Need Oil Temp Advice
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
Need Oil Temp Advice
I want to install an engine oil temp guage and sending unit. What is the best way to go? Is there a guage that will fit where my nonfunctional clock is now? Thanks!
Bernie
Bernie
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
The later C3 oil temp. guage will go right into the clock pos. - just add the wiring. When I added an oil temp. gauge, I moved the oil pressure sender to top of block & put the oil temp. sender by the oil filter.
Did mine a long time ago.
Did mine a long time ago.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 1
From: St Augustine FL
Originally Posted by Ganey
The later C3 oil temp. guage will go right into the clock pos. - just add the wiring. When I added an oil temp. gauge, I moved the oil pressure sender to top of block & put the oil temp. sender by the oil filter.
Did mine a long time ago.
Did mine a long time ago.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by paul67
This is the gauge that replaces the clock.
You need an accurate gage in the 150 to 240 maximum range with the majority of the readings in the 170- 190 range.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
To add to this discussion. I am putting in an oil temp guage as well. My BB does not have the upper port behind the distributor that the SB's do. I am running a mechanical oil pressure guage under the hood and an electrical guage in the car. I plan on "T'ing" both of these over the oil filter which leaves the temp guage out.
I was thinking of replacing the oil pan drain plug which is on the side of my MOROSO pan with a brass adapter that will alow the oil temp sender to screw into the adapter in place of the plug. This would give me the temp of the oil in the pan which I had heard was a better indicator. Ideas, comments, thoughts?
I was thinking of replacing the oil pan drain plug which is on the side of my MOROSO pan with a brass adapter that will alow the oil temp sender to screw into the adapter in place of the plug. This would give me the temp of the oil in the pan which I had heard was a better indicator. Ideas, comments, thoughts?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
I have no idea how accurate that factory gauge is. Just thought that Bernie would like to see what GM used in 1981 when the clock function was moved to the radio when the electronically tuned receiver (ETR) stereos were introduced as an option. If originality is a concern then that is the unit.
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by BlackRat
To add to this discussion. I am putting in an oil temp guage as well. My BB does not have the upper port behind the distributor that the SB's do. I am running a mechanical oil pressure guage under the hood and an electrical guage in the car. I plan on "T'ing" both of these over the oil filter which leaves the temp guage out.
I was thinking of replacing the oil pan drain plug which is on the side of my MOROSO pan with a brass adapter that will alow the oil temp sender to screw into the adapter in place of the plug. This would give me the temp of the oil in the pan which I had heard was a better indicator. Ideas, comments, thoughts?
I was thinking of replacing the oil pan drain plug which is on the side of my MOROSO pan with a brass adapter that will alow the oil temp sender to screw into the adapter in place of the plug. This would give me the temp of the oil in the pan which I had heard was a better indicator. Ideas, comments, thoughts?
I welded a seperate bung in the side of the pan.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by paul67
I have no idea how accurate that factory gauge is. Just thought that Bernie would like to see what GM used in 1981 when the clock function was moved to the radio when the electronically tuned receiver (ETR) stereos were introduced as an option. If originality is a concern then that is the unit.
I use a good 2 5/8th mechanical Auto meter that goes from 140 to 240 in 2 degree increments and every 10 degrees is easy to read.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 117
Likes: 8
From: SWFL
Using the drain plug does work - I had already sealed the pan when I remembered I needed to account for oil temp.
This part from Summit makes the job very clean -
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
1/8" NPT fits most temp senders, just unhook the wire and take the drain plug out as usual for oil change.
Phil
This part from Summit makes the job very clean -
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
1/8" NPT fits most temp senders, just unhook the wire and take the drain plug out as usual for oil change.
Phil
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
I am thinking that I should be able to get a brass pipe reducer plug like you use in the block to replace the drain plug already there. The reducer should screw into the pan and then the sender into the plug.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
I was going to weld a bung on the side of the oil pan and install the sending unit there. It is a 7 qt. pan with kickouts on both sides. Should get good readings there.
Bernie
Bernie