Oil Temp Gauge, how useful??

[Otee453]

For those who don’t race their roadster, do you find the oil temp gauge useful?

I ask because I’m thinking of replacing the oil temp with a fuel pressure gauge. I am installing a Holley Sniper and I read a lot of posts that many peoples problems with the sniper can and have been low/inadequate fuel pressure. I installed a fuel pressure schrader valve on my fuel rail to run a diagnostic gauge in the engine compartment if need be.

Just wondering if I want to give up oil temp in exchange for fuel pressure in the cockpit.

[AC Bill]

I rarely look at my oil temp gauge. Coolant temp, and oil pressure I keep an eye on.

[CobraboyDR]

For street use, no need.

For track use, critical.

[OSU Cowboy]

My MK3.1 is a street machine - but I like the oil temperature gauge, I think it's cool.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Useful not really, but appropriate for a COBRA. That said all my BMW's have had an oil temp gauge & no water temp gauge. Water its a warning light.

EDIT: Should add I have both oil & water temp gauges - no clock.

[GoDadGo]

I opted for the Autometer gauge option over the period-correct looking set since the oil temp gauge was included while the vintage set included a clock instead.
The top gauge row has the oil pressure, water temperature, and oil temperature with the volts and fuel level residing in the row below.
I find it nice to see the relation between the water and oil temperature gauges which sit side by side in my upper gauge cluster.

[Jim1855]

On the street I look at water temps. Slow moving, driving in traffic moves the coolant temps up, never or seldom an issue on the track.

On the track I basically ignore the coolant temps and keep a close eye on oil temps, which are basically RPM driven.

The oil temp gauge will help to know when your engine is at operating temps. I'm usually cautious until oil is at about 140+. But I also run an aluminum block which needs more temp to get to operating size.

Jim

[Jim1855]

Just another thought. If you run an oil cooler the oil temp gauge will help to monitor temps which are often too cold with a cooler. Then again without the cooler there's the possibility that the oil temps get too hot. The gauge helps under all conditions with out any downside that I can think of.
Jim

[Big Blocker]

Just a word of caution; Quote: "I’m thinking of replacing the oil temp with a fuel pressure gauge.".

IF the gauge is NOT electrical, make sure you get the fuel pressure gauge "isolator" parts that keep fuel out of your drivers compartment. Last thing you want if a fuel leak under your dash . . .

Doc

[RBachman]

I just did this with a Sniper as well. But I cut a new hole and added a gauge. Speedhut will make a gauge that matches the ones that came with your kit and they are electric. An easy and fast installation. Just call them and they're very good about helping out. This is a bad picture as the gauges look off-set, but they are actually evenly spaced and in line. The blue light lets me know when the Sniper is sending a fuel signal. The light by the temp gauge turns red when temp gets too high. Both are controlled by the Sniper. Remember to get a good 10 micron filter for the Sniper and mount it close to the inlet. Blow the filter out before installing to remove any manufacturing debris. The jets on these can clog easily if there's unfiltered junk in the lines. (My filter's mounted on the Sniper right out the back.)

140635

[NAZ]

Oil temp gauge for naturally aspirated street car is a nice to have but I don't see it as critical if you have a coolant temp gauge (not just an idiot light). But my race car and my turbocharged street cars & trucks and even my turbocharged backhoe -- oil temp is more critical than a tach.

Fuel pressure gauge on a street car -- just a nice to have, but on my race car it's more critical than the tach and my fuel pressure gauge has an adjustable warning set-point that flashes red AND I have a low pressure switch on the fuel line that will power down the nitrous system if pressure drops below a set point. Yea, it's that important. Troubleshooting a fuel pressure issue on a street car -- use a stand alone test gauge. You could install a pressure transducer and use a portable hand-held gauge in the cockpit for troubleshooting EFI issues.

[Otee453]

Just a word of caution; Quote: "I’m thinking of replacing the oil temp with a fuel pressure gauge.".

IF the gauge is NOT electrical, make sure you get the fuel pressure gauge "isolator" parts that keep fuel out of your drivers compartment. Last thing you want if a fuel leak under your dash . . .

Doc

Yep. Not to mention, electrical is so much easier, just more $$


I just did this with a Sniper as well. But I cut a new hole and added a gauge. Speedhut will make a gauge that matches the ones that came with your kit and they are electric. An easy and fast installation. Just call them and they're very good about helping out. This is a bad picture as the gauges look off-set, but they are actually evenly spaced and in line. The blue light lets me know when the Sniper is sending a fuel signal. The light by the temp gauge turns red when temp gets too high. Both are controlled by the Sniper. Remember to get a good 10 micron filter for the Sniper and mount it close to the inlet. Blow the filter out before installing to remove any manufacturing debris. The jets on these can clog easily if there's unfiltered junk in the lines. (My filter's mounted on the Sniper right out the back.)

Your post is what got me thinking. Autometer makes/sells a 2-1/16" electrical fuel pressure gauge that matches the ProComp Ultralight gauges that are included the standard complete kit. About ~$250


Oil temp gauge for naturally aspirated street car is a nice to have but I don't see it as critical if you have a coolant temp gauge (not just an idiot light). But my race car and my turbocharged street cars & trucks and even my turbocharged backhoe -- oil temp is more critical than a tach.

Fuel pressure gauge on a street car -- just a nice to have, but on my race car it's more critical than the tach and my fuel pressure gauge has an adjustable warning set-point that flashes red AND I have a low pressure switch on the fuel line that will power down the nitrous system if pressure drops below a set point. Yea, it's that important. Troubleshooting a fuel pressure issue on a street car -- use a stand alone test gauge. You could install a pressure transducer and use a portable hand-held gauge in the cockpit for troubleshooting EFI issues.

Thus my dilemma.... do I want fuel pressure on the dash, drill a new gauge hole or eliminate oil temp with my wallet $250 lighter, OR simply deal with any diagnostic issues the way I always have on any other vehicle with a portable diagnostic gauge? Ive never been a fan of the permanently mounted fuel rail gauges due to the stories of leaks and fires. That all might be urban legend, who knows, I've never known anyone personally with that problem.

Leaning to the portable diagnostic gauge if/when I have a problem. Too bad the basic sniper doesn't have fuel pressure on the small touch screen

[Desert Cobra]

I put in an oil temp and it hardly moves off the peg except in stop and go traffic. I have a by-pass oil cooler. Looks nice Speedhut with Cobra logo on face. Matches FFR and plugs right into power and lights.

[CraigS]

I like having an oil temp gauge so I can know when it's best to start hitting the gas pedal harder.

[silver_pilate]

Funny thing is I went through the minor hassle of figuring out where to best read my oil temp on my particular oil pan without having to modify it, drilled out and tapped the pan drain plug, and installed an oil temperature gauge through it, only to realize that my vintage gauge set didn't come with an oil temperature gauge :D. So I have a fully prepped setup with the wire run behind the dash for oil temperature, but I get to look at my clock instead.

I'm completely street, so I'm not in any rush to change out the gauge, and I likely never will.

[Otee453]

Funny thing is I went through the minor hassle of figuring out where to best read my oil temp on my particular oil pan without having to modify it, drilled out and tapped the pan drain plug, and installed an oil temperature gauge through it, only to realize that my vintage gauge set didn't come with an oil temperature gauge :D. So I have a fully prepped setup with the wire run behind the dash for oil temperature, but I get to look at my clock instead.

I'm completely street, so I'm not in any rush to change out the gauge, and I likely never will.

Ive never done anything like that!
LOL

[NiceGuyEddie]

My engine heats up right away, but in colder weather it needs at least 10 minutes for the oil to get up to even 140. I do not race the engine until then. I have race tolerances and use 8+ quarts of 20W-50 oil so that may be a factor.

Also, in stop and go traffic, when the oil temp gets up over 200, the engine temp quickly follows. Vice-versa when getting back to highway speed.

[Caddy Dad]

I replaced my clock with a matching oil temp gauge from Speedhut. I use the oil temp as an indicator when the engine is fully warmed up and as a estimate that the tires are too. It takes about 10-15 minutes to reach operating range. That's when I can start having fun. :-) The oil temperature lags behind the Water temperature a bit until everything is warm up and then barely moves.
I also added an analog fuel pressure gauge under the hood but now thinking it would be a nice to have a fuel pressure gauge on the dash. Speedhut sells the transducer and gauge to match the FFR gauges. Just something to look at!

Enjoy the build!

[RBachman]

My cost at Speedhut was 190 delivered and it matches.


Your post is what got me thinking. Autometer makes/sells a 2-1/16" electrical fuel pressure gauge that matches the ProComp Ultralight gauges that are included the standard complete kit. About ~$250

[Avalanche325]

Oil temp is not needed for the street.

I have the standard water temp and oil pressure.
I added an idiot light that comes on for either low oil pressure or high oil temp. If I loose oil pressure on the street, autocross or track I want to know immediately, not when I get to a straight and have a chance to look. There is NO time to look a gauges when autocrossing.

[johnnybgoode]

For those who don’t race their roadster, do you find the oil temp gauge useful?

I ask because I’m thinking of replacing the oil temp with a fuel pressure gauge. I am installing a Holley Sniper and I read a lot of posts that many peoples problems with the sniper can and have been low/inadequate fuel pressure. I installed a fuel pressure schrader valve on my fuel rail to run a diagnostic gauge in the engine compartment if need be.

Just wondering if I want to give up oil temp in exchange for fuel pressure in the cockpit.

I'm in a colder climate so I find the oil temp quite useful. It can actually take quite a long time for the oil to heat up on a cool day and/or with low revs cruising in 5th on the highway. I tend to baby the motor under 90*C. My 2 cents. Scott