M3 Oil Temp Sending unit question

[James Crivellone]

Hey guys, have a question for yah.


On the E30 M3, the Oil temp sender bolts near the oil filter/oil cooler flange... Now here is the question


On my car, i have an m3 instrument cluster, which means oil temp gauge. Now I have the e3 m3 sender, but obviously no place to stick it on the block.

So as I was randomly searching my many parts sites, I come across this.



Part Number
323 092

VDO Sending Unit - Oil Temp - For 17mm Hex-head Drain Plug

$25.95

Now, its VDO, same as the cluster, and I can only assume that it would send the same data. This sender is obviously designed for an aftermarket gauge, however is there a chance this would work..?

[e304lyfe]

interesting... i was talking to someone that was doing similar. seeing as i am in the same boat, i inquired.

key points of our conversation:

I am going to fit a VDO temperature sender into the sump plug of the 325i. It's just a 50-150oC sender I got from VDO...along with the plug for the back of the tacho.

The VDO part number for the temp sender is 320.028. Note that I actually haven't fitted it yet...so I can't say with 100% confidence that it'll do the job. It's possible the ohmage is wrong...I don't know what resistance BMW used on the M3. However, I figure the important thing is to know the temperature of the oil relative to normal driving....not neccessarily to actual temperature.

It's also worth grabbing the appropriate plug to fit the oil temp sender: part # 14TS.

i have not gotten back to him to see if this has worked... and i have not done it myself, cause i am quite lazy and it is winter.

[kowalski]

i would also like to know the answere to this question because i too am verry lazy and only motivated to do things that will work and take verry little effort right now but who knows tomorrow i may feel different and feel up to fiddling arround and seeing as i have to climb under my car already due to an oil leak that needs to be found i may as wel do the temp thing too.... so if you find the ingfo stick her in here:) thanks

[h0lmes]

Re: M3 Oil Temp Sending unit question

Hey guys, have a question for yah.


On the E30 M3, the Oil temp sender bolts near the oil filter/oil cooler flange... Now here is the question


On my car, i have an m3 instrument cluster, which means oil temp gauge. Now I have the e3 m3 sender, but obviously no place to stick it on the block.

So as I was randomly searching my many parts sites, I come across this.



Part Number
323 092

VDO Sending Unit - Oil Temp - For 17mm Hex-head Drain Plug

$25.95

Now, its VDO, same as the cluster, and I can only assume that it would send the same data. This sender is obviously designed for an aftermarket gauge, however is there a chance this would work..?

yeah James it will work

[Jand3rson]

So all that would have to be done if you have an M3 cluster, is put that in place of the stock drain plug, hook it up, and it will read properly in the M3 cluster?

Sweeeeeet...... :D

[AdamF 88iS]

Heres what I would do so you can use the OE M3 sensor and not have any doubt..

Drill and tap a hole in the end of the hollow bolt that holds the oil fitler housing ot the block. I've done this successfully on 2 cars already.

[Jordan]

Drill and tap a hole in the end of the hollow bolt that holds the oil fitler housing ot the block. I've done this successfully on 2 cars already.

Would that also be a suitable place for a oil pressure fitting? I would rather just buy the cheap VDO pressure sender, and not the grossly overpriced BMP adapter.

[trent]

I do not recommend using that in the drail plug location. Sensors are exactly that, very sensitive. I have seen many of these break due to the common use. Sure it fits, but it not really ment to but removed and tightened often. Unless you are these asshole who do 10k+ oil changes.

That said those sensors/senders, whatever, should be installed and left alone. You can also tap the pan and leave the standard drain plug, or, do as Adam suggests.

Those sensors work in many different ohm ranges. You need to measure the E30 M3 gauge to find what range it works.

[AdamF 88iS]

Drill and tap a hole in the end of the hollow bolt that holds the oil fitler housing ot the block. I've done this successfully on 2 cars already.

Would that also be a suitable place for a oil pressure fitting? I would rather just buy the cheap VDO pressure sender, and not the grossly overpriced BMP adapter.

VDO sells one that fits in the spot where the original one goes and has 2 hookups on it, one for the stock light and one for the gauge.

[Jordan]

It doesn't fit directly in that spot... you need an adapter to move it further out (the vdo sender is too big)

[ian332isport]

Alternatively, you could just screw an E30 M3 oil temp sender in place of your existing oil pan drain plug. It's the same thread size, and uses the same style crush washer to seal it :D

Ian.

[AndrewBird]

Where is the original sender on an M3? And why not just use that and tap a hole somewhere like AdamF 88iS says?

[Hubbert]

Oil pressure sender cure ! $20.00 bucks worth of adaptors , works for me.

[AdamF 88iS]

Where is the original sender on an M3? And why not just use that and tap a hole somewhere like AdamF 88iS says?

The sender is on the oil filter head on the M3.

[george graves]

Oil pressure sender cure ! $20.00 bucks worth of adaptors , works for me.

Bumping an old thread...

My god man - that is nasty....

who has the sick oil temp/pressure sender unit set up?