Location for an oil temperature sensor

[asacuta]

I've used synthetic oil in my CBX since it was new. Still seems to be OK.

On pressure sensors, I used a mechanical gauge and routed the line to a T-fitting that I added below the existing pressure switch. It's a nylon line, so I covered the exposed portion in black heat-shrink tubing; otherwise, UV rays embrittle it, and it breaks easily.

[Kool_Biker]

Al
Tapping at the existing pressure switch fitting is the logical place to go and although space is not great, there are solutions.
Choosing an actual sensor will be interesting, as the former will be connecting to a micro controller, offering much wider fitting, matching and compatibility opportunities.
Indeed, there are some striking new solid state pressure sensors in the market to the point that I question the persistence of the retrofit market with the old bulky 'resistor based' sensor units.
I have already identified some (combined pressure AND temperature sensor, perfect footprint, perfect digital interface, used in BMW's N20 engine*, see pic) but getting to them and trying them out is another matter.

N20engine-techguide-BIMMERPOST_pdf__page_92_of_134_.jpg

Aris

[asacuta]

Going to a sensor that uses PWM to multiplex pressure and temperature on a single line seems complex to me; however, if you're using a microcontroller anyway, decoding the signals shouldn't take too many lines of code. I'm an old-school EE: I don't like it when the instrumentation is more complex than the device I'm monitoring.

Let us know what you end up with, and don't forget the pics.

[Kool_Biker]

I am an Electronics Engineer by education and a hobbyist at that.
I always liked tinkering with micro controllers when I was not rebuilding my Z engine
In stark contrast to even only few years (or is it decades) ago, today you can do miracles with what is available off the shelf (just google the word 'Arduino').
What more, I always believed my Z was missing two important pieces of information from it's otherwise impressive instrument cluster; namely time of day and ambient temperature.
So I started a simple project to add just that.
It then occurred to me that getting battery voltage was practically free and adding battery charge / discharge current relatively easy. Important too, to help with monitoring closely our less than stellar alternators!
And then of course, typically, I thought why not, add oil pressure and temperature.
So was born "Tripster - Z", still very much a prototype which I am completing as I go.

P1050852.jpg

P1050856.jpg

For now I have implemented ambient temperature, time, battery volts and battery amps, with amps also shown graphically in the bar-graph shown.
Oil pressure and oil Temperature values (shown) for now are dummies. As I said earlier, the very next stage in the development of my little project.

I am also experimenting with tiny colour displays (after all CBX info MUST be in red ), and perhaps integrating all this as an extension of the Z instrument cluster, instead of the little aluminium box I use now.
So there you are.

[asacuta]

Looking good.

If you want to get fancy, you could run everything through an HUD. That removes the problem of trying to mount a display on the bike. Veypor used the display system from SportVue before that company stopped making stuff for motorcycles. I put one of the last SportVue MC2 systems on my CBX to give me tach, speed, radar, and gear position on my helmet-mounted HUD. I don't know if anyone else makes something similar. The CBX generates a ton of interference, so it took a while to route the cabling so that it was shielded from the symphony of radio noise.

[EMS]

I always believed my Z was missing two important pieces of information from it's otherwise impressive instrument cluster; namely time of day and ambient temperature.
.

Aris: You should have bought a Prolink with the extra instruments in the fairing!!!

[NobleHops]

Al and Aris, you guys are madmen, which is excellent. So cool.

Carry on!

N.

[daves79x]

Think I'll just stick to making them run right.

Dave

[EMS]

Think I'll just stick to making them run right.

Dave

That's enough of a challenge for me too, Dave...

[NobleHops]

Still working on ALL these skills you guys have in spades, admire and respect them all.

[EMS]

Still working on ALL these skills you guys have in spades, admire and respect them all.

No doubt! The stuff that people here bring to the table is quite amazing!