anyone install an aftermarket temp gauge such as an autometer on their bmw? im doing an overhaul on the cooling system in my car this weekend(provided my parts come in the mail by friday) and i was thinking of adding one while its apart since im not very fond of the stock one in the cluster. just curious where you are locating the sensor, if you are using a tapped port in the block somewhere or a coupling on a hose or something. let me know what your using and where. pictures would be awesome if you have them. thanks.
I’m not sure why you care? The stock gauge is only good enough to tell you things are generally OK, I’m not sure why you need better. I’d do oil pressure if anything.
Stock one is plenty accurate.
speaking of gauges I have always wondered why cars do not have over temp alarms or low oil pressure alarms like boats to. A bit off topic but still something I have wondered about for a while.
because if it breaks down, you can walk away…
i have an oil pressure guage sitting on the shelf…
i care because i like to know whats going on with my vehicles and i didnt thing the stock one seemed that great. but if its adequate then ill leave it.
They do, they’re called gauges or warning lights. If you don’t notice a light blaring in your face or gauge sitting on 0 you deserve the damage done to the engine.
It is easy enough for it to go unnoticed in the day time. Warning lights in any car I have owned do not blare in your face just a small icon on the dash with a 5 watt bulb behind it. I don’t know about you but I don’t check my coolant temp and oil pressure every thirty seconds in my work van when i’m driving and that is all it would take to damage a engine. Everything is integrated in modern cars it just seems like one of those things that would be easy to program that could save a lot of headache for a few people. Come to think of it I think my work van does actually have a oil pressure alarm…
I put an additional coolant temperature sensor in the side the block using the threaded hole for the drain plug. Not really the ideal location, but I use it as a redundant measurement and I didn’t have to drill/tap anything. Just needed to get a metric to SAE adapter.
In some cases a coolant PRESSURE sensor is more valueable than a coolant temperature sensor.
I have both :gotme:
I think my car beeps if a light comes on…