Oil Temp

[natemoen]

Ok so I mounted a oil temp gauge over the last week or so and rode it with the gauge for the first time today. The temp maxed the gauge out at at 150C (a little over 300F). That is a bit too hot! The gauge is a cheap gauge but after I got it all hooked up and started the bike I just let it sit and warm up in the garage and as the temp started going up I would check the temp of the area by the sender with a IR thermometer and it seemed reasonably accurate up to about 60C when I shut it off.

On my way to work this morning when I shut it off and parked it dropped down to 108C when I killed it but this afternoon it stayed up in the high 140's.

I mounted the sender Like This

Any thoughts or ideas? That is way too freakin hot!!!

[GLoweVA]

Nate, It seems to me that the sender and the gauge are 'outta sync' so to speak.
I'd check the specs on the sending unit and see if it tells you what 'output' it has at various temp. Then compare that to the gauge inputs and its display.

You may be able to 'calibrate' the gauge to get it to 'match' the sending unit output.

Another thing to try is a bench test: pull the sender out of the bike, put it in some boiling water and see what the gauge reads compared to the actual water temp.

I've been wanting to do this very mod but haven't found an electronic oil gauge I like and cost effective. I want an electronic one vice a sealed bulb system so I can mount it on my WJ and be able to disconnect it when I remove the fairing.

[natemoen]

You don't get specs with el'cheapo...

[Yahman]

I have also purchased a cheepo electronic temp gauge, in the process of wiring it. I made a plate and installed it where the oil level sending unit was. I have not started the bike yet, but I did a bench test with the sending unit sitting in boiling water and the temp reading was correct. I purchased mine on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-2-1-16...item3ccb19a246

Larry

[natemoen]

I have also purchased a cheepo electronic temp gauge, in the process of wiring it. I made a plate and installed it where the oil level sending unit was. I have not started the bike yet, but I did a bench test with the sending unit sitting in boiling water and the temp reading was correct. I purchased mine on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-2-1-16...item3ccb19a246

Larry

That is the same one I bought only in red.

[MaximPhil]

you don't get specs with el'cheapo...

:d:d:d:d:d:d

[Tom Andersen]

I use these gauges on 3 of my bikes with good results. The sending unit on my XS11 is in the crankcase drain plug. My temperature runs around 180 degrees fahrenheit normally.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/VDO-310012/

[Eveready1100]

Nate, just curious. Did your trip to work entail a lot of stop / go stuff, and are you running an oil cooler?
It'd be quite unusual to find a new gauge that would be so far out of whack if used with it's original sending unit. For my setup, I've since invested in one of those infra red gun thermometer thingies which shows only about a 5 degree difference in the gauge reading to the case temperature near the sender, so it's pretty close to the money.
There's no chance the live power feed wire could be getting odd voltages that will affect the reading?

[conquest87tsi]

I installed a oil temp gauge a couple months ago as well. I drilled and tapped an oil pan from my a parts bike and just swapped it out when I needed to change oil. The hottest I remember seeing mine go was around 180F I believe, while syncing.
I too bought an ebay cheapy, however mine is an analog readout, which I prefer. I basically bought the cheapest F gauge I could find. It even changes colors.

I then mounted it to the bars using a universal mirror type clamp. Not a whole lot of room with the clubmans, but it fits. I put a 2" PVC end cap in a lathe and sanded it to fit the gauge and just painted it black.

I would look into the wiring. If it is pegging the gauge you may have a ground issue. I remember my guage would peg if I grounded the sender wire. However it is an analog gauge.

[natemoen]

Drive to work is almost all freeway ( driving 50-80mph). No oil cooler installed yet.

The sender wire currently runs into the pickup coil wire loom and then up to a connector behind the gauge cluster where it connects into the fairong pigtail. The power comes from.the same wire that goes to my voltmeter, which is coming from the running light circuit on.the bike.

Today if It Isnt raining I am.going to take it for a ride, get it hot and check the temp then with the IR meter.

[skids]

I am not sure why one needs an oil temp gage on these bikes. Hot oil is good oil. Water temperature in autos is important, but I don't see the need for this. (Although it probably looks nice.)

[MPittma100]

Oil Temp

+1. If you are racing, knowing oil temp is probably important. If not, I see no benefits of knowing/monitoring oil temp. The oil temp on these bikes fits into the "it is what it is" category.

MP

[natemoen]

Well, it has to be an electrical issue. Temp at the case at the sender was 175F. So it is probably either the input voltage or grounding of the sender. So I guess I will have some remains to work out.

As to why oil temp...well, do you remember those old educational commercials, "The more you know"...

[scoot]

I am not sure why one needs an oil temp gage on these bikes. Hot oil is good oil. Water temperature in autos is important, but I don't see the need for this. (Although it probably looks nice.)

I do not have an oil temp gauge. When it's hot out, around 100 degrees or more, I don't like sitting still in traffic, at lights, stuck in a line of cars, etc, with the engine idling and no breeze crossing the cooling fins. How long before it seizes? Do not want to find out. I stop at the light, I kill the engine. Light changes green , hit the starter and move. Next light, kill it. Start it, drive, stop, kill it. A lot. It's not safe for me or good for the starter or start button. A temp gauge would help here.

Another situation, still hot out, riding around the mountains in Baja, Mexico: climbing out of a valley, keeping pace with traffic, valves begin tap- tap- tapping like pistons are swelling in the cylinders. Slow down , maybe get run over, or keep going, light on the throttle as possible up hill, in the lowest gear for the speed. BTW, the gas may be a factor, 87 octane from USA, because when I run the Mexican PEMEX gas, the knocking is far less often ( they have no ethanol ?). But a temp gauge would be helpful here, too.

Okay, guess I'm talking myself into adding one.

scoot

[Eveready1100]

Hi Nate,

Drive to work is almost all freeway ( driving 50-80mph). No oil cooler installed yet.

One thing to keep in mind was that the US spec bikes didn't come fitted with oil coolers due to the blanket 55mph speed limit that was in force at the time of release. All the other versions I know of were fitted with them due to them being allowed to run at sustained higher speeds and Yamaha deemed them necessary after further testing.
Still doesn't explain why your gauge reads that hot!