RR temps gauge?

[Keppelj]

As past owner of a couple oil head GS's I miss the temps gauge. Seems unfamiliar now not to know the engine temperature. Anyone improvise one for the R1150R?

[macx]

I'm kind of like that - want to know what's going on in engines, etc, on all my vehicles.

Sooo - have wondered, too.

Saw a post some time ago where that was being discussed, I think the resolution was that
one reasonably easy (less difficult? or at least not impossible) place to install a temp sender
would be in the oil line going to the coolers.

Granted that wouldn't give you temp until / unless the t-stat control opened, but at least you
could keep tabs on possible overheating situations.

One other option, and am not saying it's a good one becuz it's under the bike and maybe just too
exposed to potential damage, is using a sender adapter for the drain plug.
I've located one that has the necessary metric threads to screw into that and that will accept a
standard US electrical sender.

I've also ruminated about installing an oil pressure sender somehow into the port where the electrical
oem oil pressure warning lite sender mounts, but it's pretty tight quarters in there and oil press senders
are usually bigger than temp senders, so don't know just how the plumbing would end up. Might look like
kind of a cobbled up mess. Unless the pressure were piped away from that spot to where a pressure sender
could be less obtrusively mounted. Last option that wouldn't have that particular problem would be a mech
gauge, but then there's that pesky little tube. But maybe that could be tucked up under the tank, haven't
pursued it to that point.

I've actually found a 2 mini gauge enclosed gauge & panel assy that would fit between the handlebar risers
fairly nicely.

If you come up with something else on that temp gauge thing, please post. I'd be quite interested.

Good luck!

[jm1515]

As past owner of a couple oil head GS's I miss the temps gauge. Seems unfamiliar now not to know the engine temperature. Anyone improvise one for the R1150R?

Go here for a pretty good description of how to add a temp gauge...and a bunch of other stuff.

http://www.r1150r.org/other.html
Under 'Other interesting Stuff..." CR has a word doc of how to connect an oil temp gauge.

Then goto someplace like
http://www.egauges.com/
and buy your gauges. I bought a VDO Temp gauge, sensor and Voltmeter from them.

http://www.egauges.com/vdo_grou.asp?Ser ... ial_Chrome

They are mounted on little brackets between the tach and clock, and the clock and speedo....like mouse ears. I did not replace the clock, but these style & size gauges will fit there exactly if you want, and the bezels/numbering look very close to OE.........

[Dr. Strangelove]

I bought a VDO Temp gauge, sensor and Voltmeter from them.

pictures?

Thanks

John

[jm1515]

I bought a VDO Temp gauge, sensor and Voltmeter from them.

pictures?

Thanks

John

Sure..who want's to host a .jpg for me????

[tlwood28]

As past owner of a couple oil head GS's I miss the temps gauge. Seems unfamiliar now not to know the engine temperature. Anyone improvise one for the R1150R?

Here is the best I have seen:

http://www.leatherz.com/pics/r1150r/IMG_2147.JPG

Very "OEM."

Hope this helps.

Tom W.

[Keppelj]

Oh, I like the "OEM", the last one, Tom. Not yours. is it? Wonder what the source is for that gauge. Also wonder where the GS sender unit is on the engine. My bike is going to a dealer on Friday to deal with surging issues. I'll see what the service people have to say about all of this. Thanks for your thoughts, all.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Sure..who want's to host a .jpg for me????

pm it to me and I will

[sweatmark]

In addition to temp gauge info you can find here on the board via search...

Former member "jonmaddux" of the Roadster board (from the original board 2 iterations, 7-8 years ago) wanted some type of engine temp gauge. He designed a gauge face using font similar to the R1150R Roadster's OE speedo and tachometer, for use with a standard VDO temp gauge. The gauge face graphics were used by Palo Alto Speedometer (http://www.paspeedo.com/) for production of a custom temp gauge which replaces the Roadster clock. The result is world class, IMHO:



I purchased one of these myself from Palo Alto Speedometer for install in our Roadster. Mrs. Sweatmark was riding the bike at the time and wanted to keep the clock, so I sold the temp gauge to another member here (can't recall to whom) who installed and enjoyed.

Palo Alto Speedo advertises in BMW Owners News and does excellent work. If you're interested in the VDO clock-replacement temp gauge option, suggest you give them a call and ask about this old custom gauge face graphic. Guessing that they still have it on file and can produce one for you.

[Keppelj]

Sweatmark, thanks for your long memory and the tip. I do like the temps gauge/clock substitute best and will pursue that. Quality looks super. I'll give the Palo Alto Speedo guys a call tomorrow. - John

[WorkinMan]

Please let us know what you find out. I like that! Where does the sending unit install?

[sweatmark]

Where does the sending unit install?

Various options for installation of the temp sender.

The "classic" choice, per CycleRob's R1150R temp gauge contribution to the message board (the first that I remember here and subject of the Word document referenced above), is to install the sender in an unused "blind" casting boss located under the engine's front cover.

[Keppelj]

Sweatmark, I'm assuming that the Word doc you mention from the RR archives once had the referenced photos attached. I don't get them on my down load of the file. You? Be nice to see where he drilled the block under the belt cover. I've wondered where the GS sensor is located. If it's in the oil radiator that wouldn't help with the RR since they're different, but another location might. I've asked my dealership service department to find that out. I take the new-to-me bike there Friday (it's in Seattle) for surging issues.

[Keppelj]

BTW, I did call PA Speedo and they asked for a photo of the gauge they'd made (!) and said they doubted it would be on file. When I get some data on what the sender might be I will lift the photo from the forum and forward it to them.

[sweatmark]

...the Word doc you mention from the RR archives once had the referenced photos attached.

Here's a vertical panorama of three key pics in Rob's temp sensor/meter installation document, in case the pics don't show up within Word:



The sensor mount is located below the crankshaft pulley, on the engine's centerline, as shown in the photo.

...did call PA Speedo and they asked for a photo of the gauge they'd made...

Hard to blame them for not recognizing the specific customer gauge face, insofar as they only made 2 or 3 of the custom VDO temp gauges for the R1150R applications.

Send them the pic, or refer them to this particular message thread, and they'll hopefully find the gauge face graphic master.

[Keppelj]

Sweatmark, again, thanks. I'll forward these photos to PAS as soon as I have time. What they wanted from me was the specs on the sensor/sender and their conjecture would be better than mine about the unit in the triple photos you posted. Of course, the screw in sensor and instrument cluster photos are from unrelated projects. However, maybe given the blind boss sensor placement they can recommend a sensor which would work with their gauge. In any case, thanks for posting these cool and interesting shots. I'll forward them with data from the sensor installation from Word.

[Keppelj]

I think I've come to my senses regarding this project of switching out the clock for a temps gauge. First of all the analog clock is very nice and life is to short and busy for me to be creating unnecessary work for myself. I remember that my GS's got up to flogging temperature after about 12 easy miles and I'll ride this beast that distance, put my hand on the valve cover and record the thermal sensation mentally. It's not like I commute in stop and go traffic these days. So thanks, all for your tips. I may get back to this as I'd like to have the temps gauge for for time being I'm going to let it go. The machine has a tick or a tap, right side, I have to fix first.