I wanted to install an oil temp and water temp guage on the car with the Alta pods (Don't really think boost guage would be helpful since I don't plan on changing the boost pressure).
What sensor should I use to install the oil temp guage and where can I find it?
I remember on my old 2002 BMW 325i, I used an oil temp guage that was connected to the oil drain plug... anything as simple as that?

No Oil Temp solution yet???? Come on someone!

drill a tap on top of the filter container

e-mail Craven Speed http://www.cravenspeed.com

Iknow they have an adapter for the R-53. I am not sure about the R55/56

I would like to know as well as I want to run a oil pressure gauge as too me oil temp and water temp are relative to one another, so if you have one you really dont need the other.

M3this, then why don't you just throw a water temp gauge in there and be done with it. Easy install.

I plan on doing Water Temp and Oil Pressure as when on the track those are the two most important things to watch, as if the motor is running too hot you need to stop or if you loose oil pressure you need to spot immediately.

For the water temp plus a lot more:
www.scangauge.com

I am working with CravenSpeed on an oil pressure tap, we should see it soon. If any of you are interested, send me a note...e-mail from my webiste works best. I'll set up a list and get with you when they are ready.

I do not recommend drilling into the oil filter cap, there is not much material there, and you're just asking for trouble
--Dan

The OEM Auxillary gauges use a drain plug temp sender.

On the downside, it only has three friggin' threads, and my 'only changed by the dealer and myself' MCS puked the three threads in the AL oil pan after 40K+ miles.

LOL...I totally misread the title of the post. I prefer to watch water temp over oil temp, however for track use, oil temp is important on a turbo.

I'm baffled as to why they would use a temp sender without enough treads

you could drill a tap in your oil pan

That has worked well for me on the W11 engine with the aluminum oil pan, but the N14 is stamped. Either way, the pan should be removed and a bung should be welded to the pan. The sensor in place of the drain plug is ideal, but finding one that actually fits with the right Ohms range will be the trick.

How hard would it be to R&R the oil pan with the engine in the car to drill and weld a bung to it for the oil temp sensor?

I used Craven speed's tapless adapter, for their oil pressure sender, but instead of connecting the oil pressure sender directly to the tapless adapter, I screwed a two foot length of 1/4" hydraulic hose into the adapter and remotely mounted the oil pressure sender. That left enough room for a temperature sender to be screwed into the tapless adapter too. Be sure to bleed the air out of the adapter or the temperature reading will be erratic.



Dave

Wait, so you have two feet of hose hanging in your engine bay filled with pressurized engine oil?

Yep! It is hydraulic hose rated at 5000 psi.

I'm not worried that the the 60psi that the MINI's oil pump produces is any threat to the hose's integrity.

Hydraulics companies will put together any kind of hose, with any kind of fitting you want, for a reasonable price.

Dave

My headunit displays oil pressure,oiltemp,watertemp,air/fuel ratio,boost pressure and ignition timing.

I have no concerns with the pressure but the I would think the ability of the oil to circulate and render an accurate temp reading would be hindered by a long run of small diameter hose.

delete

The oil temperature sender is not at the end of the hose, it is screwed into the tapless adapter, next to the head. The pressure sender is at the end of the hose.

The reason for bleeding the air out of the adapter is so that the sender is immersed in hot oil, not in an air bubble.

With the variations in oil pressure and different RPMs, hot oil pushes in and out of that inch of adapter frequently, heating the temperature probe to the oil temperature. The gage stays steady.

Dave

Thanks for the additional info. I thought the oil temp sender was at the end of the hose looking at the pic. That adapter is looking like the best option at this point. My other option would be to pull the oil pan and weld a bung on it. Not sure if the pan can be removed with the engine still in the car.

I've got the oil drain pug adapter but, I don't like the idea of removing the sensor to drain the oil.