Best location for oil temp sender on e30

[The Barvarian]

I have an 87 iS, where is the best location for the oil temp sender?

[e30this]

on the pass side of the block

[nefarious7907]

Are you planning on using any certain type of adapter? I know that some people use one that goes in place of the oil drain plug, while most people T off of the oil pressure sender on the passenger side of the block. But I am using The Racers Market oil filter sandwich adapter and it works great, its leaks a tiny bit but keeping track of oil pressure and temp are a bit more important than an ounce of oil leaking every 1000 miles.

[reelizmpro]

Tap on top of the oil filter housing bolt (its hollow), weld a nut on top for the desired spacing. If you have an E30 M3 instrument cluster u can use the M3 oil temp sender.
Or you can use a sandwich adapter.

[profbooty]

Are you planning on using any certain type of adapter? I know that some people use one that goes in place of the oil drain plug, while most people T off of the oil pressure sender on the passenger side of the block. But I am using The Racers Market oil filter sandwich adapter and it works great, its leaks a tiny bit but keeping track of oil pressure and temp are a bit more important than an ounce of oil leaking every 1000 miles.

mine didn't come with any directions, how did you tighten down the oil filler screw extension? seems pretty hard to do anything other than hand tight with the headers in the way. I assume that the rubber gasket points towards the existing oil filter mounting point and doesnt touch the rubber part on the new oil filter?

[nefarious7907]

mine didn't come with any directions, how did you tighten down the oil filler screw extension? seems pretty hard to do anything other than hand tight with the headers in the way. I assume that the rubber gasket points towards the existing oil filter mounting point and doesnt touch the rubber part on the new oil filter?

yes the rubber gasket goes between the adapter and the filter mount, and it is a tight fit to get the adapter and sensors on there but its possible.
I highly suggest installing your sensors into it before you mount it, and remember not to use type of sealing compound between the sensor threads and the adapter otherwise you will have a grounding issue with the sensors and your gauges will not work. But I used a small cresent wrench and I think a deep well socket a swivel and extension to get it on there good and snug.

You may also want to zip tie your wires to your oil cooler lines to keep them from touching the exhaust, some type of spark plug heatsheild material would not be a bad investment and I need to do that to mine.

[E30_fiend]

where did you purchase this sandwich adapter?

Im in the market.

thanks


E30Fiend

[matt]

http://www.factory3performance.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=288

You will need a 26mm or 27mm deep socket for installation.

It's a very nice product, if I do say so myself...

[E30_fiend]

http://www.factory3performance.com/s...exd.asp?id=288

You will need a 26mm or 27mm deep socket for installation.

It's a very nice product, if I do say so myself...

Awesome, I may need to get one of these. This will suffice for an oil pressure and an oil temp gauge right?


E30Fiend

[James Crivellone]

Why buy an adapter when you can simply tap the center of the oil filter housing bolt?



Costs next to nothing, and does not require an adapter (not a fan of those)

[matt]

Awesome, I may need to get one of these. This will suffice for an oil pressure and an oil temp gauge right?


E30Fiend

Yes, it will work fine for both of those.

If you don't have an oil cooler, you can't tap that bolt...

[AlarmedBread]

I tapped the oil line housing bolt also, works great. I also found that the best way to remove that bolt while in the junkyard is the lugwrench in the trunk of the car you're getting it from. :)

[mops]

well... i think the ideal position would be in the oil pan, where the oil is drawn from.... but that oil filter housing holding bolt/thing should be good too. you want to have good oil flow there, so stock oil PRESSURE measuring points is great to T-off and measure PRESSURE, but it's a very bad place to measure OIL TEMP (i tried - there's no flow there and the reading is very bad. always cold pretty much).

[DCColegrove]

Oil temp senders should always be in the sump (Oil pan).

Why you ask?

Because that's the rule...

(and the only place for an accurate oil temp reading).

[matt]

There is plenty of flow at the oil filter to get an accurate temp reading. It's true that the pressure feed should only be used for pressure (although if you're feeding a turbo off it, it will be accurate enough)