Installing oil temperature gauge...

The Green GT

No 13 year olds are safe around me.
10 Year Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,269
19
99
Louisiana
So I have a few gauges coming and the only one Im kinda confused about is the oil temp one. Im assuming I have to tap the oil pan. But I dont want to have all kinds of matal shavings in my oil pan.

Wes told me when he tapped his he started the whole with a nail then kept making it bigger with bigger punches. This way there are more threads to grip, and you end up with less metal shavings.

So is that what I should do, or does the autometer gauge hook up some other way?
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Can you use the low-oil sensor hole instead (if you're willing to give up the low oil sensor)? I thought someone (Shane?) had done it that way.

Otherwise, Wes can really help ya out since he's done it for his blower. :p The punch and greased-tap method should work alright. If you dont have help, search about blower installs because those guys have decent methods since everyone puckers up when doing this.

Good luck Eric.
 
I helped a friend tap his oil pan for a Vortech. We were both a little scared to do it, but it all turned out ok. Just use increasingly larger punches to get the hole to the right size, slather some heavy grease on the tap and do it to'er. Clean out the hole and you should be golden. For us, it turned out to be a lot easier than we thought.
 
Check this article out: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oilgauge.html

Alternatively, Vortech puts a 1/4NPTx1in" male straight fitting into the block at the sender hole, then gives you a "T" that screws into this. A 45deg angle and your oil sender go into one side of the T and the oil feed hose screws into the other end of the T. I can get pics if you need. The "T" that Vortech sends is a bit tricky, as it is made so that it just fits around the engine, so I think this is why the article above ran a separate line.

Avoid tapping the oil pan, that area won't even have pressure behind it! :) Dealing with the sending unit area like JT said is the way to go!

Wes
 
The low oil sensor is on the driver side of the pan as I recall (that's where it is on the fox III's atleast - we do have them on the 94-95's right? I thought I saw one but I cant recall definitively).

Wes's idea might be a lot easier (use a line and make a remote distribution block like in that oil pressure article or several guys on here have done). I really hadn't thought about doing this but it is should work (it's how AM's manifold block for trans-temp gauges works, for instance). I naturally just think of reading sump temps but you can measure temps anywhere.

Good luck.
 
The low oil sensor is on the driver side of the pan as I recall (that's where it is on the fox III's atleast - we do have them on the 94-95's right? I thought I saw one but I cant recall definitively).

Wes's idea might be a lot easier (use a line and make a remote distribution block like in that oil pressure article or several guys on here have done). I really hadn't thought about doing this but it is should work (it's how AM's manifold block for trans-temp gauges works, for instance). I naturally just think of reading sump temps but you can measure temps anywhere.

Good luck.

Only problem with the pressure sensor idea is I already have a tree there for the aftermarket gauge.
 
Only problem with the pressure sensor idea is I already have a tree there for the aftermarket gauge.

Yep, that's where the remote line comes into play. It's actually a clean way to do things - the line leaves the block and goes to a remote location (near the PS pump, etc). Then you put a distribution block on the end of the line and make all your sender and sending unit connections. Compare that (the cost of the parts) to the prospect of tapping the pan.

Or PM Shane (Loudtoy958 - another very helpful and classy guy like Wes) and check with him because like I said, I think he removed the low oil sensor (it's been years since he talked about it, or I think he talked about it, so I could be wrong).

Good luck Eric.
 
You'll want to use braided line and AN's and AN-NPT adapters. I dont know who has the best deal on that stuff - I've pieced some together before from various sources. You can look it up on Summit's site to see what you'd be lookin at cost-wise.
 
Report back Green GT..I wanna know also cuz this looks easier than attaching a T at the stock location (I wanna add a oil pressure gauge). Also, has anyone tried these prosport gauges? They seem really affordable and that intrigues me.:D