HELP, Oil Temp Sensor Location

[amalinze]

NEED HELP. Has anyone installed an Oil temp gauge? I need to find a place for the sensor and i dont know where to start looking. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[CCM]

A little agricultural but worked a treat -

During an 7500km oil change I pulled the factory oil drain plug - Run a drill down the centre and tapped it to suit the oil temp sensor. Used some thread locking compoound and with my sensor a ring end still fits over the top once disconnected to do and unod the sump plug...

The sensor and connetor point striahght down but there's no clearance issues to date. Clears everything and the cross member just behind it was a nice place to route the wire and connector too.

[amalinze]

sounds simple. I'll have to give it a go. But with how many kms i do a month it may be a while until services!

[CCM]

Yeah, given the tanker of engine oil these things take, I wasn't keen on doing it 'just cause' either...

Just check the oil temp sensor you have will fit (diameter wise) within the drain plug. I ordered a spare sum p plug for $6 or something before I destroyed the oringinal - just to make sure I had a plan B if it all went pear shaped.

[amalinze]

yeah i bought another one today, looks like i'll have to find another way though, by the time i drill and tap the plug to 1/8 NPT i only have a plug that has a 1mm thickness. And i'm not too crazy about something that severly weakened that will destroy my engine.

[Homer]

Can you use a stepped hole?
That is drill right through the diameter of the probe and then only drill say the first 6-8mm to the diameter of the NPT thread. Then use a plug tap.

Wouldn't take more than a few threads to seal (especially if you use a hardening Loctite pipe sealant or something) so doesn't need to be deep.

[amalinze]

Possible, but would it have enough contact area in contact with the oil? I'll be putting the car over a pit shortly so i can have a close look at my options. Not many at the moment though.

[Homer]

Depends what the sensor looks like.
I assumed it is a probe sticking out of a 1/8 NPT thread. If so, as long as the probe is longer than the thread on the sump bolt when it is screwed in it should be fine. Just needs reasonable contact with the oil.

You could also turn or grind down the thread length of the sump plug to make it shorter (if it is longer than the thread in the sump - I can't remember) as it only needs to be as long as the sump thread. This would give your probe better contact with the oil if it is a little short.

[amalinze]

it would only stick out of the sump plug about 2mm if the entire sump plug is needed. I'll have to check when i'm doing the 7500 service. The Pirtec bloke had an idea of putting it in a T-piece on one of the oil lines. I have not yet had a look to check if this is viable.

[CCM]

Mine was stepped - Probably should've mentioned that

But hard to suggest either way without seeing the exact sensor you are actually using...