oil temp gauge dipstick

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:44 am

Does anyone remember this thread from long ago?? I'm having no luck using 'search' on this.

Anyhow, was just curious if anything ever came of this and of the folks who have them/use them, whats your experiences? Cool

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:04 am

I did find this one, but this is in response to the original, which is the one I'm looking for.

http://cb1100f.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9756

Thanks,

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:34 pm

Gajudaw wrote:

I did find this one, but this is in response to the original, which is the one I'm looking for.

http://cb1100f.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9756

Thanks,

That looks like the one in my bike.

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:33 pm

Interesting - I had that thread bookmarked (I have a folder of bookmarks linking directly to various threads on this site) it was here:

http://cb1100f.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=7961&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

its showing as no longer valid - maybe it got moved somewhere? Dunno.

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:08 am

Okay, question worthy of a newbie, but somebody's got to take the bullet:
I'm an old car guy; what are acceptable temp ranges for our engines? For inline air-cooled fours in general?
Thanks for the advice, & for the inevitable abuse (I'm bulletproof). TB

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:39 am

I've used one for quite a while now - knowing is better than guessing. I can tell you from first hand experience in the traffic jams of Daytona Bike Week 2006...that temps can surpass 260 degrees easily. Many a bike was pulled off the road with overheating - air cooled overheating.

Normal riding in 85% humdity and about 82 degrees produces just about 190-200 degrees, based on my experience.

I highly recommend an oil temp gauge - the engine you save may be your own. I also recommend a damn good oil.

The traffic jams at Bike Week have to be experienced to be believed - but I wouldn't recommend them on a borderline engine.

Spook Wink

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:43 am

I did not put the cb900c oil pump cover on this 1123 motor so I could use the temp stick I have in there now. I need a short one for my CBX also but she has Amsoil synthetic oil now and so far runs cool.
I may use the cb900c pump cover again if I can get a short temp guage.

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:06 am

What about one of these? Anyone ever use one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YOSHIMURA-METER-CB750F-Z1-SRX600-CB-SRX-KZ-CB900F-HAWK_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ10066QQitemZ4621500258QQrdZ1

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:55 am

The mechanical dipstick ones work well for about 10-15 years until the clear gauge face goes opaque.

Engine oils need to be at least 170 F. to function properly to not act as a condenser for H2O & the resulting PH problems that causes. Petroleum based engine oils start to have trouble with coking & thermal break down above 275 F and 250 to 275 F in a much safer temp to run them at. Synthetic oils are OK up to about 325-350 F but by the time you get your engine oil that hot in one of these CB....F engines you will be causing heat related failures elsewhere in the engine.

All these are oil in the pan temps. There is no reason why the Yosh electronic oil temp gauge would not work fine if the sending unit is strategically mounted in the pan. That would not be as easy as screwing in the dipstick though. This means that the mechanical dipstick thermometer one wins the K.I.S.S. test hands down. The only down side to the dipstick thermo, beyond availability, is the fact that you have to be smart enough to time you glances down at it to read the oil temp in a manner that does not result in you running off the road or into something.

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:16 am

engine oil temp is different from engine coolent temp. My F ran 210 degrees f on normal riding and got as hot as topping out the 250 degree gauge. with the new gauge I am installing it goes up over the 300 mark but Im installing a bigger oil cooler too.

A side story though.

Riding in a trail rig the engine is important especially knowing temps can tell you a lot. The rig had a coolent temp, oil temp and pyro gauge. These gauges are important for telling oil temp antifreeze temp and cylinder fire temp by the manifold. Oil temp will tell you a lot. Such as oil level being low or if the oil is getting old and breaking down.

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:30 am

Quote:

Matt @ PSB -The only down side to the dipstick thermo, beyond availability, is the fact that you have to be smart enough to time you glances down at it to read the oil temp in a manner that does not result in you running off the road or into something.
_________________

You're dead on with that one Matt. Although, in the traffic that was presented to everyone in Daytona, you spent as much time eyeing that temp gauge as you did eyeing how far you could move up in the lines. The first thng I did today was change the oil and filter on the "F" after putting it through that fire in Daytona. Cheap insurance - changing the oil frequently, using a good oil and having a mechanical temp gauge.

Spook Wink

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:25 pm

My RC 1100 normaly runs at 100-120 deg C and thats on a hot African day with temps around 36 deg.
I have heard of a couple of cbx's that have cooked motors on the coast on hot days when the temp's peak above 45 deg C and the humidity 100 +. Some of the guys fit larger oil coolers.
I also heard that the guys who blew their motors are trying to keep up with the modern bikes that dont have a problem cruising at 240 kph

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:12 pm

You know I heard you talking about the traffic at bike week and it made me think.

Even with an oil cooler if there is no air flowing over it there is really not much cooling taking place. I have built many computers and most use little 12 volt fans to cool various parts on your mother board. Some of these fans are getting really powerfull and they are cheap enough to go through a few if you break them.
I wonder if you could mount two of them on the rear of the oil cooler and turn them on when you are at a stand still.

I wonder if the added air flow would keep the bike running cool enough to keep from shutting them down all the time or pulling off the road?

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:27 pm

Yes Rat, heatsink fans live in a very hot environment and I think that they would do just fine attached to the back of the oil cooler. I see people who make full boxes to provide that extra air for their coolers.

Jose

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:34 pm

Ratfink wrote:

I have built many computers and most use little 12 volt fans to cool various parts on your mother board. Some of these fans are getting really powerfull and they are cheap enough to go through a few if you break them.
I wonder if you could mount two of them on the rear of the oil cooler and turn them on when you are at a stand still.

That is a pretty good idea!

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:39 am

Ratfink wrote:

You know I heard you talking about the traffic at bike week and it made me think.

Even with an oil cooler if there is no air flowing over it there is really not much cooling taking place. I have built many computers and most use little 12 volt fans to cool various parts on your mother board. Some of these fans are getting really powerfull and they are cheap enough to go through a few if you break them.
I wonder if you could mount two of them on the rear of the oil cooler and turn them on when you are at a stand still.

I wonder if the added air flow would keep the bike running cool enough to keep from shutting them down all the time or pulling off the road?

Was contemplating the same thought on the ride home from Daytona - 1) what fans would be small enough in size but create enough air flow to actually aid in cooling, 2) would the additional electrical drain tax the system, 3) constructing a mounting bracket that could be easily installed/removed , 4) how to initiate the fans by thermal switch or just a toggle, 5) mounting it so there was no damage to the cooler from vibration - if someone could come up with a practical application that actually worked - say dropped the oil temp 20-40 degrees, they could probably live happily ever after off the royalties.

Spook Wink

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:08 am

I still need to get one set up on my bike. Going to have to get the assembly from a 900F though.

When I do that I will see if my fan idea will work.

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:31 am

I think the computer fans on the oil cooler are a good idea but the top end on a stationery idling CB.....F is the primary source of heat & without forward motion of the bike you are still going to cook the engine up to stressing and/or damaging temps.

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:38 am

And that is why lane splitting should be legal in all states. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:31 pm

Ratfink wrote:

And that is why lane splitting should be legal in all states. Very Happy

Here, Here
I feel bad for the rest of the country being held back from doing what comes so naturally. I mean why wait in traffic when your bike does not have to?

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:27 pm

Ratfink wrote:

And that is why lane splitting should be legal in all states. Very Happy

I cuncur but first we have to criminalize hand held cell phone use whilst driving.

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:47 pm

I know during last Rodeo Day weekend there was traffic backed up a little over 8 miles in my town. I lane split and there was not a damned thing the cops could have done if they wanted to. Not like the Podunk PD has helicopters. And with my dying crappy old battery there was no way in hell I was going to turn her off facing up hill. But is sure was fun.
And it did not really seem that dangerous. THere was no lane changing, and i never saw any doors open.

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:39 am

Well i want one of these gauges. Where can i find them, how much and are they just plug and play?

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:44 am

http://cgi.ebay.de/Oltemperatur-Direktmesser-fuer-Honda-CB-900-F-F2-Bol-Dor_W0QQitemZ8046150511QQcategoryZ49883QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem