Engine Temp gauge (not coolant)

[Jordanbutter]

I want to get a gauge that will better display the engine temp. So would a water temp or an oil temp gauge be better?

 

[nightspeed87]

Im not sure I fully understand your question, are you asking which is better out of water and oil? Technically you just need to keep track of your water temp to be ok, and if for some reason your stock one failed then def get one soon.. A lot of ppl dont have oil temp gauges so I wouldnt think its a must have, most ppl just worry about oil pressure...
Getting a palm pilot logger will also display water temps and I believe intake temps too (my friends does, dont know if they all are like that )

 

[Jordanbutter]

See since the stock engine temp gauge is only lines not actually temps in degrees, I want something that is more acurate on the engine temp.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

The stock gauge is just a coolant temp. gauge. There is no engine temp. gauge. There are coolant temp. gauge's, engine oil temp. gauge's and EGT temp. gauge's but you are looking for a coolant temp. gauge.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

The stock temp gauge should be able to display an actual temp via a datalogger or (I imagine) DSM link,

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

That is also a good idea. If you are going to be doing any tuning I would suggest getting one.

 

[Jordanbutter]

Ok so all in all which would be better to have oil temp or water temp?

 

[DGajre777]

I say water temp.

 

[Defiant]

In a healthy, fairly-normally-driven motor, the oil and water temperatures are very close to the same. Each has its own specific areas of higher temperature, but on a water-cooled turbo, it seldom runs much hotter in the bearing area than the areas around the exhaust valves and their guides do. Measuring either will give you that much more to think you need to be concerned about.
Measuring water temperature will be more likely to be of real-world use, as an unusual rise tends to indicate a loss of coolant or a malfunctioning thermostat, two failure modes more common than any oiling issues that would raise the lubricant temperature are. A failing bearing usually won't show on the system's overall oil temperature, as the effect is too localized and dissipated by the rest of the oiling system. Which is why oil temperature gauges are seldom seen on street cars.

 

[slipstream808]

I would only really use an oil temp gauge on something like track racing where your car will be driven hard for a 30 minute plus period of time.

BUT if you love your car a real lot, then go for both of them. It wont hurt.

 

[Jordanbutter]

Defiant thats true but I have and EVO III 16g and I thought it was oil cooled.

 

[DGajre777]

Defiant thats true but I have and EVO III 16g and I thought it was oil cooled.

No it is not just oil cooled. All turbos on Mitsubishi are WET bearing, which means they are oil cooled AND water cooled. If you get a DRY bearing 50 trim from PTE with is oil cooled only or a DRY bearing 18G turbo from Forced Performance, it means that the turbo only uses oil to cool it down. (and in a turbo which is only oil cooled, a turbo timer is recommended, but that's in another thread )