Oil temperature sensor, kent

[Tomk]

Hi guys,

I think it's time to adjust the location of my temperature sensor on my westfield running a kent x-flow. The oil temperature never goes above 85 degrees C, which is a complete joke.

My belief is that the oil gets far hotter than this, that the gauge works fine and that the sender has no problems, and it is the fact that the sender is mounted in the sump plug. This to me is so illogical and stupid and is surely the cause of my dodgy readings? Am i right? or just jumping to wild conclusions?

And if i am right where is the 'normal' place to locate the temperature sender on a kent x-flow. I believe the gauge is standard equiptment on a 1992 westfield, VDO.

[Kevin Wood]

I wouldn't say there's a problem with it being in the sump plug, TBH.

It is sitting in the oil that the oil pump is picking up and supplying to the engine. Oil will be sloshing around in the sump, so it's hardly a "dead end" where oil will be allowed to stagnate.

You will get some cooling effect from airflow over the sump, but I doubt it will remove significant heat from the sender, and you'd see the temperature rise when coming to a stop if that were the case.

I can't see what's wrong with that location.

Kevin

[Kevin Wood]

Just to add, if you do want to put your mind at rest, you can get temperature sensitive stickers that change colour permanently based on the highest temperature reached. For a second opinion on the oil temperature, stick one to the oil filter and see what happens.

You can get them from Think Automotive for a rew quid.

Kevin

[Tomk]

Thanks for the input, and ideas.

Looks like im gonna have to get a new gauge/sensor then most likely.

[greenandmean]

Mine is in a tee piece off the block along with the pressure sensor.

[Hammy]

Mines in the sump - Vauxhall XE,  creeps up to 80C eventually..

[Tomk]

Surely the real temperature of the oil, a t the filter, should be significantly higher than this, like closer to 100 after a hard run?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

After an hour or so on the motorway at 4/5000 rpm my oil temp made it to the late eighties.

[Tomk]

That's ok then, my past experiance is with relatively modern tuned turbo engines, I didn't realise that this was about the right temperature for these engines. Thanks guys.

[Martin Keene]

85 degrees for a bulk oil temperature in the sump sounds about right. It will pick up heat as it goes through the pump and bearings, if you had a bulk temperature of 120 in the sump, you'd be in big trouble.

I had my temperature gauge on a t-piece with the pressure sensor in the main gallery. I think is a more useful temperature to measure as it tells you the temperature of the oil the bearings are about to receive.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Sorry, meant to add that's on a Vx 2 litre XE!

[Blatman]

Bulk oil temp should be about what the water temp is...

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I thought much the same as Martin; have to say though, and to be fair I haven't had a chance to compare extreme running temperatures, but looking at the data logs, there doesn't seem to be any effective difference in oil temperature between measuring it at the DS tank and the tapping on the block next to the OP gauge. (though I suppose the OP gauge tappings are before it's been in the block long and gone through the main bearings.

Yes Blatters, once up to temp it tracked the water temp within a degree all the way back on the motorway. (I was bored and scanning gauges   )

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

That's ok then, my past experiance is with relatively modern tuned turbo engines, I didn't realise that this was about the right temperature for these engines. Thanks guys.

Got a BMW turbo diesel at the mo, drove it the first time thinking it was felony ages to heat up, then that it was running hot at a steady 100 degrees before I realised it only has an oil temperature gauge and no water temp gauge   (just has a warning light for water temp and a low level warning for coolant)