Oil Temperature Harley Oil & Lubrication Discuss Oil Temperature in the Harley Tech & Harley How-to forums; I just installed the factory oil cooler and temperature guage kit on my 2007 Ultra. I am disappointed in that the temp being measured is only at the cooler outlet. ...

I just installed the factory oil cooler and temperature guage kit on my 2007 Ultra. I am disappointed in that the temp being measured is only at the cooler outlet. Does anyone have ideas on the best way to measure actual temp using the fairing mounted guage?
I want to monitor the actual temp to avert a problem before it happens.

[frisco-rigid]

Unless you can mount/insert the sensor directly in the oil bag, any temp reading will be approximate... Here's what I do,, keep it simple, get a candy themometer, $5.00+-, they're tempered glass to withstand cooking candy up to 400*...
After a hot ride pull in garage, read the gauge then immediately insert themometer about 5" into oil, leave it till you get the highest reading (careful, it's tempered to withstand temp not banging around)...
If the guage says 180* and the actual temp is 200* you will now have a benchmark to figure the ballpark temp by just looking at the gauge... Do that at least 3 times and you'll always be pretty darn close......

[BluesFan]

Good idea. Comparison to a known standard is always a good idea.

To check accuracy of your thermometer, use boiling water, it's gonna be 212F unless you are up high.

To avoid the glass use the thermometer that came with your turkey frier.

When I was just out of highschool I worked at an ARBY'S fast food joint.
Every morning I had to recalibrate the meat thermometers.
I used a pitcher chock full of ice and just enough water to fill it to the top of the 'cubes.
(A typical glass of ice water for drinking will not have enough ice cubes in it.)
Adjust the dial to read 32 deg.F or 0 C.
If you get your hand into the water it hurts just a little bit less than boiling water will.

generally the oil temp is 10-20% cooler than the actual motor temp.

[frisco-rigid]

Tommyboy--- Where do you get that fact from or is it just a guess..??

Have you ever taken those measurements.? Have you ever measured diff parts/sections of the motor..?? Soooo, what motor part/section are you referring to.?
There can easily be 10% diff from the left and right side of the head and 20% diff from the head temp to the case temp...

actually I have, I traded an evo in on my tc88 last year and noticed right away the tc88 ran hotter than the evo (I knew that before the trade) I put a temerature dip stick in the oil bag and also verified the dip stick with a calibrated themometer,2 degree difference. I then shot the heads with a calibrated hand held laser temperature gun, the heads were hotter than the oil,and yes the temp varied at difference places on the top end and bottom end. All iam saying is there is a temp difference from the oil and motor. Yes, Iam running an oil cooler, average oil temp is 210-220 degrees, before the cooler it was 240-250 degrees. My evo ran at 220 degrees with no oil cooler.

Thanks for the ideas on checking accuracy of the guage and they are all good. What I really was looking for was if anyone had found a way to install the temp. sensor unit in a place to measure the oil temp before it is goin gto the cooler. The factory design has it installed down stream of the cooler, after the adaptor, that does not release oil to the cooler until it has triggered the 185 thermostat in the housing, which seems to then only read the temp of oil coming from the cooler. This of course raises another question in the flow process of the adaptor. Does the oil flow through the filter before the thermo opens and if so does the thermo then divert all the oil to the cooler when open. I know this is a lot of questions and maybe this is one of those don't ask just ride things.
My advice to anyone with a Ultra is not to spend the money for the fairing mounted guage kit cause it ain't measuring what you think it should.
I am going to do some more research on this and will post updates if I learn anything new.

To clarify my earlier warning I should have stated not to buy the guage kit if you are using a cooler kit also. The guage kit does measure temperature at the filter housing when used alone.
When you combine it with the oil cooler is when things seem to go awry.

[frisco-rigid]

Yeah Baby,, that's what I'm talking about tommyboy, now you've given us something provable and repeatable... That's what I respect...

Lonedog,, unfortunately I have no experience with the gauge or cooler in question, gave ya what I had... I bet a dime to a doughnut many of the others can help...