Oil Temp Gauge Recommendation

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Feb 8, 2012 | 02:08 PM

SmittyFXDL

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 1,317

Likes: 16

From: Texas

Oil Temp Gauge Recommendation

Ive read a good bit on how to install an oil temp gauge here on forums and am ready to bite the bullet. For those of you that replaced the air temp gauge with the oil temp gauge, did yo buy from your local dealer or is there a vendor here that offers better pricing?

Feb 8, 2012 | 06:49 PM

rustybearing

Cruiser

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 160

Likes: 3

From: Fresno, Ca.

I originally ordered mine from Chicago Harley but after 8 weeks cancelled the order. Ordered a new one from a dealer on Ebay and had it within two weeks. I think it was Cowboy Harley of Austin. Even gave me a discount. If you can wait, one pops up in the forum every once in a while for a good price.

Feb 8, 2012 | 07:12 PM

HD Jim

Road Warrior

Joined: Sep 2011

Posts: 1,308

Likes: 3

From: Central Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustybearing

+1 for Cowboy Harley in Austin ! Never had any problems with parts or the occasional service I've had them done.

Feb 8, 2012 | 07:21 PM

dwg1956

Tourer

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 352

Likes: 0

From: Asheville, North Carolina

www.lshd1 great people to deal with. I ran my wires up to the fairing up behind the engine and under the tank had to add about 6 inches to the wires but looks cleaner than running them up the fron of the frame

Feb 8, 2012 | 07:40 PM

fabrik8r

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2010

Posts: 2,916

Likes: 31

From: earth

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyFLHX

If you're looking for something acurate that can actually be read, find something other than the HD gauge.

Feb 8, 2012 | 08:35 PM

iclick

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 11,615

Likes: 50

From: Baton Rouge, LA

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabrik8r

If you're looking for something acurate that can actually be read, find something other than the HD gauge.

Hmm, I don't have trouble reading mine. OTOH if you are referring to the odd graduations on the gauge, I don't look at it as an instrument providing precise readings, like you might need on the space shuttle. What does it matter if one line on the gauge is 180 or 185°? Well, I kind of wanted to know, so I checked hot draining oil at an indicated 180° using a meat thermometer and an IR thermometer and the three were within a few degrees of each other--closer than I expected. That's as close as I need, and as long as it is consistent and reasonably accurate it serves its purpose for me. Over the past five years I watch it as much as any gauge on the bike, except maybe the speedometer, and wouldn't want to be without it.

Last edited by iclick; Feb 9, 2012 at 03:42 PM.

Feb 9, 2012 | 06:24 AM

fabrik8r

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2010

Posts: 2,916

Likes: 31

From: earth

Quote:

Originally Posted by iclick

Hmm, I don't have trouble reading mine. OTOH if you are referring to the odd graduations on the gauge, I don't look at it as an instrument providing precise readings, like you might need on the space shuttle. What does it matter if one line on the gauge is 180 or 185°? Well, I kind of wanted to know, so I checked hot draining oil at an indicated 180° (the line between 180 and 230°) using a meat thermometer and an IR thermometer and the three were within a few degrees of each other--closer than I expected. That's as close as I need, and as long as it is consistent and reasonably accurate it serves its purpose for me. Over the past five years I watch it as much as any gauge on the bike, except maybe the speedometer, and wouldn't want to be without it.

You and I have had very different experiences with the HD gauge. I'm glad you figured out how to read yours. I thoroughly bench tested two different HD gauges and came up with the same results, it is very easy to errantly read this gauge to the low side by a wide margin. I've written this up extensively on more than one occasion, the HD gauge scale is simply not easily readable at a glance, which is what I look for in a guage. You're not the first to respond with the "it's not a precise instrument, it's only meant to give you a rough idea". I say why bother then, may as well have a dummy light or no indication at all of temperature. Although I wasn't building a space shuttle, I was developing a cooling system, so I needed a gauge to be relatively accurate so I could quantify the results of my efforts. The HD gauge scale is so illusive, if I had used it instead of my AutoMeter, I would never have made many of the valuable observations that led me to further improvements and development. Ask 3 different people at any dealership to tell you how to read the HD gauge and you will get three different answers. When I get some time I will get another gauge, bench test it, and do another write up with pics and all. The HD gauge is junk and all the guys who believe they are running at 180F-205F are quite simply ill informed by the gauge, which I can't help but believe is intentionally engineered by the MOCO to give a low reading. I can't say that this is my opinion because I have validated it, so I'll just claim this has been my experience, and with steadily widenenig manufacturing tolerances, it's not impossible that someone else could have a different experience.

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Feb 9, 2012 | 06:44 AM

harleymike77

Road Captain

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 606

Likes: 7

From: Southern Ontario

I have replaced that useless POS Air Temp Gauge on both my Street Glides, with the Oil Temp. Gauge. Both times I have purchased it through my local Dealer when they were offering a 20% discount.