As far as the "oil bath" theory, you guys may be on to something. The fitting is one of two that came with the kit - the straight T and a 45° curved T and the tip of the sender probe does not protrude into the actual stream of oil that flows through either. I considered that as a possible problem which is why I inverted the fitting and sensor so that more oil would get at the tip. My next step will be to insulate the fitting to hold in the heat and if that doesn't help I'll remove it and drill out the inside to allow more oil to get at the sensor probe.

Like I said, if it was easy everybody else would have it and then I wouldn't want it.

 

If you really want to get into it, get a decent quality digital multi-meter and a digital pyrometer. Measure the resistance of your sender at room temperature, record temp, heat up your water some, say to 120F, put sender in, let stabilize, record temp and resistance, heat to boiling, put sender in, let stabilize, record temp and resistance. Graph that out. Go to one of the big electronic parts houses like digikey and find a thermistor that has the same temp profile. Buy a couple of those. I think you need to buy like $15 worth of stuff for a minimum order, but it's been a couple years. Epoxy the thermistor to the input line of your oil cooler, wrap the whole area with some type of good temperature insulation. Run your gauge wires to the thermistor. There. Done.

I'm really surprised no one has done that for the EFI bike's cylinder head temp senders. You could probably get 50 of them for what HD charges for one.

 

"the tip of the sender probe does not protrude into the actual stream of oil"


I think you answered your own question. Maybe a brass T fitting (if the sender unit is threaded) would help get the probe into the oil flow? I would make sure that the probe would not restrict oil flow if you try a brass T fitting. JMO

 

[QUOTE=Dr.Hess;15561484]If you really want to get into it,..../QUOTE]

I agree and if my goal was to ensure that the oil temp was staying within a critical parameter your suggestion would be the way to go but that isn't the goal here. I just want to see what the oil temp is and I have no doubt that sooner or later I'll figure it out. To me it's just another part of the motorcycling experience.



It's the little things that matter. Like mounting a Softail rear brake on a 4 speed swing arm frame.


Or turning a Cragar spinner into a gas cap.


Or making a kicker arm out of a piston rod.


Basically making or doing stuff that not too many people have. That's what I like doing.

 

Your shovelhead needs more skulls.

 

I like the way the kicker looks, good job...