Hey guys,

(apologies if this has been covered previously)

I'm thinking about installing an oil temperature gauge on my FC. Just wondering if anyone's done it before? I did a search, but didn't find much relevant. Where's the best place to mount the temperature sender?

If anyone has photos of their setup, please post them!

Cheers,
- TT

 

I put mine in the pan. I got an autometer bung and had it welded in. If that's not your cup of tea you can get an adapter that bolts in under the oil filter that'll let you attach temperature and pressure senders, but it's right after the cooler, so you have to use different values for what's "too hot".

 

http://www.mazdatrix.com/boil3.htm (scroll to the bottom).

 

I *had*one in the pan once. I gutted the oil temp switch that's on early cars and tapped threads inside that gutted switch for the oil temp sender.

Putting it just after the oilcooler didn't seem right and still does not. Seems maybe it should be right after the pump on the way to the cooler, but then again, that oil just came out of the pan. I'm conflicted on where it should go.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys!

It looks like the general agreement is that from a practical point of view, there are two main places that the sender can be mounted; using an adaptor at the oil filter and in the oil pan. However the problem with mounting it at the filter is that the readings will always be colder... Anyone know just how much of a temperature difference there is? What sort of oil temperatures are "normal" for an FC?

I read somewhere that an FD owner tapped their oil drain bolt and put the sender in there... Doesn't sound like such a bad idea actually! I guess I'll have to see what the dimensions of the sender will be and whether it will fit... I'm thinking of using VDO gauges & sensors.

Cheers,
- TT

 

There are guidelines to what's "too hot" for either sender location, and there's much debate as to what's better, but Mazda Competition puts out guidelines for temps in the pan, so that must be what they prefer, and who am I to argue with them?

You can get adapters so you don't have to drill and tap it, and it might be an ok solution, but you need to make sure that the sender is fully in the oil, if it's partially recessed in the plug then it'll be slow to react and might read cooler than it actually is. It'll make changing the oil more of a hassle, but it's easier than taking off the pan.

I've got VDO gauges, they're good and are used as OEM in Porsches and Mercedes.

 

That's a very vulnerable location- if you decide to do it that way take care to protect the wire and the end of the sensor.

 

Lol, well I'm not going to argue with Mazda either (it also sounds like the easiest solution at this stage too!). Yeah, will have to make sure that the sender is protruding into the oil pan when I'm tapping the drain bolt or getting an adaptor...

A really good point, clokker. It is a very exposed location... Guess I'll have to think of something in terms of reinforcing the wire and possibly running it up along the harness for the oil level sensor. Looks like VDO also give a bit of a choice in the type of connector that you can get on the end of the sender. The 'button' type might be the most discreet for this particular application.

Thanks again guys!

Cheers,
- TT