electric oil pressure gauge install [Merged 7-7] installation hookup wiring

[Z32]

I got an Autometer short sweep electric oil pressure gauge that I'm installing in my car right now. I have all the wires inside my car but i don't know where to connect them to, can anyone please help?

 

[Defiant]

Only further illustration of why you don't need an oil pressure gauge. Oil pressure is either "enough", or it isn't. Plain bearings draw in their own oil supply, and provide their own hydrodynamic pressure. The oil pump's there to keep the supply moving so that the bearing doesn't overheat the oil it'd keep if it were on its own.
So you're driving down the road, and your oil pressure's five pounds under what it "usually" is. Then what?

 

[larsrya8]

I don't stare at my oil pressure gauge while driving, but I do glance at it occasionally to see if it's "where it should be" (for my car, anyway). If I were to look over and see that the pressure was much higher or much lower (think +/- 15 psi) then what it should be at a certain RPM with the engine completely warmed up, I would know something is wrong. Perhaps the oil filter is getting clogged, or I'm losing oil somehow and air is starting to get into the pump. These are things that the stock oil pressure gauge doesn't have the precision to show; 5 psi and 12 psi both look the same on the stock gauge, but if you have 5 psi at idle there's a problem that you won't be able to see.

Having an aftermarket oil pressure sensor is also very useful for someone who has a new engine installed and wants to make sure that everything is working correctly. Having very high or low pressure could be caused by incorrect clearances or a faulty oil pump.

FWIW, I've had my Defi sender in the pump housing for a year now and it still reads perfectly. I still have my balance shafts, so maybe that helps.

 

[ITSME4G63]

The vibration destroys the inside of the sender, it sounds like a baby rattle when you take it out.

Those parts on that setup were not painted, but they were new from the dealer.

now this extended line I see you got going, its just a one way to the sender right? And its an aftermarket sender, not a stock one? Also, would this extension kill off some of the oil pressure? I already have an external oil cooler and I'm wondering if Im killing the pressure with it. Also, I notice that there are electrical and electronic autometer gages on ebay, is there a difference? One sells for 60 and the other 180, I mean the elcetric must just mean that its lit up by electricity while being supplied pressure by being mechanical right?

 

[mavisky]

I've had my sender mounted to my engine for 2 years now with no issues what so ever. Those who know me, know that the car isn't driven lightly either. No bs shafts, window welded mounts. No problems.

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Oh and if you don't want to have to tap the oil filter housing for the 1/8 npt fitting you'll need this. It converts standard 1/8npt to 1/8bpt (or jpt, both the same) so you can just screw it right in. Part number 2269

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[Kevin Jewer]

now this extended line I see you got going, its just a one way to the sender right?

I'm not sure what this means. It's simply a single line that connects the remote mounted sender to the pressure port in the housing.

And its an aftermarket sender, not a stock one?

Correct. The sender that came with the Autometer guage I used.

Also, would this extension kill off some of the oil pressure?

No. No where for any pressure to go, it's a closed system, unless you have a leak. And oil does not flow "through" it so restriction is not possible. If the line is filled with air there is a chance that the response time can be reduced, but I have never seen this actually happen. If you are anal, you could run the extension to a container and crank the motor until oil comes out, then attach it to the sender.

Also, I notice that there are electrical and electronic autometer gages on ebay, is there a difference? One sells for 60 and the other 180, I mean the elcetric must just mean that its lit up by electricity while being supplied pressure by being mechanical right?

They are all lit electrically, unless you have a really old skool unit lit by an oil lamp? I paid around 45-50 bucks for the electric guage from Summit. The other "electronic" one may be a digital readout, or have other memory or peak hold functions, etc. You'll have to do that research.

 

[ITSME4G63]

I'm not sure what this means. It's simply a single line that connects the remote mounted sender to the pressure port in the housing.



Correct. The sender that came with the Autometer guage I used.



No. No where for any pressure to go, it's a closed system, unless you have a leak. And oil does not flow "through" it so restriction is not possible. If the line is filled with air there is a chance that the response time can be reduced, but I have never seen this actually happen. If you are anal, you could run the extension to a container and crank the motor until oil comes out, then attach it to the sender.



They are all lit electrically, unless you have a really old skool unit lit by an oil lamp? I paid around 45-50 bucks for the electric guage from Summit. The other "electronic" one may be a digital readout, or have other memory or peak hold functions, etc. You'll have to do that research.

Thanks for the input, so 3 feet of ss braided line should be enough? You got these parts/line custom made or off the shelf, just curious. I do have a hydaulic place that could make them but if they are off the shelf item it may save me some cost. THanks.

Damian.

 

[Kevin Jewer]

I had the AN line and fittings handy, just had to get some AN to NPT adapters. Autometer actually sells a 3 foot line with NPT ends on it for about 30 bucks IIRC, that may make more sense for you. If you don't want to tap the filter housing for NPT (assuming you haven't already) you can also get NPT to BSP adapters from autometer (search summing and autometers sites) or www.mcmaster.com.

 

[staticbrainwash]

Only further illustration of why you don't need an oil pressure gauge. Oil pressure is either "enough", or it isn't. Plain bearings draw in their own oil supply, and provide their own hydrodynamic pressure. The oil pump's there to keep the supply moving so that the bearing doesn't overheat the oil it'd keep if it were on its own.
So you're driving down the road, and your oil pressure's five pounds under what it "usually" is. Then what?

If this is the case, and i don't disagree, what is a better choice for a gauge? EGT, trans temp?

 

[ITSME4G63]

I had the AN line and fittings handy, just had to get some AN to NPT adapters. Autometer actually sells a 3 foot line with NPT ends on it for about 30 bucks IIRC, that may make more sense for you. If you don't want to tap the filter housing for NPT (assuming you haven't already) you can also get NPT to BSP adapters from autometer (search summing and autometers sites) or www.mcmaster.com.

Another question,

Earlier it was mentioned that the sensor may fail due to vibrations from the motor. Since I am running prothan mounts, the motor sits still and it is the chassis that actually vibrates. Now if I go about doing what you did it would actually be endangering the sensor since it would be chassis mount?

Thanks.

 

[Kevin Jewer]

I had the same setup. Prothane mounts, no shafts, cams, etc. On the motor, the sender would last two weeks. Where you see it in my pictures, it lasted years. I don't know how much more it needs to be discussed.

 

[Eagle 5]

My sender has been mounted to the filter housing for a long time with no problems.
HOWEVER, I do suggest if you are going to use a adapter, do not use a brass one or overtighten it. I used an adapter for the gauge and after 5000 miles the adapter broke off while driving on the highway. Killed one cylinder (3 were still fine but the had melted to the sides of the wall in the 4th one. And, it took my turbo with it. Since then I have not had a working turbo, even afte rebuilding it, it sitll is not right (the turbo, but its old so I need a new one)

Since my car is down though I will be switching to remote mounting the sender on the frame/ firewall somewhere and just running a line to it.

 

[Defiant]

If this is the case, and i don't disagree, what is a better choice for a gauge? EGT, trans temp?

Water temperature is probably your most valuable, easily-correctible road-repair gauge. Engine temps will climb from low coolant long before damage is done. Even oil is going to too many places and is under too many variables for its temperature to be of much value- you have what's bringing heat back from the piston crowns mingled with relatively cool oil coming in from the main bearings. Not much is really going on inside a proven engine that you can do anything about. Failing bearings can't be corrected any more than cracked pistons or rings can. It calls for a rebuild.
EGT can be of value if you're driving a motor that's running that close to the edge of destruction, and fuel pressure could be a lifesaver if you saw it soon enough. But damage to pistons, rings and valves occurs in as little as five or ten revolutions, and you aren't going to see it in time. They, too, are essentially "too late" indicators.

 

[Kevin Jewer]

My oil pressure gauge saved my ass many times. For example, before I started running 90 housings and using safety wire, I had a problem blowing off oil filters at high rpm. The pressure guage would start to fluctuate rapidly while the motor was pumping all the oil out of the motor. I could shut it down, fix the problem, and add oil before the damage was done. The stock light never came on (another "too late" indicator). I'm afraid to leave home without an oil pressure gauge now.

 

[mavisky]

I've had leaks before that I didn't notice and the oil levels would drop dangerously low and you could see the guage flicker under hard acceleration as the oil was pulled from the pickup. Pulled over and added oil and all was good. Of course I later grenaded that engine, but that was a tuning issue.

 

[Defiant]

Are those street stories, or track?
I've never understood why they don't use a couple of idiot lights, one at around 30, and another at 10. That could give you worthwhile notice. Then again, I don't see the utility in measuring oil pressure where it's coming out of the pump (and will probably be fine almost all the time) instead of up on the head at the end of the oil system.

 

[mavisky]

I just installed this to give me a good idea of what all my systems are doing.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242884

My situations have taken place both on track and off.

 

[staticbrainwash]

Why a light for 20psi? At idle the car should have around 7-10, unless you've got something else going on that you need it for.

 

[mavisky]

Yea the light stares me at the face at idle, but it's designed to show me minor fluctuations due to loss of oil or something. As i've said before high g forces will pull the oil from the pickup temporarily. Not enough to cause damage usually as during normal acceleration the oil pressures are fine, but if the level drops too low you can see fluctuations in the pressure during hard cornering. This is designed to give me a bit of a "heads up" that something may be wrong. I've also got an electronic guage in the car as well, but it's hard to keep a constant eye on it while driving so the idiot light does that for me.

I may eventually move it up to a 30psi switch to give me even earlier warning of any impending doom.

 

[MILITISINVICTUS]

I had the AN line and fittings handy, just had to get some AN to NPT adapters. Autometer actually sells a 3 foot line with NPT ends on it for about 30 bucks IIRC, that may make more sense for you. If you don't want to tap the filter housing for NPT (assuming you haven't already) you can also get NPT to BSP adapters from autometer (search summing and autometers sites) or www.mcmaster.com.

Can anyone find the actual link for this Autometer remote locating kit at summitracing? I can't seem to get it to come up.

 

[mavisky]

You can also use a 1/8bpt to -4an fitting male to male, a section of -4 an line (same size used in turbo feed lines), and then a -4an to 1/8npt male to female connection.

or

you can get the summit kit here. It's not hard to find parts at Summit. Go to the manufacturer's page, get their part number (in this case 3227) and then go to summit product search and put in their manufacturer prefix a dash and then the number (ATM-3227) and then it pulls it up.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ATM-3227&N=700+0&autoview=sku

 

[Kevin Jewer]

That trick for finding parts in summit is absolutely indispensible, I'd be lost without it. Summit has so many parts trying to filter down to something this specific can be tough.

 

[Coder24]

ok i have a Gow shift oil pressure gauge I would like to install but i started doing it and I do not know where these wires go. PLEASE HELP. All I need to know is what wire/wires i can run to the dimmer switch and where the other ones go. I know nothing expect where my ground goes.

The picture attached is the wireing diagram. If you cant read it let me know and ill tell you what it says.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[FORMONTOYA]

The "headlamp" wire can go to either the secondary side (to instrument cluster) of the dimmer switch (if you want it to dim), or to the primary side of the dimmer switch (not dimming), or to the secondary side of the light switch (to the headlights).

The (2) "ignition switch" wires can actually be tied together and hooked up to a wire that's "hot" when the ignition switch is in the "on" position.

A meter will be your best friend while doing this job.

 

[kmoore]

I would suggest that if you want the lights to dim, use the cig. lighter. It is a very easy place to find and all of the wires are right there. I would try Vfaq.com on how to set up gauges (electrical wise). They have some great write up's.

 

[wcpierson]

my stock oil pressure gauge doesnt work anymore so i was wondering how difficult it is to install an after market one and where would i tap in with it?