Oil temp gauge

[154048]

As I ponder the 'dashboard' of my RT, I wonder if there is a gauge of more use than the clock; say an oil temp gauge? Has anyone installed a gauge similar in size to the clock? What might be involved in an oil temp gauge and is it even necessary?

Or would it be like my K11RS with the water temp gauge that would hover just under the red in traffic and cause my stress level to hover there as well...better to not know???

[85K100LT]

I have a luftmiester oil temp guage that screws into the dipstick spot.

Works good theses Airheads take a long time to heat up the oil to temp.

I also have a digital clock mounted on my fairing from "Target" auto section connects with velcro work good.

KISS theory ( Keep It Simple Silly):dance

[bikerfish1100]

you nailed it in your original query- thoroughly unnecessary, and only likely to add to your stress level. Just another thing to fail, that gives you no useful info that you can't get from feeling what the bike is doing ("gee, i've been sitting in traffic for 10 minues, not moving, and now my feet & legs are getting really warm. Guess i should shut the bike off until i'm moving again.")
I would most definitley save my money for something more useful- like a new oil filter or some such.

[535is]

As I ponder the 'dashboard' of my RT, I wonder if there is a gauge of more use than the clock; say an oil temp gauge? Has anyone installed a gauge similar in size to the clock? What might be involved in an oil temp gauge and is it even necessary?

Or would it be like my K11RS with the water temp gauge that would hover just under the red in traffic and cause my stress level to hover there as well...better to not know???
Isn't your stress level high enough looking at the clock thinking you're late for wherever it was you were going? :brow

[Yarddog]

Hey, I like clocks! I will take it if you don't want it!!!

[Barron_Williams]

I have an oil temperature gauge mounted in a "pod" bracket to the right of my speedo/tach cluster (no fairing on my bike).

VDO makes a gauge that comes in a kit with the wiring and sender. Fits exactly in the place of the stock clock or volt meter.

Hardest part is where to install the sender. There are a couple of options. Installing the gauge and connecting the wiring is simple and straight forward.

I don't know about the stress part. I sort of like knowing the oil temp. Just me.

Anyway, if you want an oil temp gauge, it isn't hard.

Barron

[kgadley01]

Harley also makes one that I believe is the same size, the only problem is where to mount the sending unit.

[20774]

Seems like you're only going to know the oil temp at the spot that you put the sensor. Since you're kind of limited where the sensor could go, likely that specific spot is not going to tell what the "real" temperature is, or at least the temperature that you really want to know.

As been said, it just another piece of information that doesn't really do you any good and adds a failure point. It's been shown the our bikes handle a range of temperatures very well. And we all have the internal sensor that says when we've been sitting too long...besides, they're Air Cooled Boxers! They need moving air.

[GlobalRider]

What might be involved in an oil temp gauge and is it even necessary?

I measured my oil temperature after a long run at highways speeds at an ambient temperature of just over 80°F and the oil temperature didn't even hit 220°F. My airhead has an oil cooler.

[154048]

I have gotten in the habit of shutting the beast off at traffic lights of any duration....of course when the light turns green, I forget that I turned the engine off at the kill switch and cause motorists behind me to excercise their horn rights at my delay in getting up and running again :wave

[kgadley01]

I have an Oil temp dipstik on my Harley and I check it once in a while in hot weather. since I installed an oil cooler my oil temp rarely goes over 200 deg. I don't know what you would consider high oil tempeture. on my RT the header pipes used to get so hot that it would bubble the paint on the inner covers (shark fins) I bought header wrap from the local auto parts store, and spent an afternoon installing it. looks great and the excess heat is gone. if anyone is interested I can post pictures of my heat cure...

[kgadley01]

picture #1

[kgadley01]

Picture #2

[Moosehead]

I added oil temp guages (VDO - 2 1/16") to both my 82RS and 91GS...simple really.

He's pix of both the GS guages (sorry for quality) ..its the one on the left - voltmeter on right:
http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/1991-R100GS/1991-R100GS-Guages-004/775343613_GcT7Y-M.jpg (http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/1991-R100GS/11074253_fR6wv#775343613_GcT7Y-A-LB)
http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/1991-R100GS/1991-R100GS-Guages-001/775343606_RwUkC-M.jpg (http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/1991-R100GS/11074253_fR6wv#775343606_RwUkC-A-LB)
Note this guage is metric (celsius) (I'm in Canada) but you can get standard Imperial if want...

And the departed RS...I modified the dash to accomodate 2 add'l guages - oil temp and oil pressure...
http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/The-After-1982-R100RS/1982-R100RS-006/599663869_dHxjd-L.jpg (http://moosehead45.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/The-After-1982-R100RS/9013124_t4uMQ#599663869_dHxjd-A-LB)



I used a VDO temp sending unit that just screws into the oil drain plug hole. Here's a link to website I used (in Canada) but they are really based in California so can get US $$ and shipping from them (there's a link on this site to the US site).

http://www.cip1.ca/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1758

Temp sending unit is #VDO-323-064 and guage (imperial) is #310-012

Wiring is simple...guage has 2 wires - 1 to ground the other is the "sending" wire from the sending unit which goes to the guage. All wiring instructions come with these guages and sending units.

I like the oil temp guage on the GS as do lot of slow, off roading riding on this bike and like to know when maxing out oil temp.

On the RS it never really mattered much as everyone has pointed out. It really never changed that much even a high speed, slabbing runs for hours. Oil cooler pretty well takes care of that. Around town, stop and go, it would climb up but once get rolling would settle back down. The RS guage IMHO was for "show" I guess.

Really, these bikes are pretty tough. You have to be the judge if necessary...and is stated can become a "fixation" point that may drive you nuts! Good luck.

Bob

[154048]

Wow Bob....Nice job on that RS...It looks like a fine piece...Too bad it is 'departed'

Can you post some photos of it on the Airhead pics page?

[rocketman]

I'd be inclined to think an oil temp gage is kinda pointless as well, now I have thought about (off and on, anyway) that having temp sensors mounted at the plugs could provide more useful info, not by the actual temp but rather the Difference in temp, that could be the result of carb imbalance or compression etc, that indicates one side working harder than the other.

As I discovered this winter when my bike was rebuilt, one carb had a totally wasted diaphragm and that led me to realize the difference in heat I was feeling thru my boots from the pegs really Was from the bike running hotter on the side with good carb since it was doing more work. The difference was slight, as felt thru my boots, but I bet a set of temp gages would have made it more apparent.
I have seem temp gages that have a sensor ring that goes under the plug I think it was on a site that sold parts for skimobiles.
I doubt I will ever actually bother, but it still seems like it would be more useful than oil temp.

RM

[85K100LT]

You are proposing 2 gauges 1 for each cylinder.

I use an infrared temp sensor to check exhaust pipe/ cylinder Temp.

Use after a ride when bike is hot should read the same on both sides.

Can be bought at any auto parts store for under $40 bucks.

Also use it on my trailers to check wheel bearings for uneven heat during a trip.

As stated earlier I have a temp guage that screws into the dipstick I use it mostly to make sure the oil/bike warms up - before doing any adjustments.


Big mistake to try and adjust the carbs without proper operating temp reached.


I have the dipstick temp guage from the PO of my 82 R65 so I do not know how much it cost.:wave

[20774]

I use an infrared temp sensor to check exhaust pipe/ cylinder Temp.

There you go...and EGT or Exhaust Gas Temperature probe. IIRC, some of the older Cessna 172, etc., had and EGT gage in the cockpit and the mixture was set to a specific EGT reading at takeoff. I don't remember my T-41 days in the USAF very well, but maybe it was to max temp and then you went slight rich or something?

That might be an interesting way to go!!

[Moosehead]

Wow Bob....Nice job on that RS...It looks like a fine piece...Too bad it is 'departed'

Can you post some photos of it on the Airhead pics page?

Sure, maybe tonight. Makes a grown man want to cry but retirement required thinning of the fleet! Good news is the buyer absolutely loves it! That makes me feel good to know she'll be look after by someone who cares about her and the marque. This is his first BMW and he's loving it. I hope to get up to see him this summer and go for a ride with him. We're also going to do a clutch replacement as it was close to limit. He's looking forward to to get some wrenching on it himself. Look for the "Queen Bee"...over on the Airheads Pix...

Enjoy your RS. They're great bikes. I'm on the hunt for another one as we finally downsized the house and sold the farm so, wife says "Oh, quit whining...get another one"! OK, dear.:)

Bob

[toooldtocare]

I had the Luftmeister dipstick gauge on my last bike and never saw it ever go over 220 degrees, even when I lived in west Texas. (R100RT with cooler) The only time I ever saw it get hot was while I was riding in a parade (I am a Shriner) after we lived in PA. One time it went to 260 degrees and was still climbing. I pulled out and let the Harleys finish the parade while I nursed my hurt ego.

I wish I had another gauge on my current bike R100RS, but they are not made by Luftmeister anylonger and they get a fortune for them on EBay.

[carockwell]

An oil cooler gauge is really a useful thing to have until you get to know the bike under different conditions. For instance I learned that it takes about 20 minutes of running on a warmish day for the oil to get over 200 degrees. I learned that my R80 ST without an oil cooler actually suffers in hot days with oil temps running 245 at 70 mph with the ambient around 100. I suffer about the same......
Anyway, an oil cooler gauge can really teach you how your bike is feeling, but once you get used to it, you don't really need it anymore.

[mymindsok]

I had the Luftmeister dipstick gauge on my last bike and never saw it ever go over 220 degrees, even when I lived in west Texas. (R100RT with cooler) The only time I ever saw it get hot was while I was riding in a parade (I am a Shriner) after we lived in PA. One time it went to 260 degrees and was still climbing. I pulled out and let the Harleys finish the parade while I nursed my hurt ego.

I wish I had another gauge on my current bike R100RS, but they are not made by Luftmeister anylonger and they get a fortune for them on EBay.

I think that Seibenrock might make oneof those and they are being sold on Ebay at reasonable prices.

Keep your eyes open!

[rocketman]

You are proposing 2 gauges 1 for each cylinder.

I use an infrared temp sensor to check exhaust pipe/ cylinder Temp.

Use after a ride when bike is hot should read the same on both sides.

Can be bought at any auto parts store for under $40 bucks.

Also use it on my trailers to check wheel bearings for uneven heat during a trip.

As stated earlier I have a temp guage that screws into the dipstick I use it mostly to make sure the oil/bike warms up - before doing any adjustments.


Big mistake to try and adjust the carbs without proper operating temp reached.


I have the dipstick temp guage from the PO of my 82 R65 so I do not know how much it cost.:wave

That certainly would work but i was thinking of something that would give a heads-up While out riding. But as I said its Way down in my list, more of a "I wonder ?? " than something I'd ever get around too. Just thought it would provide more usefull data than oil temp. After last years experiance it seems that even minor temp differances can poteinally offer clues to things being amiss. this would be one of those things I might try if I happened to have a set of gages lying around rather than something I would go out and buy.

RM

[Brownie]

I have done the exact install as Bob here.......I've been accused of having too much info via gauges too........FWIW it is real nice to know that my normal oil temp is about 180 on a 70-80 degree day, 4000 rpms. In heavy traffic, long lights, etc.....I've seen 240. Oil cooler always keeps temps below 200 even on hottest days (100+).

[GlobalRider]

FWIW it is real nice to know that my normal oil temp is about 180 on a 70-80 degree day, 4000 rpms. In heavy traffic, long lights, etc.....I've seen 240. Oil cooler always keeps temps below 200 even on hottest days (100+).

Just wondering how (what device did you use) and where was the oil temperature measured?

[Brownie]

Alex.......the sender is a VDO drain plug with temp sensor built in....have had this setup for at least 8 years...very reliable...also run a VDO pressure gauge off the original pressure sender position....I've been told I have "EGAD"= Eternal Gauge Attention Disorder!!!! Comes from flyin' I guess:dance

[GlobalRider]

Alex.......the sender is a VDO drain plug with temp sensor built in....have had this setup for at least 8 years...very reliable.

As long as it is accurate. You might want to verify with another thermocouple/meter set-up after all these years. But if readings haven't changed over 8 years, maybe all is still good.

Its just that some of your readings are lower than I'd expect.

Yup, we can't have enough gauges. As soon as the instrument panel gets to be boring, it is time to move up to a higher performance aircraft. ;)

[Brownie]

Alex...you're right 'bout instrument panels..........'cept now everything is "glass"...except for some precious backup "steam" gauges...eh????

I've often wondered myself about long term accuracy....but have monitored the OAT/engine oil pressure/engine oil temp relationships....everything seems to agree......I will admit...it is difficult to get to or above 180F until about 70F OAT.....the VDO gauge pretty much shows 100-110 above OAT....cheers!

[jewels]

I have a dip stick oil temp gauge in all 3 of my airheads. I find it "calming" to know what is going on.

The 1980 100 with the EML side car will get to 250F before the cooler kicks in, it stays there untill I hit low RPM Air.

The 81 R80/RT has no cooler and will get to the 250F range fairly easily in hot weather and traffic or wide open high speed runs.

I think the oil coming off the crank where the dipstick is measuring is the HOTEST in the engine.

The 91 R100/RT goes to 245 before the cooler kicks in and then it cools down and stays there....so there is a difference .

I feel it is good to know what they are doing, my crystal ball is usually foggy.:dunno