Looking for an oil temperature switch

[480sx]

I want a switch that cuts on at about 220 d and cuts off at ~210ish. Mounted to my oil pan, to control the fan on my oil cooler. Anyone have any ideas about it? Iv been searching for a while for something and have come up reasonably empty. Some out of the country links but would rather buy stateside, cheaper.

Or maybe rig up something with a normal style oil sending sensor that would active once it reaches a certain resistance(~220 temperature) and shuts off at X resistance(210ish oil temp).

IDK just lookin for some ideas or some way to make this work at the moment.

[scheffler]

Hey I am not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for but if you go to

http://www.mcmaster.com/ the part number is 3599K45. That might work.

They have other types if you were to search "temperature switch"

Other wise you will need to get a thermocouple or RTD and make a 4-20mA circut that would operate a relay for your fan not to hard but the switch is ez

[spank044]

Can your local auto parts store order you an adjustable fan temp switch. Before I switch to a in cabin power switch, I had a universal radiator fan switch that was adjustable from 150 to 250. I don't think it would matter if the sensor was in coolant or oil.

[480sx]

That McMaster one is a nice find, and would be perfect but in doing research for this thing i think my goals have changed a bit. My original plan was to tap the oil pan for this. I still might do it that way, i just need to do a bit more research.

I had read on a web page that said there were response time benefits to running the sensor in the flow of oil. In addition, i would think the oil would be hottest after it had been run through the oil pump, so i was thinking about putting one of these in my oil cooler sandwich plate. http://www.pegasusautoracing.c...cId=4 Cheap, simple, done. That unit would ground out my oil cooler fan whenever temps reached 225, activating the fan.

I still dont know if i would rather have the sending unit in the oil pan or directly in the flow of pressurized oil. What do you guys think? Where is oil the hottest?

[spank044]

Sandwich plate sounds the easiest if it already has the holes tapped. Once the engine is at operating temp and running I don't think there is much of a temperature change between the oil pan and what was just pumped out of the pan. So I think you should try doing it in the sandwich plate.

[bruinbear714]

I want a switch that cuts on at about 220 d and cuts off at ~210ish. Mounted to my oil pan, to control the fan on my oil cooler. Anyone have any ideas about it? Iv been searching for a while for something and have come up reasonably empty. Some out of the country links but would rather buy stateside, cheaper.

Or maybe rig up something with a normal style oil sending sensor that would active once it reaches a certain resistance(~220 temperature) and shuts off at X resistance(210ish oil temp).

IDK just lookin for some ideas or some way to make this work at the moment.

Why not pick off your coolant temp sensor to turn on your oil cooler fans? IE, piggyback off your fan controller if you have one.

[DevilMB3017]

Where is oil the hottest?

Coming out of your turbo is the definite answer to that one.

I think you'd be fine no matter where in the system you mount that sensor, and it's an excellent idea if your doing a long term race or something. Drifting will see a big benefit too, as you'll always have air moving regardless of angle.

I would personally the bottom of your return line going into your oil pan would be the hottest temp your oil sees and that way you keep the temps down based on what is going back into your motor.

[480sx]

Why not pick off your coolant temp sensor to turn on your oil cooler fans? IE, piggyback off your fan controller if you have one.

Thats a thought. I have a DIF fan controller with separately controlled outputs. I could rig it up to only run when my second fan kicks on at 200d. Monitor oil temps pretty closely when im driving the crap out of the car and see if that works. Thats probably the easiest way of doing things. I guess it ultimately comes down to me figuring out what will work. I think im still going to pick up one of those pegasus sensors for the hell of it and wire it to a warning light at least. That way if the Fan controller idea craps out i can at least use the Pegasus unit + a switched ground relay to run the fan. I would have to do some testing of the switch itself to figure out if it would work how i wanted it to, probably test it in boiling water to figure out when it really opens and closes.

DMB - I do plan to track the car sometimes, and i also drive the crap out of it on certain roads. Your right about the answer to my Q, however i think that putting the sensor there would create a situation where my oil was overcooled.

At this point its just gona be R&D time. Ill let you guys know how it goes.

[scheffler]

I think that I would put it in the oil pan. Once the oil starts to move away from the pan in a hose or whatever it starts to cool. The collective temp of the oil will be hottest in the pan you might have hotter spots along the way but i would base my temp off of the pan. That is my thinking how much the oil changes temp through out its cycle i dont really know or if it makes that big of a differance.

Just throwing that out there take it for what is.

[WDRacing]

Does it NEED to only be on when the oil is hot? Why not on all the time? Worried about minor voltage drain? Cause you're not going to be racing/beating the motor until it's warmed anyway. Having the oil cooler fan on all the time isn't going to keep the oil from heating up like normal.

Just my thoughts, no sense over complicating something that can be done simply.

WD

[480sx]

Its really a toss up i want to put it in the pan, i think thats the best place for it. Im going to check wi/ McMaster to see if their thermo switch can withstand engine vibrations, might just go with that or the Centech one idk yet.

WD - From the research i have done, you WANT 'hot' oil. You just dont want it to overheat. My goal here is to be between 180-220 oil temps under any driving conditions. If i leave the fan on all the time temps could drop below that. Voltage drop isnt really the issue im gona run a Quest alternator asap.