2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Oil Temperature sender on oil filter?'s

[MCrossley]

How many people have used an SPA temp sender on your oil preasure port on top of the filter? I am doing some testing and need that info but am afraid to put the sender in the port as it protrudes about 1/4" below the threads and do not want to block oil passage. Has anyone actually taken that houseing off and looked to see whether or not there is truly enough passage room for a sender to be in there? Thanks for the advice I have 106k on my truck and don't need to destroy the engine because of a stupid sender.

 

[dezrat]

Oil Temperature Sender

I have had one in that port for a long time with no problems. It's a VDO sender that goes to a Dakota Digital gauge. I have a SPA sender also and it looks very similar to the VDO except for the wire connections.

Many people have done this so I don't think there is anything to worry about. Of course that's only my opinion.

I have a SPA DG 201 that I am going to use for oil pressure and oil temperature from that same port. Just waiting for a high pressure stainless steel tee fitting to arrive and it will be operational.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I have one there too, I use the Westech gauges. They offer two different length's, I use the short one. Almost always shows a constant 190 when warmed up.

 

[rweis]

I thought of puting a oil temp & press there but I went for the press as I felt more critical. I thought if I tee'd it the temp would not be from flowing oil and may not be accurate?



Have not found a good place that oil flows and easily accessible for a temp probe (assumming the pressure probe is in the top of the filter head).



Bob Weis

 

[illflem]

I had a temp probe in the filter port, worked fine but was boring, always just a little warmer than the coolant temp. Removed it to a port tapped in the intake horn for post intercooler air temp, much more interesting now. Your gauge should read down to zero for this application though.

 

[dezrat]

I agree that the oil temperature will not be as accurate with the probe in dead oil. There isn't any other place to measure oil temperature easily and I already have the gauge. Since I have had the Dakota in for awhile now,I know what normal oil temps are anyway. It will be interesting to see how much difference there is with sender placement.

I am mainly doing this to have oil pressure readings along with EGT and boost in my line of sight with my dash pod.

 

[rweis]

I TOTALLY agree with the oil pressure. You see many post that someone had oil pressure go to ZERO on the OEM system and the shear PANIC that envokes. EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN on an interstate at 75 mph in the left lane passing someone trying to "save" an engine ($$$$$$$).



My reasoning too.



Bill,



Interesting idea on use of the temp side. I put it in the differential (I tow, and will tow heavy in the future), but I have a 12 position rotary switch I use to select the temp probe I want (only use 2 of the 12 so far (water, differential)).



Bob Weis

 

[Josparkz]

I put a Tee fitting on top of my filter. I have the oil feed to my bypass filter coming out the horizontal port and my Westach probe in the vertical one.

 

[TomGolden]

Mike, I have the SPA oil temp sensor in the oil filter port as you are describing. I had Brandon do the install at his place back in June 2002, had zero problems with it.



Tom

 

[MCrossley]

Thanks guys I am going to go ahead and install the temp sender in the port, out of curiosity for those of you who are doing both presure and temp why are you just not installing one in each o the test ports? I ask because of seeing the coments about the tee's, I can see it if you have the bypass setup but it does not appear that all of you do. Thanks again for the replies

 

[Mundgyver]

Just a note here, your oil temp should be about 10 degrees hotter than your water temp as a rule of thumb. I have had a temp guage in the port on top of the filter for the last 86,000 miles and that what I have always seen. I get my oil pressure reading from the Roadrelay setup.

 

[TomGolden]

"each" of the test ports??? My memory is oh-so-perfect, but I sure thought there were only two tapped ports on top of the factory oil filter mount. One feeds the turbo and the other is just plugged at the factory, which is the one I ma using.



There really are more than these 2 ports there

 

[dresslered]

Mike-

Remember our trip to Cummins San Leandro? I brought my VDO sender and asked the head mechanic about it. He said that was what the port was intended for and there was plenty of room. Still not entirely believing him, I went on to measure it and found that there was plenty of room. It is a fairly large reservoir below the two ports.



P. S. I have 50,000 miles on my VDO sender which goes in much deeper than 1/4".