oil temperature guage

The other day I ran into a guy riding an old BSA. He had a oil temp guage mounted on the engine block. Is there a port where I can thread one in on my 83 xj650 maxim ?

 

Some XJs have a center screw in the sump plug.
So I bought one from XJ4Ever and put my temp sensor in it.

 

Where do you have the readout?

 

Aftermarket Koso RX-1N dash

 

Wow. I like those guages. A bit pricey but nice. I might have to look into one of them. There is a dealer here in Canada which is a bonus. Wil have to get one of those plugs with the center screw

 

Another option.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oil-Temperature ... 39&vxp=mtr

 

That's what I want to do but where do I mount it ?

 

the one shown in the link screws directly into the oil filler cap on the engine
look at the seccond picture in the listing.
stu

 

That's pretty bad ass. I'm assuming the oil temp is also the engine temp? I'd like to know when she needs to really cool down when on long, hot rides. Does anyone know the max temp the motor should be running at or not running at for that matter?

 

Oh sweet. I'm so all over that

 

Yeah, except it's a waste of money.

The oil filler cap ON XJs is on the top of the clutch housing.

Underneath it, for quite a distance, is nothing but air. IT CANNOT REACH ACTUAL OIL, the clutch is in the way and if the probe were long enough, the spinning clutch would destroy it.

So all the "screws into the oil filler hole" type gauge will get you on an XJ is a reading of the air temp inside the clutch housing. Is it worth $50 to keep track of that?

Good idea, not well thought out in regard to the XJ series.

 

Matt, engine temp will vary based on conditions: ambient temp, humidity, and the type of riding, but your oil should typically be around 220 degrees +/- 40, if it goes much over 300 you are breaking down it's viscosity and engine damage will soon follow.

 

come on now, how much could the oil cool off flying around in the clutch cover, there's no air conditioner in there. the air in there is the same temperature as the oil, so how does the oil get cooler on that long trip from the clutch to the filler hole.
this isn't a scientific instrument, NASA didn't send one mars

 

You're right, it sure isn't. Scientific, that is. So what's it worth?

You gonna run out and drop $50 on one so you can keep track of the temp of the air in your clutch housing?

Go for it.

The oil and the air 8"+ above it are most certainly NOT the same temp; and probably not close enough to make it worth $50 to monitor.

 

you have the right to be wrong and i respect that

 

On a hot day the oil temp of my XJ is about 80 deg C riding along at just about any speed above 60 klm/h.
Once you stop it climbs a lot quicker than expected.

On the new engine I will be monitoring both oil and head temp.