Dash mount oil temp gage
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma, Washington
I was going to replace my air temp gauge with the Harley oil temp. gauge but when I went to order it the parts guy at the dealer asked if I was moving to the south. I said no and he said "why are you installing the temp. gauge". He said that here in the northwest a temp gauge is really not needed. He also said if I had about $150 bucks I wanted to throw away he'd be happy to order the parts for me. Well, I thought it over and decided he had a point. The parts guy said if I was going to be traveling to the southern U.S. in the summer and staying there for more than two weeks a temp gauge might be a good idea. This type of advice is one of the reasons I like my dealer here in Tacoma.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 867
Likes: 79
From: Bridgewater, NJ
As a matter of fact I did. It was the Hogtune speakers. Since I moved the volt gauge to where the temp gauge was and put the oil temp gauge where the volt gauge was, the magnet was too close to the gauge and pulled the needle over. I swapped it back to the old spot. Problem gone.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Bagram, Afghanistan
As a matter of fact I did. It was the Hogtune speakers. Since I moved the volt gauge to where the temp gauge was and put the oil temp gauge where the volt gauge was, the magnet was too close to the gauge and pulled the needle over. I swapped it back to the old spot. Problem gone.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: So. Calif.
Still Want to Know
Thanks for all the good advice and pointers. I am going to do this mod before summer hits.
I may not be able to do too much about oil temp (change speed, pull over and stop...find a shady oak tree and have a beer?), but I still want to know.
I may not be able to do too much about oil temp (change speed, pull over and stop...find a shady oak tree and have a beer?), but I still want to know.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 914
Likes: 1
From: Republic of Texas
I was going to replace my air temp gauge with the Harley oil temp. gauge but when I went to order it the parts guy at the dealer asked if I was moving to the south. I said no and he said "why are you installing the temp. gauge". He said that here in the northwest a temp gauge is really not needed.
You don't spend all your time fixating on the oil temperature, but its value lies in establishing the baseline oil temperature for your engine. Once you understand the range of temps normal for your bike, you're in a position to spot abnormalities. If you notice the oil temperature is unusually high, you have reason to suspect something's going on, like low oil quantity, detonation, worn rings permitting blow-by, etc. Likewise, it's useful to be able to see low oil temp as well. After a cold start, the oil isn't circulating optimally, it's a good idea to avoid hard acceleration until temps come up to normal.
Using the oil temperature gauge to spot deviations from the norm can help in identifying developing problems before they become severe. And this technique works anywhere you ride.
[edited to change "low temp" wording]
Last edited by racklefratz; Mar 15, 2009 at 08:16 AM.
Typical "parts guy". There's a reason why they're behind the parts counter and not somewhere else that requires actual knowledge.
You don't spend all your time fixating on the oil temperature, but its value lies in establishing the baseline oil temperature for your engine. Once you understand the range of temps normal for your bike, you're in a position to spot abnormalities. If you notice the oil temperature is unusually high, you have reason to suspect something's going on, like low oil quantity, detonation, worn rings permitting blow-by, etc. If it shows way below what you expect, your oil pump may be going. Using the oil temperature gauge to spot deviations from the norm can help in identifying developing problems before they become severe. And this technique works anywhere you ride.
You don't spend all your time fixating on the oil temperature, but its value lies in establishing the baseline oil temperature for your engine. Once you understand the range of temps normal for your bike, you're in a position to spot abnormalities. If you notice the oil temperature is unusually high, you have reason to suspect something's going on, like low oil quantity, detonation, worn rings permitting blow-by, etc. If it shows way below what you expect, your oil pump may be going. Using the oil temperature gauge to spot deviations from the norm can help in identifying developing problems before they become severe. And this technique works anywhere you ride.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
From: Western North Carolina
All I'm getting when I type in your wally world link is a bunch of freaken spam. If that is how they do business I don't want anything to do with them.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 502
From: Northern WV
Be aware of an issue with (at least some of) the current HD oil temp gauges. There is a space on the outer dial face, behind the glass which allows the back light to make a distinct halo. I took the gauge back and the dealer ordered another one. I could see even in the box that it was made the same way so I didn't even take it. It's more noticable on the black gauges than the silver ones. I contacted HD and even furnished pictures. They said the oil temp gauge was now coming from another supplier and "that's the way they are now." Maybe I'm too picky but having four symetrical gauges with one illuminated differently just bothered me, especially at night. So I ended up putting the air gauge back in and wrote it off as a $125 mistake.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Bagram, Afghanistan
I got mine from them but I suggest following your order up after a day or so because they were a little slow shipping it. Good Gauge though...
Here's my write up on it...pros and cons to both gauges. But easy install.
McEwen_Oil_Temp_Gauge