I used a digital meat thermometer calibrated in boiling water to check the accuracy of my dash mounted oil temp gauge and with the needle slightly past the halfway mark the digital meat thermometer read 236°F which suggests that the numbers are right on.

 

I've had mine for about a year and have ridden in all conditions. The temp does register about 6 degrees higher than the dash gauge that I installed a couple of months back. No problems to report.

 

Better quality & visibility w/the in-dash unit vs. dipstick...IMO. If you're going to spend the $$$ - do it right.

 

I'm assuming yours was also an HD gauge with the sender in the pan, if so, cool, I guess you got lucky and got a good one, or I got lucky and got two bad ones. I validated mine with the sender installed in the pan, and with an out of the oil sytem bench test with 3 different external thermometers; two gauges in a row was enough to convince me that either they are all bad, or the quality control for accuracy was bad enough not to take a chance on another one. It is cool if you got one that works, at least your gauges and bezels match, my Autometer doesn't match the other gauges but at least it can be read.

 

I cut the 1/8 NPT threads deeper into the bushing cliped 1/4 inch off the total length of the bushing which allows the probe end to clear the bushing end about 1/4. I then boiled pot of water and checked my dip stick gauge which read 215* within 3*, rode to work (35 miles one way) dip stick read 234* dash never went above 190* which is when the needle covers the 8 on the 180 number. Yesterday before the attempted fix, on the way home 35 miles my dip 263* dash mount gauge needle covered the 0 on the 180# (200*ish?) I must have bad gauge.

 

Had one on my '05 Road King for 3 years and 30,000 miles with no problems. Currently have one on my '07 Electra Glide for almost 4 years and 30,000 miles with zero problems.

 

Update on HD oil temp gauge 75324-05A as earlier posted by fabrik8r, if I use the first dot on the gauge as 180* and the small hash marks as increments of ten degrees from the 180* mark it seems to be very accurate in comparison with my dip stick. 1st dot = 180* second dot = 240* move three more small hash marks, which puts the needle at twelve oclock, covering the 3 in the 230 mark equals = 270* which I confirmed with my dip stick gauge. I am now happy, by using the bench mark of the first dot at 180* and the small hash marks as ten degree increments I can make sense of my oil temp. I need to just ignore the other stupid useless numbers.

 

There have been several threads over the years where we've discussed the HD OTG and its nonsenical graduations. In these discussions the consensus seemed to be that 180° is represented by the line between the first two dots, with straight-up being 230°. This jibes with NoCoLoco's tests and some I've done with digital IR and meat thermometers. I've always interpreted the second dot between "180" and "230" as 205°, which is where I conducted the tests that showed it to be within about 3° of that between the three devices. My bike rarely exceeds 205° in summer so that was the best point for me to measure, and I haven't checked at any other points.

I also have some VDO gauges in my car including an OTG with graduations that are almost as quirky as this. On its scale it starts at 120°, then 1/3" above that is 200°, 2/3" later is 260°, and the last 1/3" is 300°--with two graduations between each in non-linear positions. I haven't tested this gauge for accuracy but its readings look as I would expect. In summer it usually stops at 220° about where the cooler thermostat is supposed to open (225°). The HD gauge goes from 110 at the bottom of the scale, 180 at 1/4 scale, 230 at half, 260 at 3/4, and 350 at full. I can only assume the sensor output for both gauges is not linear and these values are representative of reality, or at least as close as they can get in a mass-produced gauge.

 

Same here-try giving it a little tap,works for me.

 

What, are you all just too lazy to grab a rag or tissue and check your oil level by simply unscrewing, wiping, re-screwing in and repeat? That is, naturally, if you don't or can't have one on the dash/handle bars. As far as temp., get an analog one that is just about fail safe (the technology has been around forever) and every time you get off your bike to stretch your legs or get a drink, glance at your gauge. If you check your oil before a run each day and you don't notice large oil drops or oil slick all over the ground or your bike, and you are not blowing out bluish or white smoke out of your pipes, I see no reason to have to check your level every time you get off your bike. Once each day of a ride should be more than enough.