How to get trans and diff temps?

I'm slowly building my 90 Miata into a Spec Miata or ITA car. I recently acquired a Torsen out of a 2000 Miata. While it is out of the car, I was thinking of installing a temp sensor into the diff (and later the trans).

The drain plugs are magnetized so I don't want to screw around with those. How else would one go about installing a temp sensor in the tranny and diff?

Thanks.

Drill and tap for pipe thread.

Not familiar with the Miata, but I imagine the diff has a cover you can remove and either tap directly or drill and weld in a bung if its very thin.

For the trans make a new drain plug out of steel, drill, tap in the sensor and then just stick a strong magnet to the outside. I'd add a little glue just in case.

edit: Autometer senders are 1/8th-27 NPT. Drill with an R size bit. Seal with permatex.

Hey,

What you will (probably) find is that you don't need any ongoing temp monitoring.

To confirm this: Get temp sensors that fit the existing drain plugs: Set the temp sensors up with a double pole/double throw switch so that you can switch between the 2 temp sensors during an event. Run this scheme and take data during an early season event. If the temps are marginal decide if you need to run higher viscosity or higher temp lube. If you decide to change lube, rerun the experiment after changing the lubricant.

Then put the magnetic plugs bake into the diff/trans.

If you are still nervous about the lube breaking down, repeat the test during a summer event/long run...

Rog

stick these on it before going and wasteing any $$ http://www.omega.com/pptst/8M_LABELS.html

those wiki guys said: A thermometer (from the Greek θερμός (thermo) meaning "warm" and meter, "to measure") is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor (e.g. the bulb on a mercury thermometer) in which some physical change occurs with temperature, plus some means of converting this physical change into a value (e.g. the scale on a mercury thermometer). Thermometers increasingly use electronic means to provide a digital display or input to a computer.

sorry couldnt help myself

Thanks for the info and alternate ideas gents.

I've never drilled and tapped anything before. Is there a minimum thickness required so it would be sufficient to drill and thread/tap the hole in the diff cover?

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Not familiar with the Miata, but I imagine the diff has a cover you can remove and either tap directly or drill and weld in a bung if its very thin. For the trans make a new drain plug out of steel, drill, tap in the sensor and then just stick a strong magnet to the outside. I'd add a little glue just in case. edit: Autometer senders are 1/8th-27 NPT. Drill with an R size bit. Seal with permatex.

Purple, Why the edit comment? Are you saying not to drill/tap and just stick it in there using Permatex?

The easiest thing to do is just use an IR gun after a session. When we pull tire temps after a session, we just stick the IR gun under the car & shoot the diff (and trans). It holds its heat really well & you can usually find an issue pretty quickly (700 degree diff temp - Yikes)

Kendall

I drilled and tapped my miata oil pan for temp. It's plenty thick to run threads into. Look at one off the car before hand. I ruined a pan by drilling into one of the baffles by accident.

oil temp I think is a good idea.. but I do not see the need for a trans or diff temp gage. I would think an idiot light would work just as well... because unless you are running a cooler with a switchable fan, there is NO way you are going to get the temps down during a race

Problem with using a IR gun after is you still don't know max temp reached if you use the "ONE TIME ONLY" stickers you'll see the max temp them you know if you even need to bother with it.

44Dwarf wrote: Problem with using a IR gun after is you still don't know max temp reached if you use the "ONE TIME ONLY" stickers you'll see the max temp them you know if you even need to bother with it.

Agreed.