oil temp gauge wiring.

[flyboyx]

i just picked up an e30m3 gauge cluster with the factory oil temp indicator under the tach. my s52 is out a 2000 model mz3 so it has a sending unit for oil temperature and a wire in the harness that runs up to the gauge in the console. obviously the gauge in the e30 requires power in from the sending unit on the engine and a ground. the problem is that the back of the cluster has three terminals that are not labeled. i have not been into it with my ohm meter, but i was wondering if there was anyone else out there who has wired this up? i would really appreciate a heads up if anyone can help me out. can i even use the original sending unit from the engine or do i need to go to the stealership and get the e30 m3 unit?

[BigD]

I have an aftermarket oil temp sensor/gauge but they're all VDO, I'm confident that if I hooked the signal up to my M3 cluster it'd work. 3 terminals are power, ground and signal. The S52 has an oil pressure switch, which you wire into your car for the idiot light. You need to tap an oil temp sensor somewhere else.

I put a distribution block inplace of the stock pressure switch (closest is the pressure switch, far side barrel is the pressure sensor, bottom is temp sensor):

[flyboyx]

I have an aftermarket oil temp sensor/gauge but they're all VDO, I'm confident that if I hooked the signal up to my M3 cluster it'd work. 3 terminals are power, ground and signal. The S52 has an oil pressure switch, which you wire into your car for the idiot light. You need to tap an oil temp sensor somewhere else.

I put a distribution block inplace of the stock pressure switch (closest is the pressure switch, far side barrel is the pressure sensor, bottom is temp sensor):

thats really awesome and helpful. yes, most s52's had an idiot light, but my 2000 mz3 actually had an oil temp gauge in the console. i sold off the console with the gauge but i potentially have the right sensor in my oil filter housing, maybe. i was just wondering if there is anyone else out there has hooked it up to an e30 m3 gauge cluster. i appreciate you filling me in on the ground, sender, battery voltage info. that should be helpful. i still wonder if my s52 sender is compatible with the e30 gauge?

[BigD]

Hmm, try to dig up info on the sensor or the cluster. If it's VDO, then odds are all you need is to tap into switched power, a REALLY clean ground, and then run a wire from your temp sender. VDO is quite monogamous with their resistance range (my water temp gauge uses the stock E30 cluster temp sender).

[gregslow318i]

oil temp for the e30 m3's goes through pin #19 at the c101 and up to the cluster but since you car is not a m3 you will have to runa wire from the sender to the cluster.
makes sure you use a e30m3 oil temp sender part # 12611309193. it is a one pole sender, like the water temp and it is just a potentiometer that show a ohm resistance to the gauge on the cluster. I would suggest buying an adapter like bigD has but if you have the right drill bit and tap you can just put the sender in the oil filter housing or the oil pan.

[flyboyx]

oil temp for the e30 m3's goes through pin #19 at the c101 and up to the cluster but since you car is not a m3 you will have to runa wire from the sender to the cluster.
makes sure you use a e30m3 oil temp sender part # 12611309193. it is a one pole sender, like the water temp and it is just a potentiometer that show a ohm resistance to the gauge on the cluster. I would suggest buying an adapter like bigD has but if you have the right drill bit and tap you can just put the sender in the oil filter housing or the oil pan.

i just checked real oem and it shows a different part number for the mz3. they have 12611404699 listed there. dang! well, i guess i will give it a try and see if works anyway. if that doesn't work, then i will get the correct one for the cluster.

[dude8383]

Bringing this back from the dead... Did that MZ3 sensor work out for you?

[328ijunkie]

Use the E30M3 sensor or values will be off. :D