SMITHS Mechanical Oil temp sensor adapter problem..

[dlotz]

It's too short! I went to install the temp sensor in the remote filter adapter and I bottomed out. The male/male adapter is 3/8 NPT to the block and they say it is 5/8 UNF to the sensor coupling, bvut it does not measure 5/8 UNF. I think it is a special thread just for CAI who produces the gauges/

I need an adapter about 1/2" longer but cannot find one. Do they make it?

Should I tap into the oil temp somewhere else?

Thoughts anyone?

Thanks

Dan

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dlotz

Should i tap intot he oil temp somewhere else?

The oil pan is a pretty typical place for the Smiths mechanical sensor. Mine is on the driver's side rear of the Canton road race pan.

[patrickt]

[Woodz428]

I would probably install it elsewhere, the pan is probably the best place. The one I installed into the filter mount responded very slowly, most likely because the oil passed by so quickly. In the pan it is setting in an oil "pond" and can get readings much better.

[dlotz]

Originally Posted by Woodz428

I would probably install it elsewhere, the pan is probably the best place. The one I installed into the filter mount responded very slowly, most likely because the oil passed by so quickly. In the pan it is setting in an oil "pond" and can get readings much better.

I have an Avaid pan and on the FFR chassis there isnt enough room to install it in the front bung because the crossmenber is a 1/2" away from the pan......

I guess I could rempve the pan and weld in an additional bung for the sensor, but that would suck to do at this point and I would think a last restort????......

[dlotz]

Bump

Anyone else?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dlotz

Bump

Anyone else?

I don't know where the drain plug is on your pan, but with my Canton I could, if I had to, fab up the sensor so that it screwed in to the oil pan drain plug hole. That's basically one and a half steps above a truly lame approach though.

[dcdoug]

Not that you want to, but you could just change to a Canton pan, which should give you a lot more room to work with (that's why I have Canton when I'd really rather have Avaid for originality - but not worth pulling the engine every time I need to get the Avaid pan off). You might post this question over on the FFR forum and see if you get a bit more response from people with FFRs and Avaids.

[Excaliber]

Isn't it about $500 for a new pan? Changing out the Aviad for a Canton sure doesn't sound like a reasonable game plan. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, but dang!

[dlotz]

The remote oil adapter was a unit from Fortes with a port tapped at the bottom for the oil sensor.

Since the Smiths gauge has a LONG sensor, I was actually hitting the inside of the adapter and not bottoming out on the block itself.

So I removed the adapter and took the dremel to it and did a little port work and wohla! Fits perfect!

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Isn't it about $500 for a new pan? Changing out the Aviad for a Canton sure doesn't sound like a reasonable game plan. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, but dang!

A bit over $300 for a Canton steel road race pan including the pick-up.

dlotz - glad you got it sorted!

[dlotz]

[quote=

dlotz - glad you got it sorted![/QUOTE]

Thanks for the help guys