Oil Pressure Gauge + sender?!

[Tazman2]

So i am buying a temp semi permenent oil pressure gauge to see if my pump or sender is going to **** since the oil light started coming up on start for a second or two for no reason. My understanding is that i need to change the sender to use another gauge (REAL non idiot light) but as of right now i have no place to put the gauge so i just want to hook it up for checking if the pump is good or not but then i assume i'll be forced to put the stock sender in so the idiot light doesn't freak out after i'm done checking it? Also what is the "proper" psi at idle, warmed up, etc. Anyways i was thinking autometer or vdo or something decent so once its time to put the gauge in a USABLE spot i'll still be able to use it!

PS: I already know about the metric adapters i need to buy as well.

EDIT: Also any ideas for mounting? I'm thinking about removing the cup holder area and place something there. I don't want "regular" gauges near the window just yet as i'm still n/a ie slow!

[ROB-80E]

The BP motors use a oil pressure switch, not so much a sender unit. So when you decide on what guage you want, you remove the original pressure switch from the back of the motor and put in place a T piece so you retain the standard switch as well as now being able to fit the new sender for the new variable guage.



In the pic you can see the T pice, the new sender unit and at the end of the T, the standard pressure switch. The guage I have is the Autometer Electric Oil Pressure so there are no oil lines needed to run inside the car, only a single wire which goes on the back of the sender unit. With the Autometer guage, you have to buy the T piece seperate.

Idle pressure depends on the viscosity of your oil. Thinner oil may only sit at appox 10psi, and thicker stuff might be up around the 25psi mark when hot.

[mikeflys1]

What metric adapter do you speak of? Mine was 1/8 NPT...And dont worry about the light for the stock crap, when its unhooked it just stays off.


And my oil pressure is pretty much 20-25psi at idle 40-50 while driving and around 70ish when the cars cold. And thats using 5w30.

[sube]

The BP motors use a oil pressure switch, not so much a sender unit. So when you decide on what guage you want, you remove the original pressure switch from the back of the motor and put in place a T piece so you retain the standard switch as well as now being able to fit the new sender for the new variable guage.



In the pic you can see the T pice, the new sender unit and at the end of the T, the standard pressure switch. The guage I have is the Autometer Electric Oil Pressure so there are no oil lines needed to run inside the car, only a single wire which goes on the back of the sender unit. With the Autometer guage, you have to buy the T piece seperate.

Idle pressure depends on the viscosity of your oil. Thinner oil may only sit at appox 10psi, and thicker stuff might be up around the 25psi mark when hot.

Forget about the tee piece and just remove the oil pressure switch and replace it with the sender for the oil pressure gauge. The weight of the sender combined with oil pressure switch plus engine vibration can cause this tee to snap off.

I speak here from experience I had it happen to me on my Subaru Legacy GT and this engine runs a hell of a lot smoother than our Mazda 323 does.

Pat.

[Tazman2]

Forget about the tee piece and just remove the oil pressure switch and replace it with the sender for the oil pressure gauge. The weight of the sender combined with oil pressure switch plus engine vibration can cause this tee to snap off.

I speak here from experience I had it happen to me on my Subaru Legacy GT and this engine runs a hell of a lot smoother than our Mazda 323 does.

Pat.

Good info! Thank you! And yeah Mike i wasn't sure if it'd trip just from being unplugged. But unless i found a good place for the gauge itself like somewhere in the cup holder area, etc. its just temporary to see if my oil pump is dieing or not!

[mikeflys1]

Meh its not a bad idea to make it permanent. The light trips at like 5psi iirc so the damage could already be done by then.

[Denis]

I threw away the original switch and just put the pressure gauge sender in there. The factory switch is worthless. It goes off about 10 sceconds before the motor blows up any way.

[Tazman2]

Meh its not a bad idea to make it permanent. The light trips at like 5psi iirc so the damage could already be done by then.

I threw away the original switch and just put the pressure gauge sender in there. The factory switch is worthless. It goes off about 10 sceconds before the motor blows up any way.

Your both right. I really hate the idiot light and i want to make it permanent BUT i've never been very "creative" with finding "good" "clean" looking spots! I want it down near the cup holder area if possible as i don't want it to look rice! Atleast not until i got some non rice to back it up! *cough* turbo *cough*