Oil temp gauge?

[91_gsx600F katana]

Can I put one in on my 1991 kat?

Im not stranger to installing gauges, I've got about 15 on my race car lol.

But how would I put a oil temp gauge on my 1991 kat? I don't really have any ports for like an NPT fitting or something.

[KAT TOY]

you can drill and thread the oil pan. maybe find a sensor that fits drain hole.

[il_ragazzo]

cyber poet had something similar if i recall correctly before he passed. He did drill the oil pan.I have heard of replacing your oil fill cap with a sensor, but it would be more of a crankcase air temp gauge.

[91_gsx600F katana]

hmmm i could tap the oil pan. Is the oil pan on these things aluminum or steel?

I would rather use the drain plug but I have no idea what the thread is, or even if you can get an adapter in that thread size. Not to mention putting a temp sender right above the exhaust prob will screw with the temp readings.

seems like it would be easy for someone to design an aluminum spacer for one of the oil pressure lines (braided lines) that would get sandwiched and have a NPT port in them. Then you can run a pressure or temp gauge.

[il_ragazzo]

the pan is Al. and the threads can be found by looking up the part...

[scottynoface]

I imagine you'd want the reading to come from the line from the cooler to the engine...

[91_gsx600F katana]

no bc thats giving you the reading of the cooled oil from the cooler. You want to know what the oil temp of the actual oil in the motor/being used. 2 best places for this would be in the oil pan (gives you an overall temp of the oil in the engine) or the oil coming out of the engine to the cooler (this will be usually higher than the pan reading and it will be heated by running through the motor etc) But given the reading of the oil out of the motor you know that is the hottest oil in the system, so the rest is much lower. I Always opt for the pan mount as it gives you a better overall idea of the oil temp in the motor.

THis is at least the consensus for automotive racing world. Ive actually done tests in my race trans that putting 2 of the same sensors for my trans in 2 different spots to get 2 different reasons. I installed a sender in the pan for overall trans fluid temp and then another one in the pressure port that feeds the whole trans of fresh fluid but this is after its passed through the pump. Came to my attention and confirmed by others that fluid under pressure will actually show a higher temperature and fluid not under pressure. After testing in my trans I found a 15* difference (higher in the pressure port than the pan) between the 2 senders at the same time (used a double pole switch to flip back and forth between the 2) on the same gauge.

I would love to throw a analog trans temp gauge (basically just a fluid temp gauge but will read higher than oil (340* range) with an electric sender but you guys got me scared about not having enough room for the sender in the pan. I have a digital trans temp gauge left over from my older car builds but I think it only goes to 275*F. Otherwise a nice new digital gauge good for 400* is about 95$. Also where would you guys mount a 2 1/16" gauge? not a lot of room on the 1990 kat cluster.

ALso this is prob a stupid question but are the oil pan gaskets reusable? or do you guys just junk them and use RTV?

[91_gsx600F katana]

I went out and took a look at the bike, its been raining for 2 days so I haven't been able to work on it. Seems like a 2 1/16" gauge would fit between the tach and fuel gauge, just wouldn't look all that professional.

I was looking around the headers/oil pan for a spot in the oil pan to put a sender. I knot iced theres a allen keyed plug at the very front of the oil pan below the oil filter, pointing out the right hand side (sitting on the bike). What does this plug do? Is there oil behind this plug? can I put the sender there by getting some adapter? what is the thread of this?

I didn't want to pull it to see what it was bc I just did an oil change and its raining.

see pic!

[scottynoface]

I'd much rather get a reading out of the cooler

Much more consistent vs usage.

But its whatever works for you, I have a liquid cooled bike

[Wreckie29]

Is that a post pan? I don't think my pre has that...

[92xjunker]

imoa, I would rather install a head temp guage than a oil temp guage. just sayin

[91_gsx600F katana]

The bike title says 1990 gsx 600 but the guy said he thought it was a 91. I think it's a 90 but the vin decode didn't make sense in the manual.

Idk wat it is but it's a large plug in the front of the pan below the filter.

How would u put a gauge on the cooler?

And what is a head temp gauge and how would u put one on a katana?

[Wreckie29]

For the cooler put a t in the out of motor line...
Not sure for head temp...

[cintidude04]

The bike title says 1990 gsx 600 but the guy said he thought it was a 91. I think it's a 90 but the vin decode didn't make sense in the manual.

Idk wat it is but it's a large plug in the front of the pan below the filter.

How would u put a gauge on the cooler?

And what is a head temp gauge and how would u put one on a katana?

That doesnt mean the oil pan wasn't switched out to properly fit the post exhaust or something.
A head temp gauge would measure the temp of the head... several spots on the top end of the engine it could be mounted.

[92xjunker]

That doesnt mean the oil pan wasn't switched out to properly fit the post exhaust or something.
A head temp gauge would measure the temp of the head... several spots on the top end of the engine it could be mounted.

+1 head temp is what you really want to monitor, they used to make a good one for VW motors.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VDO-CYLINDER-HEAD-TEMPERATURE-GAUGE-KIT-VW-PORSCHE-BMW-/290636057734?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43ab424c86&vxp=mtr