Thanks for all of the replies, good, bad, and sarcastic. I think the best answer I got was that if the fluid got low I would notice a decrease in the performance tractor, makes good sense to me. I think this whole thing got blown out of proportion because of people not fully reading my question in full. All I wanted to do is install a temperature gage "WITHOUT "drilling a hole
anywhere on the tractor.
Just to let you know that I am 86 years old and have been around the block a few times and I don't like to be treated like i'm a 18 year old wet behind the ears kid. The following are some of the responses that I got that I just don't get.
It’s a tractor not a dozer. ??????
Step away and save yourself from bad / dumb / useless Internet video infomercials! This sounds like it comes from a snap on guy that doesn't like my harbor freight tools.
Maybe install an oil level sender in the oil pan. ??????
using temperature to infer level is fraught with peril, sort of like waiting on the oil pressure light to check the oil or the temperature gauge/light to check coolant. Like Hokie said, if you're concerned with level,
I think it would tell you something of the load you are putting onto your tractor. After a while (at different ambient temperatures) you will be able to tell what is correct or if there is a problem.
Will you use an analogue meter or digital display? If you spread the upper temperature range for an analogue meter you get better resolution in the area you are interested in.
I did that with the water temperature (left side), the cold part is really of no interest.
View attachment 174159
0
If you modify a pipe it may be an idea to add a hydraulic pressure sensor after the pump as well. This gives you instantaneous load. I have that switchable on the same meter as the engine oil pressure (50 bar range then, my pump has only 35 bar nominal).
If you put it in the loader tank return you only get flow when the bucket is being curled. An oil cooler line seems like a better choice for multiple reasons.