2013 LCD Virtual Oil Temp Gauge Display

[Boss4Me]

The LCD virtual gauge displays numeric-scaled data for CHT, Air Inlet Temp, volts (and maybe one more) that provides useful information. The oil temp display gives info in the "N-O-R-M-A-L scale" which isn't very helpful (I usually end the session when I pass "L" as the oil must be approaching being too hot??). Oil temp data is obviously available to run the gauge, that data just isn't displayed on a numeric scale. Question; has anyone come up with the key to unlock this mystery and display oil temp on a useful numeric scale? My search has not turned up the desired answer, just lots of annoyed folks, as I am.

 

[JDee]

My understanding is oil temp is a calculated value only, there is no sensor. Since there's no sensor it is subject to inaccuracy so they just display it on a yellow green red background without graduations, at least on the 2016 S550 that I own. I use it anyway, I have that center display set to oil temp most of the time when on track. It never gets more than about 2/3 of the way up the green, well below the red zone.

 

[Boss4Me]

My understanding is oil temp is a calculated value only, there is no sensor. Since there's no sensor it is subject to inaccuracy so they just display it on a yellow green red background without graduations, at least on the 2016 S550 that I own. I use it anyway, I have that center display set to oil temp most of the time when on track. It never gets more than about 2/3 of the way up the green, well below the red zone.

From memory, I think there is a sensor in the pass side of the oil pan so I assume that is a real temp sensor, maybe not.
I did see a different thread commenting on CHT temps being somewhat higher than measured oil temps (by 15-20* ?). I now toggle between the 2 displays when on track.

 

[JAJ]

My understanding is oil temp is a calculated value only, there is no sensor. Since there's no sensor it is subject to inaccuracy so they just display it on a yellow green red background without graduations, at least on the 2016 S550 that I own. I use it anyway, I have that center display set to oil temp most of the time when on track. It never gets more than about 2/3 of the way up the green, well below the red zone.

My knowledge of this is limited because I do have a display in my car that gives me numbers for oil temp, but here's what I can provide. Indeed, the oil temp in a modern Ford engine is calculated in the ECU from CHT and other variables (I don't know which ones). It's pretty accurate, and it's used in a number of ECU subsystems to control engine functions like cam motion, limp mode and so on. Don't assume that it's wrong because it's calculated. What that means is that if you have an OBD reader that can look at the CAN bus signals from the ECU, there's a EOT PID you can capture and display, perhaps on a smart phone. As for getting it displayed on the dash, that's beyond what I can offer insight into.

 

[JAJ]

From memory, I think there is a sensor in the pass side of the oil pan so I assume that is a real temp sensor, maybe not.

It's supposed to be oil level, not temperature. However, since I've never heard of anyone having a light come on because of low oil, I'm not even sure it does that.

 

[Boss4Me]

What that means is that if you have an OBD reader that can look at the CAN bus signals from the ECU, there's a EOT PID you can capture and display, perhaps on a smart phone.

Thanks, good idea, I'll look into that. And it makes sense even if calculated the EOT data is probable accurate to be used elsewhere.

 

[AdmirC]

From what I can tell it's not really that accurate, I have both a temp sensor in the pan and the stock display and at no point is there any correlation between the two. The oil takes about 15 minutes to come up to operating temp to about 150-210 depending on the ambient and driving conditions. The OEM display goes to the middle of the green way before the temps rise. Also on track it seems as though it's more time, load and rpm based for the calculations which can give you an idea but not the full story. On a really hot day I had about 290 degrees on the gauge at the end of a session and it was at the high point of the green on the display. Funny enough I think the vehicle can tell the viscosity of the oil through the oil pressure and other inputs because when I first started doing HPDEs I was using 5w30 and would peg the OEM oil temp gauge into the red all the time. Now using 5w50 hasn't really been hotter than yellow. I would definitely install a gauge into the OEM level sensor location with the subie drain plug adapter. I believe there is a write up on this site.

 

[Coz]

From my archives (don't know from where) I found this for the S550:

 

[JAJ]

From what I can tell it's not really that accurate, I have both a temp sensor in the pan and the stock display and at no point is there any correlation between the two. The oil takes about 15 minutes to come up to operating temp to about 150-210 depending on the ambient and driving conditions. The OEM display goes to the middle of the green way before the temps rise. Also on track it seems as though it's more time, load and rpm based for the calculations which can give you an idea but not the full story. On a really hot day I had about 290 degrees on the gauge at the end of a session and it was at the high point of the green on the display. Funny enough I think the vehicle can tell the viscosity of the oil through the oil pressure and other inputs because when I first started doing HPDEs I was using 5w30 and would peg the OEM oil temp gauge into the red all the time. Now using 5w50 hasn't really been hotter than yellow. I would definitely install a gauge into the OEM level sensor location with the subie drain plug adapter. I believe there is a write up on this site.

Have you read the EOT PID off the ECU and compared it to your gauge? I doubt that a green-yellow-red dash indicator is designed to portray actual temperatures with any precision. I'm thinking back to the days when oil pressure gauges always read the same amount because the sensor was just a switch.

BTW - I checked the service manual and sure enough, the V8's have an oil level sensor that's plugged into the ECU. Thing is, there's no documentation of how it works in the written material. Presumably it does something, but what's bit of a mystery.

 

[AdmirC]

Have you read the EOT PID off the ECU and compared it to your gauge? I doubt that a green-yellow-red dash indicator is designed to portray actual temperatures with any precision. I'm thinking back to the days when oil pressure gauges always read the same amount because the sensor was just a switch.

BTW - I checked the service manual and sure enough, the V8's have an oil level sensor that's plugged into the ECU. Thing is, there's no documentation of how it works in the written material. Presumably it does something, but what's bit of a mystery.

The oil level sensor is just a 2 wire sensor that has a float on it, it is normally closed when the oil is full. When the float drops below a certain level it opens the contacts and tells the ecm that the oil level is low. I had to jump the wires together when I installed the temp sensor in that location to get rid of the low oil light.

 

[AdmirC]

From my archives (don't know from where) I found this for the S550:

View attachment 59828

That's good info. I assume it would apply to both platforms.

 

[Boss4Me]

Thanks for that. Makes sense the scale and temp ranges are applicable to S197.

From my archives (don't know from where) I found this for the S550:

 

[Boss4Me]

My knowledge of this is limited because I do have a display in my car that gives me numbers for oil temp, but here's what I can provide. Indeed, the oil temp in a modern Ford engine is calculated in the ECU from CHT and other variables (I don't know which ones). It's pretty accurate, and it's used in a number of ECU subsystems to control engine functions like cam motion, limp mode and so on. Don't assume that it's wrong because it's calculated. What that means is that if you have an OBD reader that can look at the CAN bus signals from the ECU, there's a EOT PID you can capture and display, perhaps on a smart phone. As for getting it displayed on the dash, that's beyond what I can offer insight into.

Since EOT actual or calculated is available that must mean an AIM (Solo or DL) must be able to capture temp data, correct?