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?

 

[BurnBarfield]

It depends on whether you got an mechanical or electrical gauge..

The mechanical requires you to run an oil line into the cabin, while the electrical you merely run a wire.
They both connect relatively the same way except the mechanical uses a fitting to line to gauge connection and the electronic uses a sending unit.

 

[Spoolin98]

Its fairly simple, you remove the stock oil pressure sender from the oil housing and install the aftermarket oil pressure sender. Run the wire to the gauge and correctly install the other wires. Light, power, and ground if I remember correctly.

 

[Spoolin98]

Yeah sorry, I was assuming you meant an electrical gauge.

 

[Merkles]

Its fairly simple, you remove the stock oil pressure sender from the oil housing and install the aftermarket oil pressure sender. Run the wire to the gauge and correctly install the other wires. Light, power, and ground if I remember correctly.

Correct.

Do yourself a favor and stick with the Electrical gauge and DO NOT get the mech gauge, the last thing you want is oil running into the cabin of your car. That set-up is bad news.

 

[wcpierson]

ok thanks guys

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

will removing the stock sensor throw a CEL or anything? I am just about to put in my own oilpress gauge as well so.just curious?

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

No, I had my oil pressure sending unit disconected, and no codes or lights, just on the cluster I had no pressure readings of course...

 

[T is for TURBO]

Correct.

Do yourself a favor and stick with the Electrical gauge and DO NOT get the mech gauge, the last thing you want is oil running into the cabin of your car. That set-up is bad news.

theres nothing wrong with mechanical gauges... Im running one with copper line with oil pressure at around 100 PSI on cold start ups and it holds strong. If you install it right, and have no kinks, a mechanical gauge will work just fine...
-Shawn

 

[EuroGSTSpyder]

I got one from a friend thats mechanical..and it only reads to 100psi...What does the pressure go to IE what should the gauge be able to read to be useful?

 

[DSMunknown]

I got one from a friend thats mechanical..and it only reads to 100psi...What does the pressure go to IE what should the gauge be able to read to be useful?

I have a mechanical oil pressure gauge that reads from zero-to-150psi. For daily driving, you won't see anything above 100psi. However, when you're going WOT, you will see above 100psi. I have seen as high as 130psi. This is exactly the reason why I choose a mechanical gauge. I looked through the gauges that Auto Meter offered at the time, and no eletrical gauge read over 100psi.

 

[Spoolin98]

You shouldn't need an oil pressure gauge that reads over 100psi, if your maxing out a 100psi gauge, then you have way too much oil pressure. You need to port your oil pressure relief valve in my opinion. If you research it there are plenty of threads, heres a few to get you started.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=151006691&posted=1#post151006691

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224606

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222778&highlight=relief

You should have approximately 10psi of oil pressure for every 1000rpms, so if your hitting 130psi, thats way too high.

 

[kmoore]

You should have approximately 10psi of oil pressure for every 1000rpms, so if your hitting 130psi, thats way too high.

I have to agree. I have an electrical gauge and the install was very simple. I do recommend an electrical gauge over a mechanical just because of the fact that having pressurized oil flowing THROUGH the cabin can never be a good idea. Also, if i remember correctly, the electrical guage isn't much more than a mechanical

 

[Lordpaxin]

I agree with the masses;

Electronic > Mechanical

Every dsm unless its dead will read 100+ Psi when its cold and you take off without a Complete Warmup.

Have you installed other guages Inside the car?
The reason i ask is because If not, if you plan to, its easier to do it all at once. and use the same power source for all the guages.

Nothing aggrivates me more than tearing into a car and there is a rats nest of wires for a few guages.

 

[GStuscani]

sorry for this noob question but i got an autometer mech. oil pressure gauge and it came with a vac line, how would you use an oil pressure gauge with a vac line??

 

[Lordpaxin]

, that is the oil line buddy. look at the diagram

 

[GStuscani]

ha i just wasnt sure that running the oil through a small plastic line was the greatest idea

 

[Spoolin98]

ha i just wasnt sure that running the oil through a small plastic line was the greatest idea

If I were you, I would use a stainless steal line, but thats just my preference.

 

[DSMunknown]

You should have approximately 10psi of oil pressure for every 1000rpms, so if your hitting 130psi, thats way too high.

That's probably true. However, consider this:


Winter morning in the 10s + not allowing the engine to fully warm up = high oil pressure.


I was experiementing one cold morning and wanted to see how high my oil pressure could get on a cold start. Normally, I see around 100psi at WOT (maybe a little lower).

Every dsm unless its dead will read 100+ Psi when its cold and you take off without a Complete Warmup.

Which is exactly what I did.

 

[kmoore]

good point

 

[Spoolin98]

Yeah good point. I personally still wouldn't buy a oil pressure gauge that reads over a 100psi because I would let my car warm up before driving it.

 

[Mike G]

Now let me ask this... On our 95 TSi, it appears there are two oil pressure sensors mounted on the filter housing, front and rear. Am I imaging things, or is the sensor on the front of the housing (faces to the front of the car) the one to use for the aftermarket sensor.
Thanks, --Mike G

 

[timloomis]

Just take out your idiot light sensor or the sensor for the stock gauge.I use mechanical gauges because theyre more acurrate,stock is electrical and uses ohms to read pressure.I have no problem having oil running to the gauge in the car.If it leaks when you install it,you shouldnt be working on a car in the first place.Either way,the sender or the adapter will be a lil hard getting in,since the stock sensor is metric and the autometer parts are standard thread.You can tap it or just run it in,be careful either way.

 

[Mike G]

...since the stock sensor is metric and the autometer parts are standard thread.You can tap it or just run it in,be careful either way.

It's always the little details that make a project go smoother.

Thanks for the info.

--Mike G

 

[chicagoavenger]

Well I searched and none of them really have pics of what I need except the one below. I know I am suppose to use a T fitting but my question is what goes into the other port of the fitting?

So I'm supposed to take out the old sending unit, screw on the fitting then screw on the sending unit? What about the bottom of the T fitting? Is there nothing that gets hooked up to it? I'm kinda lost here



Edit: Sorry this is for a electric gauge not a mechanical sorry I can't change the title.

 

[chicagoavenger]

never mind the stock unit screws onto the other fitting