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Oil temp gauge bench test

jerrykathy4

New Member
I need to know how to confirm my oil temp gauge is working. I bought a used one and installed everything and it doesnt seem to work. The needle never moves but when I put power to the signal it will go up to about 100 degrees.

How do I test this gauge to be sure it is working?

Im talking about an in-dash fairing mount gauge.
 
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If you don't have a pinched wire shorting out I'd say the gauge is junk. In my experience they either work or they don't. JMHO.
 
If I put power to it should the needle move? If so how much should it move and which posts do I supply power to? When I touch the signal post the needle moves to about 100 dgrees, when I have power to the positive post the needle doesnt move.
 
If you have a unit like I had on my 05RG the gauge gets its signal from the sender unit. The gauge itself does not work without a sensing (sender) unit. If you have the sender and gauge wired correctly and installed correctly start the bike and let it warm up. See is the gauge registers and I check it by inserting a long stem meat thermometer down into the oil to see if both are reading the same.
 
If I put power to it should the needle move? If so how much should it move and which posts do I supply power to? When I touch the signal post the needle moves to about 100 dgrees, when I have power to the positive post the needle doesnt move.

I don't have one and never seen how they work but I would think until the oil starts to heat and the gauge can detect the heat the needle shouldn't move just by putting power to it. My thought is if the needle jumps to 100 as you described by simply adding power you have the wires crossed.
 
I was told there is a way to jump the gauge and the needle should move all the way to its highest temp reading then come back down when you release the power but nobody ever said which wires to use for sure and what the gauge should really do. Im just trying to find out before I go buy another. Thanks for your help.
 
I need to know how to confirm my oil temp gauge is working. I bought a used one and installed everything and it doesnt seem to work. The needle never moves but when I put power to the signal it will go up to about 100 degrees.

How do I test this gauge to be sure it is working?

Im talking about an in-dash fairing mount gauge.

It will take 20 minutes or so for an oil temp gauge to move. Ride the bike for 20-30 minutes and if the guage has not moved up to about 100* or so, the gauge is bad or the sender is bad.:coffee
 
are you using an oil cooler, some of the newer coolers will not open until oil reachs 180 degrees so your gauge will stay at lowest reading till oil warms up.
 
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