Oil pressure gauge install questions

[njintau_fsd]

Hi all!

Now I'm not new to car work but I've never done an install like this one plus I didn't find anything conclusive from searching. So here are my questions: If I wanted to use the same oil source as the oil pressure sensor, is there a steel T fitting I can use? If so, where can I get one? Also, what can I use as an electrical source? Btw, this is an Sunpro mechanical oil pressure gauge.

Thanks in advance!

 

[njintau_fsd]

Looks like I found a solution for my issue of finding an oil source for the pressure sender. I ordered a Sandwich Plate from Glow Shift from Ebay so I'm good there. My second question still stands though: Where can I splice in to power the gauge? Is there a way I can do that without cutting up wires and such?

 

[nicholsspeed]

if you dont want to cut wires, your best bet would be a fuse tap. do a search on google.

i have used them a few times. just make sure you tap the fused side.

 

[njintau_fsd]

A fuse tap huh? Cool, thanks for the info!

 

[sde780]

The more "correct" way to do it would be to solder and heatshrink. Tap into something like the radio power source.

 

[speed3 britz]

On my speed 3, I used the 1/4" Female NPT port in which the factory oil pressure switch screws into and T'd off of that keeping the factory switch and adding the gauge sender. Factory sensor is a 1/4" Male NPT and the gauge sender should be a 1/8" Male NPT. I used Aeroquip and Parker fittings I got from work, (they can be found at most any hydraulic or plumbing fitting store). As for electrical, I ran the ground wire to a bolt on the frame nearby, and ran my signal wire up through the firewall to the gauge on my dash and spliced the 12v power and ground for the gauge backlight off my radio harness. You can buy splice clips from just about anywhere that sells wire terminals and these require no cutting or stripping of existing wires.

 

[njintau_fsd]

Hi all!

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread here but bear with me lol. Ok so I recently installed my Sunpro Mechanical Oil Pressure gauge in my MSP. I even used copper hose over the nylon to make sure there weren't any issues with leaking. The first time I started the car (cold start) the gauge read a little over 60 PSI. As I drove it, the gauge varied from 20-62 PSI depending on RPMs. But here's when I started getting nervous. Upon starting the car again (engine was at operating temp) the car idled unusually low (~300-450RPMs) and the gauge read about 5PSI. At cruising speeds, it read about 45PSI or so. My problem is with the pressure reading at idle. Is this normal? What oil pressure readings are considered normal for an MSP? So far, I couldn't find any oil leaks (no dripping from the bottom, no leaking from the gauge etc.) Any help is appreciated, I really don't wanna run my baby with no oil!

Thanks!

 

[rally2003]

rule of thumb is 10 psi for every 1000 rpm

 

[njintau_fsd]

Oh really? Ok then I guess Oil Pressure must've been just fine then... hmm, I guess now I've gotta figure out what's up with the crap idle... Thanks man.

 

[Jasonjames]

An engine with no bearing problems, will run a fairly steady OP. Even at idle, the OP should be not less than 2/3 of max OP readings at higher revs. If your gauge is rising and lowering with revs *when hot* between 20 psi to 60 psi, means that the engine has some oil-clearance issues usually in the bigend journals and/or bearing shells. The good news is the engine can go for years like this. Provided there is a substantial pressure off idle, and I'd include 20 to 60psi in this respect, you dont need to worry yet.

JJ