces sooner. It's been ONE OF THOSE WEEKS.
As for accuracy, The 'T or Y' adaptor sounds good. I could then establish a normal temp as a reference as previously stated.
I also like the idea of the cylinder head temp gauge also, but if I go that route, I'm asuming I'll have to have four seperate gauges. My buggy has very little dash space. Not sure how that would work without some reconfiguing of the interior space.
My concern is the Texas heat in the summer. When it's 105 in the shade, will it be too hot to drive my toy with such ambient heat all about? The road surfaces have to reach 140, 150.

Can you tell this is my first aircooled vehicle? I have lots to learn.
Thanks all
James

Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:30 am

found a pic

Wed May 02, 2007 10:15 am

I ended up buying this setup from CB Performance

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=837

I already had the oil pressure sender, so I purchased the multiple adapter and the oil temp sender.

8)