Bleed mechanical oil pressure guage?

[mitsumikey]

My mechanical oil pressure guage is all that is holding the last steps of the install up. I have the copper tubing ran from point A to B, just needs to be connected. What I need to know for this guage to work is: Do I bleed the tube or not? Im figuring having the oil all the way through the tubing to the guage sounds like a bad idea? Will it be fine with air in the line? Wont the air just compress off the oil and give the reading(accurately!)
thanks!

 

[Colt4G63 also]

There's no need to bleed the line.

 

[mitsumikey]

alright thanks! anyone else want to chime in?

 

[whiteAWD]

sure, there is nothing like an interior full of hot engine oil when a fitting or a line lets loose to the gauge- why not go with a gauge with an electric sending unit?

 

[Spades]

I was reading up on VDO gauges & sending units and noticed that the sending units were for both boost /oil pressure, in which case would make me say there is no need to bleed the line.. But then I found it strange that they had a separate sending unit for fuel pressure

 

[mitsumikey]

Im sort of lost on what to do here, people elsewhere have told me to bleed it and others not to bleed it. I really didnt plan on getting a electric one since I already bought this one:S

 

[LKWTSI]

I understand the concern over hot oil in the cockpit, BUT, you have hot coolant in the cockpit going in and out of your heater core SO, if you're concerned then your options are 1. electric gauge or 2. Stock gauge

I have had 4 cars, with tubing line into the cockpit. one of the cars was my rally car and I have never in 20 years had one of them leak or burst.

As for the bleeding... I have bled and not bled My latest install on my current Talon, I bled. Reason As you said in you OP. air compresses slightly and if you are like most DSM'rs I can guess you are looking for accurate readings. I just put the end of the tube in a bottle and started the engine up. It takes about 3-5 seconds for the oil to find it's way up to the end AND it doesn't come blasting out like you'd think. Once you have a good flow and don't sit there with it running for 5 mins, 5-10 secs top switch off the engine and carefully put the tube fitting on the back of the gauge. It's a fairly simple and clean process. Make sure you don't over tighten the fitting or, yes, you'll end up with a leak in the cockpit.

The small amount of air in the tube at this point isn't going to make a difference in the reading.

 

[mitsumikey]

Thanks for the detailed response! How do I know its not over tightened? I know it has to be tightened alot more than the boost guage so the ferrule will grab it properly. But how much is too much?

 

[LKWTSI]

Thanks for the detailed response! How do I know its not over tightened? I know it has to be tightened alot more than the boost guage so the ferrule will grab it properly. But how much is too much?

It's just like tightening anything brass or copper. STOP when you feel it resist. It's not like tightening a bolt or nut on regular components. When you use a brass or copper fitting, once it feels like it's starting to resist you tightening, it's pretty much there. If you go much further you'll either split the ferrule nut or over compress the ferrule itself. Just use some common sense and don't try to torque this thing to death. Once it starts to feel tight either stop or go just a little past that and your DONE

 

[Colt4G63 also]

I had one of those plastic lines leak in my Dodge van before. The plug to my heat blower arked out, and melted the line. It was a Sunday, I was in the middle of nowhere camping, and it sucked.

Needless to say,I run an electric oil pressure gauge now in anything I put a gauge into.

As for the air in the line, sure it compresses, but the pressure is still going to equalize practically instantly, so I don't see how it matters. If anything it would cushion the gauge and make work more smoothly.

 

[mitsumikey]

Thanks for your help guys, I know what Im going to do now. But I gotta make a run to the store to get a T fitting so I can keep the stock sensors first. Then I can get this tripple pod snapped in finally!

 

[mitsumikey]

There is no safe way. I test drove it today with the new exhaust and guages, and the oil blew out in the face of the guage. Managed to catch it and clean the oil before the mess was too bad. Im going to replace it with an electronic one this time around. The guage was bled, and the connections did not even leak. The oil is just sitting there in the face of the guage. Almost quite literally it all blew up in my face . Figures The one and only thing I regretted buying because I didnt research before hand. So make this a lesson to all you newbs, research your parts!

That aside anyone know if the sender for electronic autometer guages fits into the port the same as the mechanical did? Am I pretty much swapping copper line for wire and a sender??

 

[whiteAWD]

see i knew this was going to be the outcome

 

[mitsumikey]

Haha well I contacted autometer, awaiting a response....
are autometer's electric guages slower and laggy to the point Im going to be annoyed?
do the sensors wear out fast like others seem to?
I have heard mixed responses on this mechanical one though. Some people believe its asking for trouble, others are suprised it exploded. From what I understand the electrical is going to be wayyy more expensive too....

 

[whiteAWD]

please update us when autometer gets back to you.

 

[mitsumikey]

I definatley will post up what they say, still awaiting a reply...
I have a feeling i might get blamed, but they dont include it in the instructions, so if the line isnt meant to be bled how are you supposed to know that? I have read that they do replace guages easy enough, but thats going to be quite a hassle living in canada to send it down there.

 

[kawboy]

I've run a autometer mechanical oil pressure gauge with their copper line kit.

No leaks, no problems.

I'm curious as to why it blew out into the face

 

[Burnett03]

If the oil sprayed out you did something wrong, probably overtightened the fitting. Either way you shouldn't be running hot oil into the car anyways. Be careful with the autometer senders, they like to go out fast due to vibration. I suggest remote mounting the sender unit using some -3an line.

 

[mitsumikey]

To remote mount the sender could I keep some copper tubing and attach it to that? Where would it be remote mounted?
Now how would over tightening the fitting blow the gauge? You don't want the line popping out of the gauge either.

 

[kawboy]

You might have effectively "ripped" the fitting out of the back of the gauge.

 

[Burnett03]

To remote mount the sender could I keep some copper tubing and attach it to that? Where would it be remote mounted?
Now how would over tightening the fitting blow the gauge? You don't want the line popping out of the gauge either.

Like i stated above, remote mount it using a -3an hose. Forget about the copper tubing.

 

[DSMunknown]

I am still running my mechanical oil pressure gauge on my A-pillar. Been there... gosh, it must be at least 3 years now. With the original plastic nylon tubing. Of course it leaked, right where the (can't remember the technical term) "crush washer", for lack of a better term.

This past September I got SS braided lines on, with AN fitting and all. Mo more leaking into the cabin.

 

[mitsumikey]

Its called a "ferrule" give or take a few letters

I forgot here is autometers response:

Hello. I am sorry for the problem that you have experienced. Please return the gauge to us for inspection and replacement. This is not a normal situation and is very uncommon. Please use the attached form for sending it into us. Thank you. CoryTech/Service

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Thats weird, I've had a autometer mechanical oil pressure gauge in my car for about 5 years now with the nylon tubing and never had a problem. I'm looking to up grade to braided stainless now before there is problem though.

As far as Braided SS, should I use -4 AN or -3 AN and why?

Also does anyone know the size for the T and the rest of the fittings to tap into the factory oil pressure gauge?