My experience with a cheap OBD dashboard temperature gauge
 

As we know, the temperature gauge on the XK8/R does not give an accurate temperature reading, having been designed to stay rock solid in the middle of the gauge when the temp is anywhere in its normal range. This makes new ownership easier, as you don't have to worry why your temp gauge is going up and down all the time, but on an engine where the warranty ran out 15 years earlier, it would be nice to know the actual temp the engine is running, rather than just have a needle that says "nothing to worry about dear." potentially followed by a bang as the aluminium engine melts.

One solution is to fit the Real Gauge kit that converts the temp display from an idiot light into a fully working temp gauge - but I don't like taking things apart on the car if I don't have to.

Another solution is to read the real engine temperature from the OBD bus and there are different readers you can plug in, including dongles that work with a mobile phone, but most of them aren't suitable to be left plugged in permanently or are expensive. So when I saw this little gadget (Autool X50) on Amazon for £30, I thought it was worth trying it out, even if it was likely to be cheap Chinese rubbish.

http://nerjaarchitect.com/wp-content...ed-display.jpg

The OBD cable plugs into the socket down by the drivers knee, the cable then runs up the side of the dashboard out of sight to the display, that fits neatly on the dashboard. The display can be customised with different parameters to display - I have it set to show the temp in the bottom left, volts bottom right and speed in KMH in the large display (handy as my speedo is in MPH but the limits are all in KMH). It can also be set to show the temp as the main display:-

http://nerjaarchitect.com/wp-content...mp-display.jpg

For such a cheap device it works really well, the display is crisp and easy to read (better in real life than in the pictures) and amazingly is still going strong after 12 months of use. It doesn't even look cheap and nasty sitting on the dashboard. Whether there is any real benefit to being able to see the actual temperature is another question, but its definitely nice to be able to glance over and see what the temp is really doing and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a cheap and easy solution to this oversight on Jaguar's part.

Just search Autool X50 on Ebay.

I paid around 30 Great British Pounds for mine, or maybe a bit more last year. You can get them on Amazon or eBay.

Here is an example on Amazon.com:-


If you search for autool x50 you will see there are other versions available, including a round one.

I just bought a Autool Model X-60 on Thursday and got it on Saturday...….unbelievable....It looks like a gauge and sits up of the Dash.....It is amazing! It does everything that that needs to be done! Everything! Even turns off the Little Engine-Light...With this thing, you don't need the Plug-in Phone programs that don't work half the time...

You plug it in and sit it on your dash and it reads all the time..... Got it though Amazon for around $40.00 Bucks!!!
Go to www.autooltech.com look for Model X60

Billy Clyde in Houston

I am willing to wait so I made an offer on one on Ebay from China where it is made.

I saw that the X60 is round as opposed to the rounded rhomboid that the X50 is. Could you post a picture of what it looks like perched atop your dashboard?

giandanielxk8,

I'll be happy take that Photo tomorrow, as it is 40 degrees outside and man it's cold!

Billy Clyde in Houiston

Oh geez, that sounds horrible. I've never experienced anything below 60ºF.

So now you understand my situation here in the deep South! And giandanielxk8, Tomorrow morning it is going down to 33 degrees.....can you believe that? I'm going to put on my only Coat and take a Photo of this little Jewel first thing.....just for you!

Billy Clyde

The round one wasn't available when I bought mine. For the money though its a no-brainer purchase.

p.s. it was 21 degrees here yesterday (centigrade :D )

5:41 am as I type this and it is 76°F at the moment. Life in paradise is good. :)

Paid $24 including shipping for the X60.

This is pretty cool!
 

The Temperature this Morning in Houston was about 38 degrees but "Sugar" was in the Garage when I took this Photo of the X-60 setting on the Dash....I haven't mounted it yet as I'm not sure where I want to put it......That will come as I play around with it.....This Morning I found that it even reads Fuel Trims! and wouldn't you know it! Some Guy has already beat my price of $44.and change.....Bragger!!!
The only thing I've found that's a little tricky is some of the numbers are pretty small....even with my Glasses on....the Big numbers are OK but those little ones are way off....I think I like it! You can even see the Voltage...I think 13.8 is pretty Good....?

Billy Clyde in Houston
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...82190c83fb.jpg
This is the X-80

so I guess you can't advise me why my transmission started leaking out of the blue exactly when the temperature dropped under -9 C (that would be +15 to us backward USA residents). ;) ;) ;)

​​​​​​​Z


......and I used to think you were a tough guy......

;)

Z.

• Nov 19, 2018
• 07:38am

• Flight landed in destination country

Mines on its way so long as the destination country is the USA.

Is there even an oil pressure sensor (other than go/no-go/seized engine) let alone readable via OBD?

(Lots of Jaguars don't have one.)

Definitely no oil pressure sensor in the XK8/R...just a low pressure switch. If you want oil pressure, get RealGauge.