Oil Temperature Sensor location ideas

I have a digital temperature guage with 1/8" NPT sensors. Currently sensors are monitoring the ATF cooler line and water temperature. I would really like to monitor the oil temperature, but don't know where I can sample the flowing oil and not impede flow. I have never had a 4.0 out on the engine stand and am looking for ideas.

BTW, this is a 1987 Renix.

The oil pan is the place. It probably would require pulling the pan so a fitting could be welded or brazed in.
Seems like a lot of work unless you already have need to remove the pan, such as a leaky main seal.

Pretty much what lazy said - it's the only place you can really access flow (then, you'd either have to go into the sume - deep part - near the oil pickup or have oil flowing over as it drains down through the shallow part up front. You have to have constant flow over a temperature sender - having it "in a pocket" will get you a false reading.)

Blaine B. said:

What about a Y fitting in the oil filter adapter, where the pressure sender attaches? Or something to that effect. That would be constant flow.

Click to expand...

Constant flow across the sensor tip is what you need - you can't have the thing in a pocket. This is why transmission temperature sensors are usually installed in "T" fittings (in the branch, usually) in the "hot" cooler line. This is why the coolant temperature sensors are threaded into holes far enough to get the sensor tip "unshrouded" by the casting, and are either in a location that gives constant flow past the thing (by sticking into it) or constant flow over the thing (by having it in a corner where the coolant turns - like the sensor on the head.)

If you just have it in a branch on a Y fitting, you'll have one of two problems:
1) You won't get constant flow, and you'll get a false reading.
2) It will stick in far enough to give constant flow, but it will block flow through the Y.

Just out of curiousity, why for are you so after engine oil temperature readings? Got an extra sensor you don't know what to do with, or something more sinister?:wow: If you're worried about oil temperature, you're probably going to plumb in a cooler anyhow - use a T fitting to put the sensor in the "hot" line to the cooler.

I would get a remote oil filter kit from Summit. This will give you a few benefits, first you'll have an easy place to mount your sensor. Second you'll be running a bigger and better filter (Ford small block filter), and third you can put your filter in such a place that you can REMOVE THE FAWKING THING WITHOUT SPILLING OIL EVERYWHERE. Sorry, that last point is a pet peeve I have with almost every vehcile.

5-90,
Your first guess is correct. I already have the guage. The sensors are cheap and I have an extra. I knew I wanted the sensor in the flow. I was just looking for a recommendation where someone had already located one.

GSequoia,
I did think about a T in a cooler line, but I don't have an oil cooler. I haven't got that far yet. If I don't know what the temperatrue is, I don't know yet if I need a cooler. In hind site, I guess that does not make much sense, since I put a sensor on a T and installed an ATF cooler, without knowing whether I needed the cooler.

For now I will put the sensor in the spares box and keep an eye on the coolant temperature.

Thanks

The "spare sensor" idea is probably your best bet.

I think some oil cooler kits happen to come with ports for temperature sensors - but they're mostly threaded 3/8"NPT. Still, you could use a bushing, or find a 3/8"NPT threaded sensor with the same response curve as what you're using elsewhere.