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Curious About Oil Temp Gauges

S

Slapp

Junior Member
Just installed a set of secondary gauges on the 09 Electra Glide (Air and Oil Pressure), received them from a friend as gift for doing some work for him. After installing them (real easy to do) I was wondering about the oil temp gauge that HD makes for the oil dipstick. They have two types digital and the needle type. My question is which is better and how well do they work, or should I omit the air temp gauge (though I do like that feature) and install a oil temp gauge up top.
 
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The analog (needle) type works well and are pretty accurate too. The digital don't last too long before they go belly up and are usually more expensive too.

Your choice as to which one to use. There's tips in the self help forum with pics on the installation.
 
Just me, and I say so somewhat because I recently did this, but I say ditch the ambient air temp guage and go with a temp guage up top if you want one. Will you really peer down between your thighs and look at the one on the dip sitck? If you have to stop to look at it isnt it more or less just a peice of bling and not an engine management tool? Just my .02...How often do you need to know if the temp is 90 or 60...you probably feel the difference in the air, but knowing if the motor oil is 300 or 250 may make a difference to you.
 
I replaced the air temp gage on my dash with the oil temp gage. The air temp gage is practically useless once the engine is hot and you stop, even in traffic. The sender senses the the heat from the engine and actually warms up so you have no idea what the outside air temp is.

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The oil temp gage combined with the oil pressure gage on the dash let you keep an eye on your engine's life blood. To me that is more important than some approximation of the heat coming off the engine. The air temp you can get from your smart phone (weather.com).

TQ
 
A good friend of mine installed the oil temp gauge in the dash of his ultra a couple months ago. He told me he really likes it. I would imagine it would be much more convenient than having it on the dipstick. To each their own but if I had a fairing on my bike the oil temp guage would be one of my first upgrades.
 
I replaced the fairing air temp. mount with the Marlin's temp gauge. I bought the optional set-up so I could have both oil temp and cylinder head temp.

Gives me a nice reading of what's happening with oil/head temperature. Especially when I rode through the SW desert in July. Able to see the temp but it was reassuring to see where it settled and stayed. No wild temperature swings.

I also have the Harley digital temp dipstick. I don't need to see the temperatures with it but what is nice is all I have to do is push the button and it gives me the oil level without having to remove the dipstick. Especially nice as the exhaust is close and easy to burn yourself.
It will also tell you if the oil is low or if you've overfilled it.

I've had the Harley digital dipstick on the bike for over 3 years and never had a problem.
 
The air temp gauge is useless. I have the digital oil dipstick going on 4 years now, no problem. A friend of mine bought a newer version of the digital temp gauge. His reads the oil level too. Seems pretty convenient to not have to remove the very hot cap, wipe clean, reinsert, and recheck. I don't know how accurate it is though because like i said, it's his, not mine. Worth considering however.
 
I have had my in dash oil temp. gauge for about 2 years now and love it...You will learn a lot about how your motor warms up and how long it takes to cool down....With out one its like riding blind...A must have for the batwing owner...:57:
 
JMO but the air temp gauge gave pretty inaccurate readings on my brothers Ultra in Sturgis:s
 
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