Berg Oil Tempeture Dipsticks

I don't know anything about those like whether or not you could test one in your kitchen, but what I'd do is boil some water - that would be

They don't work that way. They have a mechanical thermo switch in them, when the oil temp starts to get close to "contact" temperature, the warning light starts to flicker. Then as the temp rises a little more, the switch makes proper contact and the warning light stays on bright.

Jan

Oh well. I was thinking it was more of a thermometer than just a warning light. I guess the dipstick reminds me of a thermometer...

Actually, they don't have a switch in them like a Kysor or Index alarmstat which uses a wax pellet and contacts. And you certainly could check them by suspending them in boiling water but you shouldn't have to. They aren't much more than a simple tube with some sort of a bi-metal wire soldered or brazed to the bottom. At the other end, the stiff wire is bent over into a partial loop. A plastic sleeve which acts as an insulator is clamped to the neck with a small screw and nut. There is enough threads on the screw to attach your ground terminal for your idiot light (either existing oil lamp or a separate one) and another nut. When the temp goes up, this bi-metal wire twists and the loop travels around until it makes contact with the screw. This grounds out your idiot light making it light up. When they are manufactured, they are calibrated to 212F by heating them up in a controled environment (jig) and the plastic sleeve is clamped so the wire is just making contact. You should never have to touch it.

I use the "shorty" version in a hole tapped into the type 3 dipstick plate that's on all the universal cases. Definitely worth the money!

RT

You certainly could do this by heating some oil on the stove and using a thermometer to verify the temp that the contact on the Berg stick closes. Should be 225ºF-227ºF

Max

Right you are, RT. Here's the shorty:

http://66.225.214.60/ghia/MVC-399F.JPG Max

Thank you all for the information. It's mucho appreciated!

Also Max on your website, on the 1776 pictures page, are those the stock heater boxes with flanges welded on or did you purchase those? If so may I ask who makes them and what size pipes are they?

Theodore

The flanges are available at most exhaust shops in various sizes. I did the cutting and welding myself. The exhaust itself is a stock ID setup I got from the Bergs a while back.

Max

also available mail order...

these are what i use...the "deluxe kit' with the copper gaskets..well worth the small investment of time and money to install....

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

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Here's a tip for the do-it-yourselfer. Use your own engine as a jig. That way all the flanges are in exactly the correct position and bolt together perfectly flat. No leaks that way. This could be more important with an engine that is not stock width because of barrel spacers and such. But I like my stocker to be perfect, too.

Max

i agree...i just cut the flared part off of my header then slid the flange over it...slid the flange over the heater box(heater boxes bolted to engine), then bolted up the header and flanges...a few tacks later i removed it and welded it solid...

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Hi Max,

Thanks again for the info. Your site looks good! Lotsa pictures.

Theodore

Hi Chris,

Thanks also for the info. Have a great week! Theodore

I always do the flange mod too. Never again doughnut leaks!

Jan

Max Welt> The flanges are available at most exhaust shops in various sizes. I did

If you really would like to go the dipstick route this might help you out

I phoned Gene Berg Enterprises way back when Gene Berg was still alive. I got to talk to him. He said those dipsticks will not work in an air flow. So if you have deck lid extenders/cool air kit installed, it probably won't work right. If you mounted it under neath the engine it would not work right. I used to use one of thopse dip sticks. Later on I got a VDO oil temp gauge because I got tired of removing the GB227 and replacing it with a O.E.M. dipstick to check the oil. I always had to be real careful with it. It worked though. The little contact turned, but never made a complete connection to turn on the oil warning light even on a really hot Summer day.