Oil Teperature Indicator

[Bob_Roller]

Received an email from eBay this morning, it was a notice of items up for auction from a favorite seller, S. Meier, eBay name 'alteteile2003' .

One of the items was an analog  oil temperature indicator, appeared to be the same size indicator as an OEM BMW voltmeter .

No BMW part number was given, but it was a VDO indicator .

In the description of the item, it was stated that is was good for '70's-90's airhead bikes .

I checked BMW parts manuals today for an OEM oil temperature indicator, and came up with no results from any parts source .

Was this even a BMW option ?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I've never heard of one.  

[marcmax]

I went down this road in the last year myself. I have a BMW shop in Central FL that knows more about airheads than I could ever hope to and he said that, "No They never had one as an option. But..." VDO has an analog oil temp gauge with a range of 120-300F that matches a VDO temp sender from a VW. The temp sender is a direct replacement for the oil drain plug. According to Tom High (BMW god) a lot of people use them on airheads. The temp sender is VDO pn 323 064D. How do I know? I have one in my hands waiting to get installed on my LS along with a new VDO oil temp gauge pn 310 106. Hope this helps.

[marcmax]

If you are interested they can be found at www.germansupply.com under VDO gauges

[Bob_Roller]

Thanks for the info, it's exactly what I was searching for .

[donbmw]

Back in the early 80's there were a couple of aftermark oil temp and oil press gages.

Don

[plc]

Marcmax,

Where will you mount the Oil temp gauge on the LS. On mine there seems to be little room for anything else next to the handlebars because of the instrument panel.

Best to all,
Paul

[marcmax]

Paul,

My LS doesn't have the standard instrument panel and fairing. Its been cafe'd with an 'S' style fairing so I have a couple of options.

Marc

[montmil]

Paul,

My LS doesn't have the standard instrument panel and fairing. Its been cafe'd with an 'S' style fairing so I have a couple of options.

Marc

Let's not be shy... post a photo of that puppy!   Monte

[Bengt_Phorqs]

My R1100RT had a digital oil temp gauge on the "dashboard".  That thing is a great device but it always made me more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs every time it got on the high side.  Which on a fully faired RT in the nine month long Texas summer - is just about all of the time.  Still, I think it's good to have one if you can find a place to mount the gauge.

[Bob_Roller]

Marc,

What is the diameter of the indicator, I'm wondering if it would fit into an OEM BMW additional indicator holder that has a mount to the headlight bracket .

[marcmax]

Bob,

The gauges are 52mm which seems to be a standard size for European gauges. The ones I have came out of a 1980 VW Jetta. I also bought a new set of gauges for my K75s. I am going to install them in the fairing on that bike. They are the same size and face design. They are also the same size as the gauges in an 'S' fairing.

For my LS I bought some gauge cups that are used by a lot of hot rodders to add gauges on the dash or column. It shouldn't be hard to fab up some brackets to mount them.

Tom also warmed me about adding them. He said I will drive myself crazy every time they fluctuate up or down wondering if there is a problem. I would rather go crazy (been there) than wonder what is going on in my engine. I like to see needles moving to let me know what is going on.

[Lucky_Lou]

My R1100RT had a digital oil temp gauge on the "dashboard".  That thing is a great device but it always made me more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs every time it got on the high side.  Which on a fully faired RT in the nine month long Texas summer - is just about all of the time.  Still, I think it's good to have one if you can find a place to mount the gauge.

I think i have enough to worry about when im riding. If its running hot i think i would notice the ice would start to melt off the engine.
Lou [smiley=uhoh2.gif]
Greetings from a still frozen and snow bound -10c yorkshire

[Bob_Roller]

I'm still kind of curious, what kind of oil temperatures the engine is operating at, when the static air temperature is 115 F. (46C.), at highway speeds .

The dipstick oil temperature indicator shows on average, 275-300 F.  (135-150C.) under these conditions .

[Lucky_Lou]

I'm still kind of curious, what kind of oil temperatures the engine is operating at, when the static air temperature is 115 F. (46C.), at highway speeds .

The dipstick oil temperature indicator shows on average, 275-300 F.  (135-150C.) under these conditions .

I take your point maybe thats why they fitted oil coolers to later model airheads, synthetic oils run at much higher temperatures than standard but then you have the issue of seals.Hey ho cannot win.
Lou