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Subject: Oil temp and pressure display Author: rv8flyboy : member since September, 2007 : 2965 posts Posted on: 2010-02-22 10:34:36

From time to time folks here have inquired where I stand with my engine oil and temp display in the cluster, so for all of u who have voiced interest, here is an update...

I have decided to make a small run of a board that will display the oil temp and pressure in the cluster display when nothing else is displayed there (CCM, radio, OBC, etc). This seemed to be the easiest solution to get this project underway. It will be like in the picture


I have found an outfit that will make me just the circuit boards for a reasonable price in small batches which means a finished board, ready to rock&roll, including an oil temp sender and a oil pressure sender will cost around a hundred dollars.

Below are the proto type and a finished circuit board.



The connection to the board will be via a DB9 connector. The fun will be finding the data lines behind the cluster, and attaching two extra wires. If u are lucky, u can find the connector that plugs into a newer radio, if u can do that then it is a piece of cake. The electric diagrams show the connector but I was unable to find the plug, so I removed the cluster without removing the steering wheel, just undid the screws turned the cluster so I could get to the back. The found the two wires, stripped, soldered extra wires and wrapped some tape around the splices. T'wasn't difficult, just a hassle of flipping the cluster around enough.

Next step is to test run the circuit board and see how it holds up. If this goes as planned, I will order a small batch of circuit boards and the sensors, probably 10 or 20 depending on interest. These should work in E32 and E34 cars

Cheapest sensors I can find have NPT thread, which was no problem for me, however, most threads in the beemer are metric M10 or M12. And NO, I do not have a good, easy solution where to mount the sensors. I machined my own oil filter cover, but, this only works on older model oil filters (non-plastic cap) and costs about 100 a piece in batches of 20
I can probably get a oil temp sensor that is a direct replacement for the oil drain bolt. Opinions on this board as for the usefulness in this location vary wildly on this board.


P.S.
Is there any interest here for an adapter/interface that takes the 20 pin diagnostics connector and transforms it into a regular serial port? This would be a converter along the lines of Ken Fister's ADS converter box, with the exception that all would be contained in the plug. It will be a 20 pin plug on one end and a db9 serial port at the other end, and it would be ONLY suitable for ADS, not OBD connectors. This would be a strict hardware interface only.

For what software to use (DIS, EDIABAS, etc) with which car u would have to go to Ken's BMWECU website if u don't know already.

750IL 1990 (9/89) Black, 90K,


I told my wife, it is not a Boy Toy, is a Man's Machine!!

• Oil temp and pressure display (pic) - rv8flyboy 2010-02-22 10:34:36 (691 views)
  • Diag-to-Serial - Yes! - dividebyzero 2010-04-06 13:03:39 (125 views)
  • This is very cool accomplishment - Patrick C 88 750 170K 2010-02-22 16:49:23 (183 views)
    • O2 sensors - rv8flyboy 2010-02-22 17:48:35 (168 views)
  • Re: Oil temp and pressure display - htrdbmr 2010-02-22 15:20:49 (205 views)
    • Re: Oil temp and pressure display - rv8flyboy 2010-02-22 15:41:15 (219 views)
      • Re: Oil temp and pressure display - htrdbmr 2010-02-22 15:54:26 (165 views)
        • Re: Oil temp and pressure display - rv8flyboy 2010-02-22 17:42:40 (170 views)