oil temp gauge

silkyd · Post by **silkyd** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:12 pm

anyone know the best place to purchase a new oil temp gauge...i understand it needs to be a bulb type? My 52 is going through the annual from hell...it was sitting for about 10 yrs and i am paying the price ! I appreciate all the info I have been getting from you guys!
jeff

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:37 am

Jeff if I was buying it it would be a Rochester from Aircraft Spruce. There are 3 there with the right markings but with different capillary lengths. i don't know what length you need so either wait to hear it here or pull yours out and measure it.

You may also consider getting the appropriate adapter nut. I've seen different types of these and depending on what you have and the nut on the new unit, they may not match. It's another couple of bucks but may save you in time and shipping if you found you needed it.

jetguy · Post by **jetguy** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:53 am

FYI...the gauges that are being delivered now are marked TEMPERATURE, not OIL TEMPERATURE, and include both F and C scales. I asked Jennifer at Spruce if they had any of the old faces left but they don't. Evidently Rochester has gone to a simple generic gauge face for all applications.

But she did give me the name of her 'contact' back at the factory and if I find out they have a stash of old-style gauges or face plates, I'll pass it on.

silkyd · Post by **silkyd** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:14 am

thanks bruce and greg.
i did not find one when i did a search on the spruce website...i dropped them an email...but i might wait a day or 2 and see if you find anything from the "contact". Are you saying only the word "oil" is missing on the face? and it will not look original...but work fine?

jeff

jetguy · Post by **jetguy** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:03 am

Jeff...yes, that's correct.

Disclaimer; I ASSUME it will work properly - it hasn't been installed yet.

silkyd · Post by **silkyd** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:35 pm

Spruce said:
We do not have anything that is available, the only other option might
be to have it overhauled...but don't know if that could be done
eithered...

so they are saying they don't carry them?
jeff

jetguy · Post by **jetguy** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:50 pm

OK, here's what I got from 'Gus' over at Rochester. He says the old-style faces are definately no longer available. He doesn't recommend prying off the crimped-on bezel in order to do a face plate change yourself. You could get a custom face plate if you ordered 500 of them. That's three strikes right there.

The Spruce catalog hasn't caught up yet. Page 367 lists the replacement gauges available (as Bruce mentions) but the photo is of a gauge with the old-style markings (100-250, Farenheit scale only).

For comparison (this is the confusing part), the Spruce website actually shows BOTH old AND new style gauges, same price and part number. However, as I mentioned, the old ones aren't available.

You can see the actual differences by going to the Spruce website, click on 'INSTRUMENTS' under the product index, then 'OIL GAUGES' and scroll til you get to the FIRST display of Rochester oil temp gauges - that's a photo of the one you CAN get. Now scroll further down til you see the SECOND display of Rochester oil temp gauges - that's a photo of the one you CAN'T get.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

N2865C · Post by **N2865C** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:57 pm

The Scott RN-2100 also works fine, but are more expensive. I put one in my 170. They do come with the bulb adapter. The new online price at spruce is $140+.

I think I paid around $85 a year or so ago.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/i ... iltemp.php

and

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/catalog/Cat06367.pdf

It might be worth calling around to a few suppliers to see if they have any old stock Rochester's.
I called a bunch of instrument overhaulers in Trade-a- plane and they all said that they could not repair the originals.

To understand why the correct bulb adapter is important check this thread.

http://cessna170.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... 01&start=0

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:58 pm

Of course the Scott gauge being the same (made by Rochester) will work as well. I didn't mention it because of the price difference.

If you decide you just have to have the original gauge and or face I would call Keystone Instruments in Lockhaven Pa. http://www.keystoneinstruments.com/

If anyone can rebuild your gauge it will be them. They rebuild and restore the original Cub instruments to include replacing the capillary and repainting the face. They do most of the restoration work for people like Spruce and Wag Aero.

Another option might be for them to open a new gauge you provide and replace the face with the one from your old gauge.

They may even have some of the Scott or Rochester gauges all ready to go.

N2865C · Post by **N2865C** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:19 pm

N9149A wrote:If you decide you just have to have the original gauge and or face I would call Keystone Instruments in Lockhaven Pa. http://www.keystoneinstruments.com/

If anyone can rebuild your gauge it will be them.

I called them, they couldn't. At least as of last year.

N9149A wrote:Another option might be for them to open a new gauge you provide and replace the face with the one from your old gauge.

Worth a try... If you do a search there has been discussions on how to do this yourself.

silkyd · Post by **silkyd** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:12 pm

thanks for all the help...i ordered the rochester from spruce...i am not too hung up having the same face...as long as it reads the temp!
jeff

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:51 am

Without addressing the issue of legality...
It is a simple matter to swap the faceplates of these gauges. Using a knife blade or similar tool (slim common screwdriver might work), slide the blade circumferentially around the glass, beneath the rim of the gauge, to pry the metal rim up/away, and slip the glass off the gauge body. (Suction cups can be handy but are not required.) Carefully pick the faceplate from behind the needle movement. Insert the old/original faceplate behind/beneath the needle movement, and replace the glass. Using a wooden dowel or popsickle stick, press the rim back down upon the glass in a circular movement around the face.
I've done this many times to such gauges....on ... er,.. tractors, go-carts, machinery, etc. and such.

Any good instrument shop can do the same, if they can be talked into it.
(Air Parts of Lock Haven, PA has a reputation for quality overhauls and repairs on such gauges.) 800-443-3117

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:31 pm

Any way to trouble shoot? The oil temp on my 170 died enroute to Memphis. I have Scott oil temp and Rochester oil pressure gauges. I'd like to try and troubleshoot before arbitarily replacing the gauge/line. (Are the gauges attached to the line such that they can be seperated?) R/Lee ('54B N1967C)

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:18 am

No Lee you can't take the line of the oil temperature gage. Or if you do you've definitly got a problem with the gage.

The line and tube are filled with a gas I believe, and once broken it's gone. In fact the gages are pretty simple. They pretty much work OR they don't. Not much to trouble shoot.

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:11 am

To trouble shoot a capilary tube temperature gage, submerge the bulb in boiling water and check the temperature reading adjusted for elevation.
If it is too far off your standard to be considered serviceable, junk it.
Replace it with a new unit. You may want to put a label beneath the gage
reading "OIL" if the new gage reads "TEMPERATURE" only.

The International Cessna 170 Association

oil temp gauge

oil temp gauge

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oil temp gauge

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Oil Temp Gauge