How accurate is HD oil temp gauge?

[Dennis The Menace]

I installed the HD in-dash oil temp gauge and installed the sensor in the front of the oil pan, rather than inline with the oil lines.  The readout looks to run in thw 185-200 degree range, but that seems a little low.

How accurate is the gauge/sensor, and any way to calibrate or determine an offset, other than reading real oil temp with an accurate thermometer?  I suppose I could use the digital meat thermometer. ;-)

menace

[Coyote]

On cool days, mine will sit around 200. Seems right since that's where the thermostat in the oil cooler opens. On hot days or in traffic, it will go on up as high as 230-240

[Scramjet]

Mine is about the same as Coyote.  Same install in the oil pan.  Here are some ideas for calibration.

1. Put the sensor in boiling water.  Should read 212*F.

2. Stop the bike in still air, allow the temp in the pan a few minutes to normalize with the cases and shoot the pan next to the sensor with a infrared temp gauge.

3. Put a meat or candy thermometer in the oil fill opening and compare.

B

[ST40]

Don't know about Harley gauges, but I was worried about my oil tank gauge till I checked it with boiling water and found it to be 20 degrees too hot.    Marty

[EZGlider]

My HD gauge, in line between the trans and engine per install instructions, takes about twenty miles to get up to around 180 in temps up to about 80F.  Riding the mountains, it can reach about 230=240 climbing but normally reads around 200 when warmed up totally.  Stock motor, stage one only w/PC3

[texaskatfish]

Mine is about the same as Coyote.  Same install in the oil pan.  Here are some ideas for calibration.

1. Put the sensor in boiling water.  Should read 212*F.

2. Stop the bike in still air, allow the temp in the pan a few minutes to normalize with the cases and shoot the pan next to the sensor with a infrared temp gauge.

3. Put a meat or candy thermometer in the oil fill opening and compare.

B

At sea level that is correct..............

[Dennis The Menace]

Hmmm...I think I will pull it out next oil change and compare in boiling water.  I would like to know how far off it may be.  The LCD dipstick is about 15-20 degrees off from the gauge.  No surprise.  I will replace the LCD dipstick with stock now anyway.

[Coyote]

Hmmm...I think I will pull it out next oil change and compare in boiling water.  I would like to know how far off it may be.  The LCD dipstick is about 15-20 degrees off from the gauge.  No surprise.  I will replace the LCD dipstick with stock now anyway.

At your altitude, plan on 202 deg for boiling temp...

[truck]

Water boils at 212* at sea level and it also boils at 250* so how do you know what temperature the water is? I guess it would boil at 450* too.
Just saying.

[sandrooney]

Mine in my 07 Ultra would run about 215* to 220*, and climbing two up and packed down say over Monarch Pass, 10 something thousand I think, it would get to about 245*. Thats all on 90 or so degree days. I took mine off, got tired of always looking and worrying instead of enjoying the ride. Funny, has not over heated since. 32,000 trouble free miles.
Just my experience,
SR

[EZGlider]

Well, I am not as concerned about dead-on accuracy as being able to see when it is hotter than "normal".  IF it reads say, 200 degrees normally with me riding at sixty MPH on flat ground, then I notice it is up to 275 for no apparent reason, it has served it's purpose. 

Even with a dead-on accurate gauge, the location of the sensor (front of oil pan, in return line behind the engine or in line with the oil filter as on newer bikes) will cause a variation from one location to another.  Relative comparisons are what make the gauge useful, IMHO.

[harleyjt]

I took mine off, got tired of always looking and worrying instead of enjoying the ride. Funny, has not over heated since. 32,000 trouble free miles.
Just my experience,
SR

I'm with you - ignorance is bliss!!!!!  LOL!!  I've never installed an oil temp gauge and probably won't.  Never a problem!
jt

[Coyote]

Water boils at 212* at sea level and it also boils at 250* so how do you know what temperature the water is? I guess it would boil at 450* too.
Just saying.

Water temperature will cease to rise once it hits the boiling point. More information here http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/thermotest.html

[truck]

Water boils at 212* at sea level and it also boils at 250* so how do you know what temperature the water is? I guess it would boil at 450* too.
Just saying.

Water temperature will cease to rise once it hits the boiling point. More information here http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/thermotest.html

I guess I should have paid better attention in science class.
And I just discovered that ice can't be colder than 32*. (maybe)

[Coyote]

Water boils at 212* at sea level and it also boils at 250* so how do you know what temperature the water is? I guess it would boil at 450* too.
Just saying.

Water temperature will cease to rise once it hits the boiling point. More information here http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/thermotest.html

I guess I should have paid better attention in science class.
And I just discovered that ice can't be colder than 32*. (maybe)

Ice water, yes. Ice though....  http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_cold_is_an_ice_cube

[Scramjet]

Remember science class, if there is crushed ice in the water it will stay at approximately 32*F (depending on pressure).  Just like boiling water depends on barometric pressure and altitude.  You can pretty much depend on somewhere between 200*F and 212*F for boiling water unless it is under pressure.

B

[Deye76]

Hmmm...I think I will pull it out next oil change and compare in boiling water.  I would like to know how far off it may be.  The LCD dipstick is about 15-20 degrees off from the gauge.  No surprise.  I will replace the LCD dipstick with stock now anyway.

Let us know what your findings are.

[truck]

Keep the digital, it is so much easier to remove than the stock 'burn your fingers and pull off the knurled cover one'.

[Dennis The Menace]

Truck, I will probably leave it in until it goes dead.  I actually tried to take the chrome cover off like yours, but it wouldnt budge.  They must have forgotten the glue on yours!  ;-)

I will test by boiling some water, putting the digital thermo AND the snsor in the water and observe them over a period of time.  I expect the water to cool fairly slowly, and will read each every 3-5 minutes.  Should be good enough.  I am not loooking for 1% accuracy, but want to know how far of it really is.  If I wasnt worried about oil temps, I wouldnt bother, but I am so....

I may just add the Jagg cooler in spring anyway and not worry about it.  We planned to move to Las Vegas this year, but will wait until 2009 sometime, assuming we can sell our home in Denver.  So, I want to be sure I have good cooling before heading out that way.

menace