Anybody using the dipstick with temp gauge from Mainely Custom by Design? Any comparison to other oil temp measurements?(i.e., Oil temp from taco plate)
Thanks,
Aaron

Ferg loves his!

I tried it once (Ferg's) but didn't have a gauge, so I have no idea how it would compare. One of these days I'll order one for myself. But it's kinda nice not knowing.

I was just about to purchase one online to be used as a backup for my internal oil temp gauge. I know that you have to park the car to see it, but it might be useful should my internal gauge move above the normal operating parameters. However, after trading correspondence with a number of the board members, I am considering moving to a CHT setup on at least one cylinder.

I look forward to comments posted here to help me make my decision...

Yup, very good product. Whenever the oil temp gauge gauge had adnormal readings, or I was changing gauges, I used the dip stick gauge to verify.

It would be interesting to see how accurate these are and how well they follow the stock unit. It reminds me of an old Chinese proverb:

"A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with 5 watches is never really sure"

Must be a pain to see while driving

i would say - every once in a while bring some water to boil - check temp with known accurate guage - and then dip oil stick in to see how close to accurate it is.

Use a mirror on a long stick.

thats exactly how i checked out my Mainely gauge (212) and also how I calibrated the sensor and gauge thats in the car.

The mainely was always spot on btw.

Only problem with the Mainely is that it is hard to see the oil level on it. Its so polished that the oil just rolls off it. I thought about roughing up the surface with some light sandpaper but never got around to it.

i'm one of the 'board members' that convinced eric read about the cylinder head temp gauge.

use one of those first, put an oil temp gauge on the dash ( i have one, whooopee!) but the CHT is VASTLY more critical. your oil can still be cold and your heads can be at 450 (ask me how i know this) guess which will blow the engine first?

I was out running it last night and the oil was past the middle of the gauge sweep. all in all, the temp was looking good. I glance down at my CHT and see that my heads are at 365 degrees while going down the road at 60 in 4th gear. My head temps and oil temps are NEVER in sych. do the right thing and get a compensated CHT from dakota digital and then think about an oil gauge on your dash. it's useless in the engine bay unless you're always pulled over looking at it (likely not a good thing!)

My problem has been deciding which gauge to believe. My in dash is a triple gauge from NH or PA Speedo with the sender in the taco plate. Sometimes that one reads up to 30 degrees higher than the dipstick gauge. I calibrated the dipstick gauge with boiling water, but have no idea if the in-dash gauge calibration is correct. I do have a CHT gauge on the way, I'm tired of wondering.

My chemistry is coming back to me. Anytime you check calibration on a temp gauge with boiling water, be sure to correct for elevation, i.e. water boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations. Here's a link to a calculator.....
http://virtualweberbullet.com/boilingpoint.html

aaron

Had one for years and loved it.

Checked it boiling method, with a IR thermo pointer thingy ect. it was accurate.

Once you get some base line readings, it was super easy to know the actual temp by looking at your center console gauge by looking at it's position.

Even though a center console gauge has no numbers, the word TEMP was good for reference, when the needle was just touching the M it was about 210 IIRC if it was on the far side of the M going towards P 235ish ect...

Each car may be different but it was nice to know (and sometimes not nice) what the car was running at up the Mountain ect.

I let a few borrow it and they were surprised how HOT their stock cars ran on the highway ect...

Ferg

little hyjack, but... what kind of temp differences can i expect with non-compensated gauge vr.s comp gauge? where/when/how? just trying to understand my non comp. guage and to be aware of "false?" readings where/when/how

now back to your regularly schedualed program

mike

Including me. One of these days I'll hook up the CHT gauge/sender I have laying around. I still kinda like not knowing.