Oil temperature gauge

I have just treated myself to one of those oil temp gauges that screw in
where the oil filler goes. A very handsome bit of kit, with a luvverly
knurled ring (ooh er missus) and an oil filled analogue display.

I have been looking for one for ages, but no one in the UK seems to stock
much in the way of aftermarket bits for Zephyrs, so I ordered it online from
www.louis.de in the fatherland. It only took 10 days to arrive, and was 26
euros, which does not seem to be a bad price at all.

Anyway, having eagerly fitted it and left the bike running in the shed [1]
for half an hour or so it seems to have settled at around 80°C. It'll be
interesting to see what it gets up to on a run, with the added bonus of
giving me another thing to fret about [2].

[1] with both sets of doors open, of course
[2] along with brakes and tyres.

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

I'd like one of these for my Bandit, and a pressure gauge, being an air
/ oil cooled engine, oil temp is quite important. The FZR, I'd like to
keep tabs on both pressure and temperature too.

Shame the web shite seems to be in German. :/

 

<snip>

Well, yes *and* no.

I am always concerned about the oil temperature, particularly as after a
good run, it sort of ticks when you switch it off, which prompts comments
such as "you've given that a good thrashing then". Anyone who has ridden out
with me will know this is not the case, as the Zephyr and I are still
deciding who's boss. At least now I have the gauge I'll know it's just
normal engine cooling down noises [1].

[1] or not, if the thing goes into the red (in which case I think I'll just
send it back)

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

Besides, for techie types that know about engines, an oil temp gauge can
tell you about engine / oil health. An oil warning light won't tell you
that the pressure has been falling off for the last few hundred miles.
The only thing a pressure warning light is good for, is telling you that
you just caused dammage to your engine.

 

We had great fun with filling out the online order form. My youngest's
faint grasp of German, and Google's online translator helped.

 

I've now got an offer of help with the web site from a friend. Should I
suddenly come into possession of money, I'll be ordering a temp and
pressure gauge for my Bandit, after I've ordered the valve shims for my FZR.

 

It tells you to change from 10W40 to 20W50 and either flog it on ebay
or run it for another couple of years until it needs a new engine.

 

Not really, you just knew your car. It's like any car / bike you own,
you just get to understand the way it's talking to you, and what it's
saying.

My brother thought that the light was an oil level light on his Fiat
Panda. When it started to flash on and off, he used to top the oil up.
*yikes*

 

Heh, not my style.

 

Hmm, well the jury is currently out. The Zephyr seems to peak at around
50°C on a run, which just doesn't seem right.

After the next run I'll inser my trusty digital thermomenter probe deep into
the engine to ascertain the true temperature of the oil, and confirm the
outcome.

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

50 Deg C does sound a little on the low side. Where is the oil temp
sender located? After the oil cooler, before or else where?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Muck

Not the way Dan rides.

--
Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

Hmm... <fx: thinks>

I think we were joint last on the BOMB run.

 

Harsh

(But true)


--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

It screws in in place of the oil filler cap. The probe is built into the
bottom of the gauge and I don't think it's actually immersed in the oil, but
receives a spray of it from the rotating clutch parts.

I'll keep you posted.


--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

I remember that now... A bit of a strange location for the sensor,
sounds more like a crank case temp guage. :/