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Oil temp gauges for the GSes

I'd just like to take a moment to brag that my new 700 has a stock oil temp gauge, and it actually even works. So there. ;-)
 
Hey, Bruce!

Hey, Bruce!

Does the sensor just replace the drain plug? In any case, I want one, with a red backlight. How much are they?
 
jknappsax said:
Does the sensor just replace the drain plug? In any case, I want one, with a red backlight. How much are they?
Click to expand...


PM sent. I bought a bunch of stuff (some of which I didn't use), so I'll have to go through and tally up the parts.
 
Here's some updated pics with the new gauge cup. This style mounts directly on top of the gauge cluster. Or you can mount on the handlebars or on the fork tubes (or anywhere else you want). The gauge cup comes with 5 mounting adapters to allow you to mount it where you want. In order to mount where I did, I drilled a small hole in the top of the gauge cluster and nut and bolted it on. The bolt is hidden inside the mount. Pretty cool! This looks much better than that other set-up, and should allow bikes with fairings to have enough room to mount.








 
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Ok, now I'm worried. I get my oil up into the 260F range when I'm riding (at least that's what the gauge says). I think my bike is running lean, since I changed out the plugs and they were all virtually pristine white. No signs of damage, although it does ping quite a bit when I crank it sometimes. It starts and idles fine, but I get "burbling" backfiring even when I'm riding at steady throttle. Any ideas what to check? It's an 83 1100E. I know the PO tried to fit a 4-1 at one point and said he could barely get it to idle. I have no manual on the bike, so things like jets sizes, needle position and idle mixture settings are unknown to me at this point. Sorry to hijack, but the oil temperature got me thinking.
 
Make sure your inlet manifolds aren't leaking. Age, hardened rubber and therefore cracks in the manifolds are a common cause of lean running on the GS's.
 
I guess a voltmeter would be more useful than a clock... but the gauges are all the same size - so I can take my pick.

If it wasn't pitch dark out, I'd be getting some pics of my gauges and doing some Photochopping.

I really like the idea of an oil temp gauge for these air-cooled bikes, and you've done a great job with the gauge housing! :cool:
 
renobruce said:
Denis Kirk has this one:

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produ...7Q57U0TMO&catId=4&leafCatId=41409&skuId=40756

I've seen similar ones also. I was after a "period correct" gauge, so I went with the one you see. There are numerous variations out there, but for an analog gauge, this is the smallest diameter I've seen.
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you nailed the period correct, I have the july 1979 motorcyclist magazine and it has a article on installing a VDO oil temp gauge kit, and the gauge head looks identical.

it had a bar clamp that came with it and they mentioned that the needle vibrated off after 15 hours of operation.

they also state that any monting location where the sensor is exposed to air flow will read low (may be why factory suzuki temp sensor is on back of engine in same adapter oil pressure switch is.)

they used a 79 GS850 in the article.

now for the info people want, temperature range!! propper running temperature range is 160*f to 220*f vintage oil starts breaking down quickly above 220*f, modern oils, especialy synthetics hold up better but temps above 220 is still hot for the engine even though it is common for oil temps to reach 270*f during high speed high load conditions.
 
Oil temp gauge

Oil temp gauge

Hi All
Going back to the original post in 2003:shock:, I have one of those gauges that just replace the oil filler cap. I got it from this place in Sydney http://www.deus.com.au/ for those in Oz interested. It is meant for a SR400 yamaha, but the mechanic and I there had a look and thought it worked. I only got it as a gimmick :) but judging by the temps it was reading, it seems to be pretty close. The only problem now is that all the glass has cracked and oil is seeping out:-s:-s
 
I was curious why you didn't mount the sending unit it the oil pressure housing? That is where the sensor would be mounted originally. It would save taking it out every time you change the oil and possibly breaking it.
 
dennis roy said:
I was curious why you didn't mount the sending unit at the oil pressure housing? That is where the sensor would be mounted originally. It would save taking it out every time you change the oil and possibly breaking it.
Click to expand...

There is no place to mount the sending unit at the housing, unless you get a housing from a bike that already had a temp gauge. The temp sensor is housed inside the adapter nut, so removing it is easy. Just unplug the wire and unscrew the adapter nut.
 
The housing on my 850 isn't tapped for the temp sensor but does have a spot for it just aching to be rilled and tapped. LOL I didn't know it until I bought one with a temp sensor. I would just be worried about removing it alot. I worry about things like that. I've been known to strip threads and break things alot.
 
dennis roy said:
The housing on my 850 isn't tapped for the temp sensor but does have a spot for it just aching to be rilled and tapped. LOL I didn't know it until I bought one with a temp sensor. I would just be worried about removing it alot. I worry about things like that. I've been known to strip threads and break things alot.
Click to expand...

You would only need to remove the adapter nut/sensor when you change your oil, so not too often. If you wanted to drill and tap at the oil pressure sensor, you could do that no problem. Tap it for 1/8" NPT and the VDO sensor can go there instead. I actually will be buying a oil pressure sensor that I can tap or already has the spot for the sensor for my project.
 
For renobruce . I got the guage setup from you a couple of months ago and about to finally install it. Can the adapter be fitted here (88 Kat 1100) item # 10 on the diagram. I don't want to use the drain plug as I have a Fumoto valve installed.

OilPan.gif
 
gaillarry said:
For renobruce . I got the guage setup from you a couple of months ago and about to finally install it. Can the adapter be fitted here (88 Kat 1100) item # 10 on the diagram. I don't want to use the drain plug as I have a Fumoto valve installed.
Click to expand...

I don't see why not. As long as the threads are the same there (14mm x 1.25 pitch). If the threads are different, let me know. I can get you a different adaptor
 
gaillarry said:
For renobruce . I got the guage setup from you a couple of months ago and about to finally install it. Can the adapter be fitted here (88 Kat 1100) item # 10 on the diagram. I don't want to use the drain plug as I have a Fumoto valve installed.

OilPan.gif
Click to expand...

that would be in the plumbing for the oil cooler and would depend on what side that port was on.

hard to tell from diagram if #10 is on return side or "out" side, return side would only tell you how good the cooler is working, not the engine temp.
 
The oil cooler ports are on the front of the pan, there's an in and an out.
 
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