Does anyone know where I can buy an oil temperature sending unit that will replace the oil plug on an MCS? I called BMP and they told me that they sold the sender as part of their guage kit but not as a stand-alone unit. I suppose I could buy a stock plug and tap it for the sender but that seems like a lot of trouble for something like this.

thanks.
e

 

Ethos,
You might check with your dealer, on the Aux. gauge panel screen (their parts computer)
they have a seperate part number for the adapter and the sending unit.
Regards,
Ric

 

Ethos, if you do get a part # for the sending unit, please share. I also have been contemplating doing this, but just haven't made the time. Thanks.

 

Remember that the actual sending unit will have to be matched with the gauge it's intended to be used with. I havent seen the MINI oil temp sender installed, so I cant comment if you can use the 'adaptor' that fits it into the drain plug hole can accomodate another type/brand of temp sender (most of which mount using a 1/8NPT pipe thread, regardless of brand).

I plan on adding an oil temp gauge to my car soon, and I wont be using the oil drain hole for a mounting location. Instead I will mount the sender in the oil filter canister much like people mount oil pressure senders to it. The advantage here is that the temp sender is much smaller and wont interfere with servicing the oil filter (once the wire is unplugged) and you have a better sense of the actual oil temp as it is circularing through the engine, whereas the oil at the bottom of the pan tends to be quite a bit cooler.

 

Thanks for the feedback so far. Bear--I actually thought about putting the sender in the filter canister but I'm planning to run a pressure guage too and if I put a "T" off the canister I think it would be unlikely to give an accurate temp reading. I did something similar on my truck and it worked fine for the pressure sender, though.

Any other thoughts on where either of the sending units might be spliced in so that both could be used?

thanks.
e

 

Ethos, you might want to consider getting the pressure at the stock pressure sender location. That was what I did (PROMINI gauge cluster). Then you could use the oil filter case for temp. I've been thinking about going with a spin-off oil filter, so haven't pulled the trigger yet. Decisions, decisions...

 

I just installed the oil temp gauge thru the oil drain plug. I had a Greddy temp gauge from my old car so all I need to do is to get a oil temp adapter from Greddy. The thread size is 14xP1.5. This is where I got it from:

http://www.racingworks.com/gauge_misc.htm

 

Ethos,
BMP sells an adapter that allows you to hook up the stock pressure sender and an aftermarket sender that uses 1/8 pipe threads. Thats what I used for my install. Hope this helps.

 

There are some concerns though about taking oil temp readings at the drain plug. I've heard that in most cars, the temps monitored there are quite lower than elsewhere. I just found this thread on MINI2, where on post 39 MotorOn shares that his Volvo showed 30-50 degrees lower. It's someting to be aware of, and something very important, I feel. I'm probably going to tap the oil filter cap, or wait until a new oil cooler comes out with such ports already provided. Somewhere with more flow is desirable...

http://66.220.28.159/forum/showthrea...ht=gauge+range

 

Here's the stock switch:

and here's the temp sensor that I did mounted to the filter and the remotely mounted pressure sensor mounted to a bracket. The sensor is connected to a braided steel line that goes to the BMP adapter that feeds from the location of the stock pressure switch. The stock switch mounts on the end of the BMP fitting.


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IB/W some mods

 

So this picture of the "stock" sensor is the pressure sensor for the idiot light not the temp sensor correct?

I thought that the temp sensor is located under the car at the drain plug no?

 

correct - I pictured the pressure sensor coming off the rear (side?) of the engine.