Installing engine oil temperature gauge - TJ

If you put in a tee then your stock oil sending unit will still work. with all the computers on-board nowadays there may be problems if the computer thinks the engine has no oil pressure.

And a tee will only cost a couple dollars and a few minutes work to install

Billy Ray did pass the time by typing:

Yeabut... without a flow of oil the temperature sensor will just indicate block temperature. That's why they say to put it in the oil pan even though that's a pain and to do it properly you should remove the pan to get rid of any stray metal.

There won't be oil flowing through the tee (to somewhere else) but there will be plenty of oil flowing past the hole in the block where the tee is located. Sure you might be a few degrees off but I'm not sure it is significant.

Would the stock oil pressure unit work? Your comments contradicts itself in a way that there may be problems??

I don't want problems. How about if I use a sandwich plate between the filter and the filter mount. Do you know whats the thread / dimension for the oil filter mount?

Thanks, appreciate your input. TW

I agree with the logic and understand the concept, but thats a lot of work to do it cleanly in the pan. Also, its one more thing closer to ground that can get snapped by tree stump/stones.

Thanks TW

Hey Bill, you would know this for sure. Can I use one of those sandwich plates in the filter mount and put the sender unit that way? Whats the thread size for the oil filter mount for 01 TJ I6. I was thinking perhaps I can get the B&M engine cooling kit and use the cooler for the tranny oil and use the sandwich plate for engine oil sender. Could that work?

Thanks TW

Great, all the factory gauges are approximate anyway. Now I will add another approximate gauge, brilliant. Is there anyway I can use any other options?

TW

Yes, the stock unit will work if installed in a tee.

I've never used a sandwich adapter. Remote oil coolers/relocaters I've seen have the same filter threads and valving as the big Ford V-8 filter (FL-1A). The in/out port threads were 1/2" NPT

Note: I have read on Allpar..com that the Jeep 4 liter filter has the same threads and internal valving as the V-8 Ford Filter

The oil temperature gauges on my turbo 1.8 liter and twin-turbo 2.7 liter Audis were graduated in 25 degree increments. You should find the oil stays between 200-225 degrees which is well within the specs. Synthetic oil runs a bit cooler

If you add a sandwich or other remote base you will have the temperature sensor located somewhere other than in the pan so will also get "approximate" readings. Personally the only changes I have ever made to an oil pan was when I was racing and I brazed a larger sump to the bottom of the pan to increase the oil capacity. I do not think I would do that again.

I don't think a few degrees are significant but if you are really concerned with oil overheating then get a remote cooler and tee the sensor in-line. Depending on the capacity you want it will run between $100-$200 for parts

If all you want is oil temp, why not clean an area on the pan below the full-line, and epoxy or solder a fitting (pre-attached to sender) in place?

I think he wants to avoid dropping and drilling the pan. Or do you mean to use the pan surface temperature rather than the oil itself?

Then he would be back to using a tee again which he wants to avoid.

Or do you mean to

Yup. On a thin steel pan the difference in temp would be negligable.

Speaking of idiot lights, I recently found out Ford on all their trucks for the past 20 years does not have a true oil pressure gauge. I was listening ot Goss's Garage and Pat said that the oil pressure guage in Ford trucks is a pointer idiot light and has been because the bean counters proofed that it was less costly to do so. So I went to my neighbor and asked to do a test and found out that the oil sending unit is a switch to ground. We even measured the resistance from a cold start no change, them we used a probe hooked to th + side of the battery and it light. Damn Ford has been fooling us for a ling time. Pat was also saying that Ford was not going to change because there was no value in doing so.