Oil Temp sender heatsoak?? Opinions?

**RyleyMA61** · 11-07-2008, 03:05 AM

Here is where my oil temp sender is mounted:

last track day (no oil temp gauge) oil got hot, and therefore lost pressure.

highway driving to this track day, oil temp was 120 deg C. (High i know)

on the track I saw 150+ (!!!!)

HOWEVER

I didn't lose any oil pressure whatsoever, and the car is no different to drive etc etc etc engine is fine

used a fully synthetic

could the location i have chosen for the sender be copping a bit of heatsoak from the nearby turbo, or picking up some other temperature?

any opinions are welcome. fairly certain the gauge is inaccurate because at that temperature my motor would be well and truly fucked now

thanks all

**oldcorollas** · 11-07-2008, 03:13 AM

given proximity to the turbo, you would have to guess it is getting heated by radiated heat from turbo....

can you get your hands on some ceramic insulating stuff and wrap around the sensor for testing purposes?
can you use one of those spare bolt holes to make up a radiation shield out of say, 1mm alloy or steel sheet?

**30psi 4agte** · 11-07-2008, 05:31 AM

Ideally a oil temp sensor should be located in the sump.

I would say either the sensor/ gauge is faulty or its position is the issue.

Can you get hold of a pyrometer (think thats how its spelt) to check the sump temp vs the gauge temp?

**IN 05 NT** · 11-07-2008, 09:15 AM

drill and tap out your sump plug and fit it in there.

**takai** · 11-07-2008, 10:41 AM

Oh dont drill and tap the sump plug, thats a BAD idea mmmkay.

**IN 05 NT** · 11-07-2008, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by takai

Oh dont drill and tap the sump plug, thats a BAD idea mmmkay.

why? plz explain.

**big_zop** · 11-07-2008, 10:49 AM

Unless you are lucky and have a plug that goes in through the side, what is the lowest part of the sump and normally points down?

Now add another couple of cm and imagine leaving it behind on a ripple stip or speed bump, i dont think youre engine is going to like you very much...

Do it at your own risk.

An idea would be to tape a thermocouple (the small, flexible ones, not the solid metal one) to the dipstick (so it doesnt hit anything moving) and put that into the sump.

**oldcorollas** · 11-07-2008, 12:12 PM

another idea would be to get a stainless steel sheathed K type thermocouple, with same length and diameter as the original dipstick (assuming you have a solid one, and not one of the fancy flexy ones) and use the sheathed thermocouple AS the dipstick...

**RyleyMA61** · 11-07-2008, 03:00 PM

cheers guys. old corollas- unfortunately that's not my engine, and mine has a dirty great oil filter adaptor thingie there.

i initially tried sump plug however i snapped the sensor in half (!!!) I do like the idea of the dipstick/thermocouple...

i should have my full-flow oil cooler kit arriving soon, i may be able to put it in-line somewhere... thats another option anyway...

but imreally after confirmation of the radiated heat transfer from turbo to temp sender theory... which has been done anyway so its all good