Oil Pressure Gauge

[kcnizdodge]

Ok, so I have read here in this forum that the oil pressure gauge doesn't really measure anything. Here is my question: Is it possible to hook up and electric gauge that will connect to the stock gauge in the dash? Seems simple enough, but I know these things are never as simple as they seem.

 

[JHardwick]

I want to do this myself some day when I find the time. I'm pretty sure you can tap into the port on top of the filter mount for a mechanical gage. Ask RBattelle, he has an oil pressure gage.

 

[nickleinonen]

Is it possible to hook up and electric gauge that will connect to the stock gauge in the dash

probably is never going to happen. too complex a system to mess with. just add an external mechanical or electric gauge. i put a cheapie electric gauge on the oil filter pad test port. is working ok for me. will get a better electric or mechanical gauge though. my cheap one is bouncing around more and more lately. sender going to die soon. what you pay is what you get. i wasn't expecting a $10 electric gauge to last long anyways

 

[rbattelle]

probably is never going to happen. too complex a system to mess with. just add an external mechanical or electric gauge. i put a cheapie electric gauge on the oil filter pad test port. is working ok for me. will get a better electric or mechanical gauge though. my cheap one is bouncing around more and more lately. sender going to die soon. what you pay is what you get. i wasn't expecting a $10 electric gauge to last long anyways

Nick, don't be so sure your sender is going bad. I had exactly the same problem with my gauge. I thought the sender was bad, so I returned it and got a new one under warranty. These were Isspro units, so I believe the quality is very high. Anyway, the new gauge was fine at first but soon began to jump all over like the old one. I decided the chances of getting 2 bad gauges from them was unlikely, so I bought a 3 ft. piece of -6 braided stainless line and the necessary connectors to connect it to the oil filter test port. Then I mounted up the sending unit on the end of that hose. Gauge is rock-steady now. Has been since the day I did it.



My theory is that at the oil pressure port there's a lot of air entraned in the oil, and it makes for some very odd readings. With the 3 ft. isolator hose you damp out all that churning and bubbling. Give it a try...



-Ryan

 

[Matt400]

What nickleinonen said,

The dash on these is so complex you have to pull one apart to see. I believe the figure is 6 lbs. Once the sender see's 6 lbs it closes the circuit like a dummy lamp sender... then the programming takes over and moves the needle to where the driver would "expect" it to be based on RPM and coolant temps.



So if you have any gauge reading at all its some where over 6 lbs. but should be in a warm fuzzy feeling area.

 

[nickleinonen]

With the 3 ft. isolator hose you damp out all that churning and bubbling. Give it a try...

i've got a ±18" grease gun hose piece already there so i could remote mount my sender. i do have some aeroquip line and fittings, but i don't feel like making up a longer hose to try and "fix" this gauge. i want a treo of SPA press/temp gauges that i can use to moniter everything, but the wallet needs some more beefing up before that can happen