Trying to get an answer about having the ability to read either a oil temp or water temp or engine temp for my Tri Glide. Seems I cant get an answer from anyone at the Harley dealer. do not want to have to look down at the oil dipstick, there is a dial or digital unit that replaces the dipstick. One person did mention using the air temp sensor on the infotainment unit to read oil temp. I thought about it. I only need to get a sensor that would read between 100 to 300 degrees or so and find out what the infotainment uses to convert the reading into a number. Usually like the sensor reads so many ohms at a certain temp and the resistance is converted via the voltage into a number in the infotainment unit. I bought a maintenance supplement manual and will check out the wiring and see how it interlinks with the air temp sensor. Thanks for any suggestions. It would be a lot easier to mount a gauge on the fairing or handle bars and route the wire to the sending unit on the engine. . Then I would still have to have voltage to get a reading. Unless it was like a Murphy gauge that was one self contained unit.

 

The oil temperature might be kind of tough, but since most of the water system is in the right lower wind deflector, there may be a way to make a simple gauge to read it there. Heh, like someone should make a Motometer for us!

Another thought might be to adapt a digital temperature monitor like they use on grills/smokers. The temperature range should be about right; the wiring is usually in a nice looking thin stainless armored cable, there is probably a place to mount the base unit up on the fairing somewhere. They might even make a dual display unit. Finding a place to get a meaningful value (probe placement) might be kind of tough.

 

Spoke to two different parts persons and they did not have any idea. Maybe I will do some research on this and do it myself. Being in the HVAC business, I know where to find something. Just have to mount it correctly and power it with 12 volts. Murphy gauge could work with an alarm system, but I always do over kill.

 

As a suggestion maybe a handlebar mount with small gauges with digital readouts to monitor both.

EDIT: I looked online with intrigue and found this setup. Its a single gauge that would incorporate a toggle switch that you could switch between oil temp and water temp. Mounting it would be one issue. The other would be you would have to drill a hole into your antifreeze reservoir or mount a inline tee that would allow you to screw in a sensor.

Click on # 7 and then click more info and order for the gauge setup >> http://marlins-motorcycles.com/index1.html?193.html&1

 

FYI: I found this phone app pretty useful for monitoring engine temperature. I guess the meat thermometer would work also:

 

I find the Power Vision to be the best monitoring tool I have ever used. This is my 10th Harley- first one in 1957.

It allows me to monitor just about every function on the engine possible. I have it set up for engine temp, air fuel mixture, rpm,s and average mpg.

You go to gauge set up and choose whatever you want to monitor. Works perfect. I also have the fairing mounted oil temp gauge, Always know what's going on. One of my favorite purchases in 50+ years of riding.

 

I ended up installing marlins Head Temp gauge on the handle bars. Used a cheap spst switch. Came off the battery with a 1 amp fuse to the switch and then to the gauge. Just have to remember to turn off the switch when shutting down the bike. Reads very well. Verified with a laser temp gun. within a few degs. I think it works great as a reference when I need to make a decision to do something when/if the temp gets close to 300 degs. At 70 degs ambient air, the head temp gauge was reading about 260 degs. Seems about right to me. When I turned of the bike, I realized that the sfans for the radiator were on. So I guess the radiator fans cycle on at about 250 or higher. I always learn something when I work on my Trike.