Oil temp.... bad sensor or gauge?

[Matt_INW]

My beast (owned for 9 months now) had Banks gauges for EGT and oil temp installed when the Banks system was installed back in 92 or 93. The oil temp will get to the 140 mark (lowest mark on it), and a bit more. But it's never really gotten much higher than that (guessing 150).

Think it's a bad sensor or gauge? And do I need a paired set, so if I replace the sensor I have to replace the gauge, and visa versa?

No I don't have an after market coolant temperature gauge. The cooling system is all new though! lol

 

[PwrSmoke]

I had never seen or heard of an oil temp gauge with a Banks kit until now. Mine didn't have one, though I installed one later.

Are you sure it's not trans temp? Not trying to insult your intelligence but I have used gauges that said "Oil Temp" as trans temp gauges and the numbers you listed are about right for a mildly use automatic (depending on sensor location)

Anyway, assuming it's EOT (Engine Oil Temp), where does the sensor mount? Depending on where it mounts, I wouldn't be at all surprised if oil temp only reaches 150 or so in cool weather with easy driving. The oil is hotter or cooler depending on where in the engine the sender is mounted. My EOT seldom passed 185F even at work and very rarely exceeded 200F. If you've had the truck long enough to really work it hard, then you should have seen more than 150 (engine or trans).

As to diagnosing it, one quick way to see is to disconnect and ground the wire. Depending on how it's designed, it will drop to the bottom peg or go to the top (if it drops tot eh bottom, then when the wire is off it will climb to the top). That test mostly eliminates the gauge or wiring.

 

[Matt_INW]

Oh, I had thought to check that once awhile back and obviously forgot. You're right! It is for the transmission even though it says oil on it.

 

[PwrSmoke]

The easiest problems to fix are the ones that don't exist! Situation normal!

 

[icanfixall]

My rig runs about the same temp on coolant as the oil.. I installed a temp sender in my oil pan so I could track the oil temps. Now it will climb up when hauling or pulling a grade well above the coolant temps. But when the strain is off the engine things return to normal.

 

[PwrSmoke]

My rig runs about the same temp on coolant as the oil.. I installed a temp sender in my oil pan so I could track the oil temps. Now it will climb up when hauling or pulling a grade well above the coolant temps. But when the strain is off the engine things return to normal.

That's about what mine did. Like I said, about 185 was normal for a fully warmed engine with a light to moderate load. And it was sump temp, too.