Do any of you guys run oil temp gauges, or any system monitoring gauges for autox or road racing? I was just curious as to whether or not monitoring your temp is important, or if this is more of just a "ricer" mod to look cool.
YES IT IS

Track day= buy an oil cooler.
If you need one, PM me, I can tell you how to build an oil cooler any way you want... from baller to ghetto fabulous and still make it work well.

Track day= buy an oil cooler.
If you need one, PM me, I can tell you how to build an oil cooler any way you want... from baller to ghetto fabulous and still make it work well.
ha ha ha, thank you for the resounding yes... i would definitely be interested in an oil cooler, but I have to get a few more autoxs under my belt before they allow me to do real road racing
Do you need a gauge? Not really. Its honestly a pain in the *** to install, it has to go in the oil pan somewhere.... mine is in the drain bolt, but I had to do it in a machine shop.
Just take my word for it... if you're just autocrossing, you might hit 215 on a hot day, which is perfectly fine. You don't run flat out for long enough to create oil heat to a damaging level. Street driving, unless its really hot, I'd be surprised to see it go north of 200. Its when you start running flat out for an extended period of time that you start seeing the temp climb. In 7 or 8 minutes when it was in the high 60s outside, I hit the number you see on the gauge. Typically trackdays run 15-20 minute sessions. That number actually got up more like 271 later in the day. I put the cooler in and went back a month later, and ran for a good 1/2 hour straight trying to test it out, held steady at 215. Anything over 230 is where you want to start worrying. It starts getting up where I had it, if you're not running synthetic, start shitting bricks, if it is synthetic, change it ASAP, but you might be able to make it to about 300 before problems pop up. Any way you shake it, the higher your oil goes, its taking your water with it.... and you may end up with water overheat problems.
Thats probably more than you wanted to know, but there it is.
Just take my word for it... if you're just autocrossing, you might hit 215 on a hot day, which is perfectly fine. You don't run flat out for long enough to create oil heat to a damaging level. Street driving, unless its really hot, I'd be surprised to see it go north of 200. Its when you start running flat out for an extended period of time that you start seeing the temp climb. In 7 or 8 minutes when it was in the high 60s outside, I hit the number you see on the gauge. Typically trackdays run 15-20 minute sessions. That number actually got up more like 271 later in the day. I put the cooler in and went back a month later, and ran for a good 1/2 hour straight trying to test it out, held steady at 215. Anything over 230 is where you want to start worrying. It starts getting up where I had it, if you're not running synthetic, start shitting bricks, if it is synthetic, change it ASAP, but you might be able to make it to about 300 before problems pop up. Any way you shake it, the higher your oil goes, its taking your water with it.... and you may end up with water overheat problems.
Thats probably more than you wanted to know, but there it is.
There is never more than I want to know, thank you very much
so, is there an adapter that will just replace the drain bolt?
There may be.... I DIYed it.
If you can find an M12x1.5 bolt thats drilled for a sensor, thats all you need, although I'd drill the Honda bolt so you can be sure it seals up.
If you can find an M12x1.5 bolt thats drilled for a sensor, thats all you need, although I'd drill the Honda bolt so you can be sure it seals up.
i found one on ebay that says its a drain plug with sensor. you just replace the stock one and connect the gauge to it or something. says all honda civics
???
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda...spagenameZWDVW
If its that, the first thing i'd do is e-mail the seller and get the thread pitch on the drain bolt. I don't think its something Honda would change, but MAKE SURE its M12x1.5 (play dumb and ask what it is, don't tell him what the pitch should be). If yes, then it should work. I can look around, I used to have a second one, lemme see if I brought it to DC with me.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda...spagenameZWDVW
If its that, the first thing i'd do is e-mail the seller and get the thread pitch on the drain bolt. I don't think its something Honda would change, but MAKE SURE its M12x1.5 (play dumb and ask what it is, don't tell him what the pitch should be). If yes, then it should work. I can look around, I used to have a second one, lemme see if I brought it to DC with me.
yup thats the one. if you have it too i'll buy yours.

