5 replies to this topic

[dandiesel]

has anyone successfully wired in a sports pack oil temp gauge ,i have been told its not easy but haven't been told how its done ,i know i need a sender but what else is involved
any help much appreciated

[bmcecosse]

For me - this would be a complete waste of time! Yes! No doubt many will disagree - but this my view - I've only been using these engines for 45 years or so! The oil temperature very much follows the water temperature - so just keep an eye on that - and the oil will be fine. If the engine is highly modified- fit an oil cooler as a matter of course!

Edited by bmcecosse, 02 February 2010 - 11:17 PM.

[dklawson]

I agree with Roy. On a street car an oil temperature gauge is of little or no use. While it does show temperature, and tracks what is going on with the coolant temperature, it also lags the coolant temperature gauge. By the time the oil temperature tells you something may be wrong... it's really too late.

If you want to install an oil temperature gauge there are only a couple of viable options I'm familiar with. The first is a spacer block Mini Mania sells (or sold). The spacer block moves the filter head off the block and includes a well into which the temperature gauge sender goes. The second device is made by Mocal and it is an inline housing that is installed in rubber lines going between the filter head and engine block (replacing the hard pipe on Minis without an oil cooler). Both solutions require removal of the Mini's external oil feed pipe and replacement with rubber hoses. Therefore, neither solution is cheap.

[mike.]

Can't a sender be mounted in the sump nut? Wouldn't be too expencive to have machined or could even be drilled and tapped at home if done carefully i suppose...

[Guess-Works.com]

I put them into the blanking plate on the back of the gearbox where the oil feed is attached, this way if you really want to be super critical about oil temperature, you can have one before and after an oil cooler ( as per the posts above ) and what difference the cooler is making...

[dklawson]

John, I have a friend in OZ who has also done that. I didn't mention the back of the gearbox because to the best of my knowledge, those modified plates to mount the sender are custom made. I haven't seen them in anyone's catalog or on a web site.

As for the sump, yes, I'm sure you could rig something up. If you modify a gearbox casing be sure the sensor/bulb for the gauge doesn't run "too deep". Keep in mind that parts move in the gearbox so the spot has to be "open" regardless of which gear is selected. Years ago on a non-Mini car I had an oil temp gauge and the sender simply replaced the drain plug. However, if you choose that option on the Mini you will be loosing the protection of the swarf catching magnet on the standard drain plug.