So, the only other gauge that isn't working is my oil temp gauge. I have the Autometer Ultra-lite gauges and I really like how they look and they seem to be functioning well other than the oil temperature gauge. I did a continuity test with my ohmmeter because I figured the problem was probably with my substandard wiring technique. To my surprise the wiring was good and there was continuity from the sensor to the gauge. Therefore, the problem had to be either the sensor or the gauge itself. I emailed Autometer tech support and actually received two emails from two different technicians giving me the same advice (encouraging) on how to test both the gauge and then the sensor. First up, the guage. Their instructions were to ground the sending terminal with nothing else connected to the terminal and power up the gauge. If the pointer deflects past 250 the gauge is good. The result...



The gauge is good! Next up the sensor. The advice was to measure the ressistance across the sensor which should be 1100 ohms at 100 degrees, dropping to 65 ohms at 250. I watched some youtube videos on how to do this, no big deal, I did it, and sure enough the sensor checks out ok!

Now I'm confused. My gauge checks ok, the connecting wires between the gauge and sensor are good, and the sensor is good. Why doesn't the thing function properly?? One of the youtube videos recommended not using teflon tape on the NPT threads to the sensor because it would inhibit the ground. I don't use teflon tape but I do use this stuff. And it works great.



Here is a photo of my sensor.



I thought maybe the Loctite thread sealer was messing up the ground so I cleaned it all off and tried again. Still no Oil Temperature gauge function and now I have oil leaking out around the sensor! :mad:

I touched a ground wire to the sensor and the gauge kicked in! So I went ahead and wired a ground to the sensor, reapplied Loctite threadsealer, and now the Oil temp gauge works just fine. Here is a photo.



I don't know why the sensor didn't just ground itself through the NPT threads but the recurring theme of grounding the shietz out of this car keeps coming up in my build. I ground everything.