[Mojo Peterson]

I was looking at all the LED stuff that's available on the market today. making heads or tails about what will work and what won't is time consuming and confusing. I wanted a temp gauge.
I went to eBay and bought another Rebel 250 dipstick. ($9). I found a used H-D Oil tank temp gauge ($15). I ground down the grip part if the top of the dipstick creating a dome like appearance. On the underside of the dipstick I cut the measuring part off. In a drillpress I drilled a 3/16" hole in the center of the cap. The H-D gauge is a rubber push in. No thread. I took an exacto blade and carefully removed the rubber. I left a little up inside to be sure the gauge didnt come loose from the chrome trim ring. I then mixed up some J-B Weld and filled the underside of the gauge with it. Take your time here or it can get messy. I slid the gauge shaft into the cap hole and pushed it down tight. I screwed it back into the engine tightly and set the gauge so I could read it from the seat position. I let it set over night to harden. Now you end up about an inch short on the stock oil level line. When I have to check my oil I will use the old oil filler cap. I thought of a copper extension but I didnt want to ruin the gauge silver soldering a piece of copper on to it with the heat needed.
Here are some photos:

 

[Texas Reb]

Pretty crafty! in your searches, did you happen to run across a chrome dip stick?

 

[wjmrty]

very cleaver n neat idea. i like it. can you put marks in it n use as dip stick as well. :thumb:

 

[shadetree]

I've been thinking of doing that myself but hav'nt got around to it. One of my freinds has one on his bike that is a little longer than my dipstick but can't remember where he got it. Mabe one day!

 

[mohanpiyush]

Isnt JB weld band conductor of heat?

 

[Mojo Peterson]

Pretty crafty! in your searches, did you happen to run across a chrome dip stick?

No I have not seen a chrome dipstick for the Rebel. I have been researching companies that will chrome plastic though. It's can get expensive right quick.

 

[bigred]

it is, but its only being used to hold the gauge to the modified dipstick. not really getting in the way of the heat transfer from the oil to the gauge sensor-stick-thing.

 

[Mojo Peterson]

Isnt JB weld band conductor of heat?

I am not a scientist. I am a Welding Fabricator by trade. So I don't have an answer. I know J-B Weld will hold just about anything if mixed properly.
Hot or Cold. What I am not certain of yet is, how hot does a Honda 250 engine run?
I am going to find out pretty soon.

 

[gpd211]

If it is an inch short of the oil level at rest is it measuring oil temp or the air temp inside the cover? On an hd the probe is ment to be submerged in oil (oil tank vs wet sump).

 

[Mojo Peterson]

If it is an inch short of the oil level at rest is it measuring oil temp or the air temp inside the cover? On an hd the probe is ment to be submerged in oil (oil tank vs wet sump).

I'd imagine the oil splashes around inside the engine. I doubt there is much difference between the air temp and oil temp inside the engine. It's a gauge. I wasnt worried about accuracy as much as the consistancy of the gauge. If you have nothing and run low on oil, how do you know unless you look? Say it runs at 300 degrees normally and you look down and it is pegged. Now you know something is amiss. It is better than nothing at all.
That was my thinking.

 

[Mojo Peterson]

very cleaver n neat idea. i like it. can you put marks in it n use as dip stick as well. :thumb:

I missed your question. Sorry Wj. I was going to silver solder an extension so you could use it as a dip stick also. I just wasn't certain whether it would max the gauge and ruin it. Silver solder melts at 450 degrees F. The gauge only goes up to 350. The last thing I'd want is the extension coming off inside the motor. So I didnt do it.

 

[DNC]

Why didn't I think of that! :banghead:

Great idea, very clever.

I makin' one for my steed! :thumb:

 

[bigred]

Why not jb weld the copper extention to the gauge? as long as there is enough copper touching the the gauge, the epoxy shouldnt interfere with the heat transfer and the gauge would still be accurate. just use some rough sandpaper on the outside of the gauge and inside of the copper tube to give the epoxy something to stick to, and i bet it would work fine.

 

[Mojo Peterson]

Why not jb weld the copper extention to the gauge? as long as there is enough copper touching the the gauge, the epoxy shouldnt interfere with the heat transfer and the gauge would still be accurate. just use some rough sandpaper on the outside of the gauge and inside of the copper tube to give the epoxy something to stick to, and i bet it would work fine.

I just didnt want to risk the piece coming off inside. That's not a good thing considering the damage just a tiny spec of metal can do.
On another note, I am surprised no one has considered putting an oil level sight gauge in the right side cover.

 

[gpd211]

I'd imagine the oil splashes around inside the engine. I doubt there is much difference between the air temp and oil temp inside the engine. It's a gauge. I wasnt worried about accuracy as much as the consistancy of the gauge. If you have nothing and run low on oil, how do you know unless you look? Say it runs at 300 degrees normally and you look down and it is pegged. Now you know something is amiss. It is better than nothing at all.
That was my thinking.

I wasn't trying to bad mouth your idea (I actually like the idea very much). Was just curious what you will be measuring. I'll be waiting to hear your results from riding (as well as photos of the gauge after riding)

 

[Mojo Peterson]

I wasn't trying to bad mouth your idea

It's all good man :thumb: I asked myself all these "what ifs". I just couldn't convince myself 101% it wouldn't fall off. If the probe was 13/16" longer it would be perfect.

 

[ratrebel]

I was looking at all the LED stuff that's available on the market today. making heads or tails about what will work and what won't is time consuming and confusing. I wanted a temp gauge.
I went to eBay and bought another Rebel 250 dipstick. ($9). I found a used H-D Oil tank temp gauge ($15). I ground down the grip part if the top of the dipstick creating a dome like appearance. On the underside of the dipstick I cut the measuring part off. In a drillpress I drilled a 3/16" hole in the center of the cap. The H-D gauge is a rubber push in. No thread. I took an exacto blade and carefully removed the rubber. I left a little up inside to be sure the gauge didnt come loose from the chrome trim ring. I then mixed up some J-B Weld and filled the underside of the gauge with it. Take your time here or it can get messy. I slid the gauge shaft into the cap hole and pushed it down tight. I screwed it back into the engine tightly and set the gauge so I could read it from the seat position. I let it set over night to harden. Now you end up about an inch short on the stock oil level line. When I have to check my oil I will use the old oil filler cap. I thought of a copper extension but I didnt want to ruin the gauge silver soldering a piece of copper on to it with the heat needed.
Here are some photos:

yeah, all that is pretty cool, I definitely see myself pulling something like this. I'd be kinda wary trusting JB weld not to drop something in my tank,and probably find a way to tack it on. but really, if anyone reads this post, its cool to have a gauge, but you should probably check your oil before you go riding. And I have found my 250 so much more fun when I removed the all the gauges. well, the only gauge anyway. 4 months of riding it told me there was no reason to have one under any normal circumstances, and in those rare moments I find myself in a neighborhood or school zone in which the cops pull you at 27mph, I can either flip a switch and turn on a small digital one i installed, or just purposely go only fast enough to keep the bike upright, or not be hit by other traffic.