I have an oil temp probe inside the drain plug. The temp indication on the gauge goes up to 120*F while water temp is 160*F. I think the oil should be at least as warm as the water...Where is a good location to get correct oil temp indication? I am also having an oil cooler up front, motor is a 454.
Oil Temp Probe Location
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You need an oil temp gauge that goes to 300 degrees. An engine should never be "called on" until the oil temp is 180 degrees. This goes for dyno runs also. Oil temp should be somewhere between 180 and 230 degrees. Best location for an oil temp sending unit is in the pan.
It depends on what reading you require. The oil in the pan is what's going to be going thru your engine momentarily. It's at it's coolest point I would assume, having gone thru the cooler and settled in the pan. Naturally it will increase in temp when passing all the combustion and moving parts on its way thru.
My interest in watching gauges is to be aware of deviations from the norm. If your temp gauge is reading 120*, and everything is running fine, what's wrong with that ? If the temp rises inexplicably...under normal conditions...then its time to pull over.
Sounds like you need a proper Oil Temp Gauge. I believe my gauge goes to 300 or 320.
Good Luck
My interest in watching gauges is to be aware of deviations from the norm. If your temp gauge is reading 120*, and everything is running fine, what's wrong with that ? If the temp rises inexplicably...under normal conditions...then its time to pull over.
Sounds like you need a proper Oil Temp Gauge. I believe my gauge goes to 300 or 320.
Good Luck
do you guys know who makes a fitting to adapt the drain plug so that you can install the gauge there? I don't want to start drilling on the pan as the engine is in the car.
and I agree with Chris....you should be around 180 before you put any serious load on the car...
and I agree with Chris....you should be around 180 before you put any serious load on the car...
I already changed the gauge and checked the new one with the supplied sensor in heated water at different temperatures with another thermometer. I just felt the reading should be higher, the needle just comes off the lower edge which is 100*F. Of course there is also cooling at the pan from surpassing air. I am sure there is nothing wrong with the motor, just wanted to have the critical oil temp.
You want to take oil temp readings from the pan. After the oil has circulated through filtering and possibly cooling the oil will then enter the engine to lube it. You want the oil to go the entire journey through the engine and hit every part. Then it returns to the pan to start the cycle over. The returning oil's temperature will tell you if you have a frictional problem in the engine; IE bearing going bad, pin locking up, rocker arm biting the dust, because the oil will show abnormally high heat over the normal temperature. This high temp can give you a heads up to shut the engine down before you loose it.
Working at Stef's, we put the weld bungs in the oil pan. In conversation with oil mfgs, they state they like customers to monitor oil temp and the best place to do that is in the pan. Now on a dry sump engine it is in the tank.
Working at Stef's, we put the weld bungs in the oil pan. In conversation with oil mfgs, they state they like customers to monitor oil temp and the best place to do that is in the pan. Now on a dry sump engine it is in the tank.
You can drill and tap it while it's still in the car. Just do it while there's still oil in the pan, it'll be messy, so don't wear your sunday bests, lol. But it will kind of flush it out of the pan as you drill/tap it. You can also dump a couple quarts of fresh oil through it right after, to help flush any thing out if it's in there for added insurance.
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