The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

Critical temperature and pressure guage installs

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Hello everyone,

I know this subject has been covered in a few spots, but wanted to get everyone's input on the setup I was planning on going with on my car. I'm planning on installing my autometer cobalt oil temperature, oil pressure, and coolant temperature guages into my 2012 Boss 302. They are all the full sweep electronic stepper motor type, so no messing with analog guages, lines, etc. I planned on putting them into either the Laguna Seca pod on the dash (with some form of temporary attachment method, I really dont want to drill holes in my dash) or via the speed of sound 3 guage pillar pod (not sure if they still sell them...). My questions come in when talking about sensor location etc. As far as coolant temp goes, I'm planning on using a 3/4 NPT Male to 1/8NPT female adaptor for the coolant temp sensor in the factory block heater plug location. For oil temp and pressure, I ordered this SUSA (Setrab) spacer plate with NPT ports (part number 19-SPS76-22) shown in the pic below:
IMG_20200430_125956.jpg

I went with a spacer plate rather than a full on external oil cooler setup for the time being, since my car spends most of its time on the street.

My question revolves around this: With the stock boss oil cooler, this spacer plate (plate is 1.25in thick), and the FL500S filter, does anyone have any thoughts on whether the oil filter will still clear the front subframe? I measured the other day and it looked awful close. Just want to get some input before I try it on the car. Also, any concerns over my overall setup?

Thanks!
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Hello everyone,

I know this subject has been covered in a few spots, but wanted to get everyone's input on the setup I was planning on going with on my car. I'm planning on installing my autometer cobalt oil temperature, oil pressure, and coolant temperature guages into my 2012 Boss 302. They are all the full sweep electronic stepper motor type, so no messing with analog guages, lines, etc. I planned on putting them into either the Laguna Seca pod on the dash (with some form of temporary attachment method, I really dont want to drill holes in my dash) or via the speed of sound 3 guage pillar pod (not sure if they still sell them...). My questions come in when talking about sensor location etc. As far as coolant temp goes, I'm planning on using a 3/4 NPT Male to 1/8NPT female adaptor for the coolant temp sensor in the factory block heater plug location. For oil temp and pressure, I ordered this SUSA (Setrab) spacer plate with NPT ports (part number 19-SPS76-22) shown in the pic below:
View attachment 15166

I went with a spacer plate rather than a full on external oil cooler setup for the time being, since my car spends most of its time on the street.

My question revolves around this: With the stock boss oil cooler, this spacer plate (plate is 1.25in thick), and the FL500S filter, does anyone have any thoughts on whether the oil filter will still clear the front subframe. I measured the other day and it looked awful close. Just want to get some input before I try it on the car. Also, any concerns over my overall setup?

Thanks!

In my case the Boss cooler and the sandwich would no fit. In the end, installed a remote oil filter setup and took out the boss setup replacing it with two setrabs (925 and 935)
 
In my case the Boss cooler and the sandwich would no fit. In the end, installed a remote oil filter setup and took out the boss setup replacing it with two setrabs (925 and 935)

Thats what I was afraid of... I think I read somwhere else that there might be a shorter oil filter available somewhere, an ACDelco part for a corvette or something along those lines?
 
Did some further digging, looks like some folks had luck with the glowshift sandwich plate. I wonder how thick that one is compared to the SUSA.. Also, it looks like Speed of Sound is no longer producing the pillar gauge pods, so it looks like I'm going to be figuring out a way to secure the Laguna gauge pod without drilling into the dash.
 

TymeSlayer

Tramps like us, Baby we were born to run...
3,787
2,740
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Brighton, Colorado
I hesitated greatly when I installed my LS Pod on the dash. I'm not sure you can avoid cutting unless you don't mind jiggling gauges and unsightly wires. At some point in tyme I remembered I didn't buy the car as an investment and I had no intention of ever selling the car. I followed in the footsteps of @302 Hi Pro and took the plunge. I have no regrets.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Did some further digging, looks like some folks had luck with the glowshift sandwich plate. I wonder how thick that one is compared to the SUSA.. Also, it looks like Speed of Sound is no longer producing the pillar gauge pods, so it looks like I'm going to be figuring out a way to secure the Laguna gauge pod without drilling into the dash.

how about these??...https://lmr.com/item/ATM-12134/Autometer-Triple-Gauge-Pillar-Pod-2-16-Mustang-10-14
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I like the Ford pod the best... its far away enough so I can see it with out "old man glasses" and its right close to your line of sight as you watch the road. Really appreciated Grants comment to put a big bright idiot light for oil pressure... When your are excited you tend to only see the car infront of you... or behind.
 
1,289
1,113
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Philly Metro Area
With respect to oil temp sensor location, I was originally considering a Mishimoto plate with ports but the hot side is close to the alternator and would interfere unless I used a 90-degree adapter with extension.

Then I considered the Glowfish adapter that lets you tee into the factory oil pressure sensor port.

However, feedback from most on this site is to use the factory oil level idiot light port on the oil pan. I bought a Killer-B adapter for this. At some future time I may buy the factory Boss 302 pan (or new GT500 pan) and weld another bung in the sump for it.

A few people say that's the most accurate temp reading. Using an adapter off the sandwich plate or a tee results in the sensor bring isolated from full flow.

One person, not on a forum, said that a temp sensor may not be as accurate if it is in a pressurized area.
 
With respect to oil temp sensor location, I was originally considering a Mishimoto plate with ports but the hot side is close to the alternator and would interfere unless I used a 90-degree adapter with extension.

Then I considered the Glowfish adapter that lets you tee into the factory oil pressure sensor port.

However, feedback from most on this site is to use the factory oil level idiot light port on the oil pan. I bought a Killer-B adapter for this. At some future time I may buy the factory Boss 302 pan (or new GT500 pan) and weld another bung in the sump for it.

A few people say that's the most accurate temp reading. Using an adapter off the sandwich plate or a tee results in the sensor bring isolated from full flow.

One person, not on a forum, said that a temp sensor may not be as accurate if it is in a pressurized area.

Thanks for the feedback, I was seeing some similar sentiments about the accuracy of the temperature readings in the sandwich plates. Thinking about it, mine would wind up being post oil cooler, so I'm thinking the temps would likely read on the low side. I'll have to look into the Killer-B adapter, not sure what unplugging the oil level sensor does on a 2012 car...
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top