For those not following along on my Reader's Ride page, I have a RWD Corolla and I am working on a mild-to-medium-built 4A-G to replace the mostly stock 4A-G in there now. I will be running FJO 341B engine management, which comes with an oil temperature sensor.
I will be using the sensor to A) output to a guage in the car, and B) send the ECU into a limp mode if the oil temp exceeds certain parameters. I also have an oil cooler and a Mocal thermostatic sandwich plate, so hopefully (knock on wood) none of this will ever be an issue, it is all just a nice reassurance for me while driving hard.
I guess the sensor typically goes in a weld-in bung in the oil pan, but my pan is already on and buttoned up. I really don't feel like pulling off the pan (which also requires pulling off the pickup and the windage tray) and then cleaning off all of the FIPG I already put on there, getting a bare spot through the new powdercoat, welding in a bung, and having the pan re-powdercoated, new pickup gaskets, new FIPG, torque all twenty-something fasteners, etc. I also don't fancy drilling and/or welding on a sump mounted to a fresh bottom end.
My buddy has a very similar build and the same issue with the sump. He put his sensor in a tee on inner fender, like this:
My plumbing at the sandwich plate is a bit stouter and a bit simpler, so I have entertained the thought of trying to mount the sensor inline right where the hose comes out of the sandwich plate. Here is where I would be attaching the fitting:
But I am worried about the weight and the vibration. The fittings in there now are steel. I won't do brass (heavy and brittle) but it seems like the fatigue resistance of aluminum isn't great, and the weight of steel is a lot to cantilever out there.
The appeal is just keeping the lines to the cooler shorter and more direct, and also keeping the wiring harness shorter and tidier, rather than running all the way to the outside of the engine bay.
Am I asking for trouble? Any thoughts or practical advice?
