Oil temp sensor

[ChrisZang]

does anyone know where there is a convenient place on the engine to install an oil temp sensor?

[Brad Roberts]

Cam cover drivers side rear. Their is a plug that unscrews. The 996 utilizes a pressure sensor in this spot


B

[Brad Roberts]

This is the passenger side cam cover. A friend of mine in NorCal made an adapter for our data acq systems that included a VDO sending unit for oil temp and oil pressure. I can see if he has any of those adapters left over. His shop is in Milpitas.

[ChrisZang]

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

This is the passenger side cam cover. A friend of mine in NorCal made an adapter for our data acq systems that included a VDO sending unit for oil temp and oil pressure. I can see if he has any of those adapters left over. His shop is in Milpitas.

Thanks Brad,

just to be sure: 996 driver's side = 986 passenger side
Do you mean the spot where the oil pressure switch goes? hmmmm that's where I have already my oil pressure sensor to feed my oil pressure gauge.
If that's the case then I'd need a T adapter to connect both the oil pressure sensor and the oil temp sensor ?

[Brad Roberts]

Correct on the tee adapter, which is what my friends made for 9X6 engines.

Yes, the pic above is the oil pressure switch on an 01S


B

[jaykay]

Hmmm how are the temperature readings here? What do use for sealing the M14 threads? Seal ring?
Are there better fittings with an o-ring??

You could get rid of the idiot light probe and put a temp probe in there but are we going to get hot temperature here? There is another unused plug in the left bank for the 996.

If you guys have accusumps in you could probe it at the sandwich plate area...this may be hotter

[ChrisZang]

OK, thanks to the hints of other posters I figured it out:
I don't remember if it was JFP or jaykay but someone said that there is another opening for a sensor on the other side of the engine and after initially looking at the wrong place I finally found it

On the first picture I point to the location of the opening (this picture was taken after I already had installed the oil temp sensor). It sits way below the fuel rail (much deeper than it looks on the picture) and is also hidden behind several electrical lines (and yes I have to clean my engine):



Basically look for an oil drain plug on top of the engine (I forgot to take a picture while the plug was still installed, but this is how it looks):



The bore is the same as for the oil pressure probe: M14x1.5

Closer shot of the installed sensor, in the upper left is the air filter and the lower left the MAF:




So I ordered from Pelican: 323-055-M82 (temp sender, I would advise against a sensor which intrudes deeper into the engine) and 310-012-M82 (VDO Gauge).

I spare you the detailled description how to route a cable from the engine to the dashboard (basically I zip tied the cable to the tube between the airbox and the throttle body and after that to the big cable which goes through the rubber grommet in the firewall, from there under the center console and voila)

I compared the readings on the VDO gauge vs. the reading on the Durametric and the readings are spot on within +/- 2% of the readings from the Durametric

Enjoy

[onaFLYer]

Where did you mount your gauges? I did the same thing with mine, and put the gauges down low, front of the shifter.

[Gilles]

I would like to know if you can swap one of the earlier dash instruments that include an oil pressure gauge for one in the Cayman

.

[ChrisZang]

Originally Posted by Gilles

I would like to know if you can swap one of the earlier dash instruments that include an oil pressure gauge for one in the Cayman

.

So what you mean is installing a 996 cluster in a 987 - no way
Not sure if anyone ever tried to install a 997 cluster in a 987.

Installing a 996 cluster in a 986 is pretty much straightforward:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/90-ELEC-996_Cluster/90-ELEC-996_Cluster.htm

[jaykay]

Chris!

Glad you got it and found the left bank plug. What t fitting did you use to double up the idiot light sender and oil pressure transducer? Oh yeah you are 996 clustered; there may may be no need with the 996 transducer...

[ChrisZang]

Originally Posted by onaFLYer

Where did you mount your gauges? I did the same thing with mine, and put the gauges down low, front of the shifter.

Haven't decided yet if I mount the permanently or only for track days, but probably in the center console.
Looks like Pedro's Technolab has some nice gauges and gauge holders.

What I really would like to do is to convert the voltmeter in my 996 cluster into an oil temp gauge (yet another project ...)

[ChrisZang]

someone sent me a PM asking how I installed the oil pressure sender and I accidentally deleted his message, so here is the response:

It's pretty much all described here:
Pelican Technical Article: Boxster 996 Gauge Cluster Upgrade - 986 Boxster (1997-04) -

Simply "fast forward" to the chapter "installation"

[Javi Cooper]

Originally Posted by ChrisZang

OK, thanks to the hints of other posters I figured it out:
I don't remember if it was JFP or jaykay but someone said that there is another opening for a sensor on the other side of the engine and after initially looking at the wrong place I finally found it

On the first picture I point to the location of the opening (this picture was taken after I already had installed the oil temp sensor). It sits way below the fuel rail (much deeper than it looks on the picture) and is also hidden behind several electrical lines (and yes I have to clean my engine):



Basically look for an oil drain plug on top of the engine (I forgot to take a picture while the plug was still installed, but this is how it looks):



The bore is the same as for the oil pressure probe: M14x1.5

Closer shot of the installed sensor, in the upper left is the air filter and the lower left the MAF:




So I ordered from Pelican: 323-055-M82 (temp sender, I would advise against a sensor which intrudes deeper into the engine) and 310-012-M82 (VDO Gauge).

I spare you the detailled description how to route a cable from the engine to the dashboard (basically I zip tied the cable to the tube between the airbox and the throttle body and after that to the big cable which goes through the rubber grommet in the firewall, from there under the center console and voila)

I compared the readings on the VDO gauge vs. the reading on the Durametric and the readings are spot on within +/- 2% of the readings from the Durametric

Enjoy

Sorry for the 6-year bump but you just might have made my day. I only need to know a couple of things:

1. Is this port located in the same spot on a 996 3.4 engine (that's what my '99 Boxster has)?

2. Is this the same port that the DOF feeds from (I have Pedro's DOF but can't remember what port it plugs into)?

Of course I could open the lid of my Boxster and look but right now it's nowhere near me

Thanks all

[bbmidmi]

I know this is an old thread.... But do you have any info on how to wire the sender to the gauge? I'm a newbie on wiring but want to install what you have outlined.

So I ordered from Pelican: 323-055-M82 (temp sender, I would advise against a sensor which intrudes deeper into the engine) and 310-012-M82 (VDO Gauge).

I spare you the detailled description how to route a cable from the engine to the dashboard (basically I zip tied the cable to the tube between the airbox and the throttle body and after that to the big cable which goes through the rubber grommet in the firewall, from there under the center console and voila)

I compared the readings on the VDO gauge vs. the reading on the Durametric and the readings are spot on within +/- 2% of the readings from the Durametric

Enjoy[/QUOTE]

[Quadcammer]

1. yes.

2. Aren't those fed from an oil filter adapter or some sort of slotted key in the oil pump or something? The port in question seems like it would be an odd choice for a direct oil feed to the IMSB.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

1. yes.

2. Aren't those fed from an oil filter adapter or some sort of slotted key in the oil pump or something? The port in question seems like it would be an odd choice for a direct oil feed to the IMSB.

The use of an adaptor at the oil filter to feed the IMS bearing is patented by Jake Raby. The DOF feeds off the cylinder head; and yes, that is a poor choice.

[Quadcammer]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

The use of an adaptor at the oil filter to feed the IMS bearing is patented by Jake Raby. The DOF feeds off the cylinder head; and yes, that is a poor choice.

Yes, LN uses it for the solution, but I thought DOF was cylinder.

wow, feeding from the head like that is not something I would do, but I was never a big fan of the DOF anyway

[Javi Cooper]

In hindsight I guess it would be a poor choice. This port hasn't been mentioned in any other discussion about finding a spot for an oil temp sender so I thought maybe it was the same as the DOF's. So that's good news. Now do you guys think that's an appropriate spot for an oil temperature sender? I read on Rennlist that to be accurate oil temp senders need to be bathed in constant oil flow (not dipped at the pan or randomly splashed). Can I get that flow here?

[Quadcammer]

I think its fine for that purpose, as thats where I have it.