dustindu4

I have an oil pressure gauge I want to mount but have no idea where to tap into. People have been vauge and said it's down by the oil filter, which isn't helpful. Can somebody post a pic or describe in detail where it goes? Thanks.

I assume I would tee into the stock sending unit port with brass NPT fittings.

MTAS

Yeah that's where it is It's screwed into a bung near the filter and looks like this pic. There's a single wire coming out of it, a gray one. Mine is out of the car because the thing is useless. It's not a pressure sending unit at all, it's a switch that reads fat dumb and happy at anything above 5 or 6 psi - nice eh? I grounded the wire to keep the "gauge" on the dash happy. In the spot where it was, I put a braided steel line that goes to the real pressure sending unit (Autometer) that's mounted to the back side of the JLT heat shield.

dustindu4

What does that screw into? Right into the lower block? The oil pan?

Why did you run the steel line? I saw that post. Why didn't you just put the sending unit down there?

dhof303

Screws into the block that houses the lower radiator hose, oil filter and that little thing you see above, drivers side of the block at the front. I know this pic doesn't show it but it is on the opposite side of the oil filter.

MTAS

I hope these pics are helpful, they're the best I can do without jacking the car up and crawling under it
This pic shows exactly where the braided steel line is threaded into where the factory switch used to be. If you shine a flashlight at the driver's side header and look just behind the oil filter, you should see the switch (sending unit ).
I used a braided steel line because I don't trust the plastic capillary tubing and compression fittings. Not sure about other manufacturer's sending units, but the Autometer unit is just a hair too big to fit into the factory spot. I mean it's dang close - so close that you could probably fit it in there and cross-thread it in the process and end up with a whole new world of troubles

MTAS

Here's how I have the Autometer unit mounted. It aint pretty, but it works

dustindu4

That picture is really helpful, thanks. Yeah that port looks really tight, good idea on the braided hose. You really don't want to muck up the threads in the aluminum block, that would be bad. Question though, does the oil actually make it all the way up that hose or are you reading air pressure?

BTW thanks for taking the time to go out and take pictures, I appreciate it.

What is the thread size that goes into the block is it 1/4" NPT?

dhof303

Oil will feed all the way up the line, and plenty of it, make sure you ground your sending unit somehow or it won't read properly. This is actually the access for the oil feed line for the turbo system we are installing, we have a T off of it for both the factory sending unit and an Auto Meter sender.

BTW, if you mess up the threads you won't have destroyed the block, it actually is a removable unit from off of the block and can be replaced.

dustindu4

Is a brass tee from the hardware store okay to use to connect both the autometer and factory sender? Or do I have to use a special steel one?

MTAS

Grounding the Autometer unit is something I did not do - any tips on where to put the wire on the unit?

MTAS

Hey man you're very welcome - the people on this site have been a tremendous help to me as far as mods and learning about the S197 in general. I only hope I can simply pass along what I've learned

dhof303

I don't know just yet, I still have mine "rigged" by wrapping a large hose clamp around it and attaching it to a couple of holes on the driver's side inner fender, of course I have a section of #6 AN steel braided line up to that area. I will have to rework the plumbing to make the #3 AN feed line to the turbo work. Then again I might just use the #6 to feed the turbo. The more oil flow the better, right? :scratch:

dustindu4

Just make sure the body of the sending unit is touching something metal, which is touching the body. Then again, doesn't it get grounded with the stainless hose that feeds it?

dustindu4

You might not need more oil flow to the turbo but why make a restriction if you're doing it from scratch.

dustindu4

Same philosophy here man. Before I joined TMS all I knew how to do was change oil and tires. With all my mods I'm learning tons of new stuff.

MTAS

Gee that does make sense I've never been a master of the obvious

jskwarek

Hey MTAS what do you mean you grounded the stock sending unit wire? Did this keep you from getting the low oil pressure warning? Does the stock needle stay flat or move to a normal position when grounded.

I tee'ed the stock fitting and am currently running the stock sending unit and the Autometer unit. But every once inwhile the stock needle comes about a 1/4 way up and then goes back down and I get the low oil pressure warning. The Autometer gauge is reading just fine so I'm not sure what the deal is. After reading this I'm thinking maybe it's because the stock unit isn't grounded it's just hanging off the brass tee and if I can just ground the wire instead of using the stock sending unit then I'd rather just do that for a cleaner install.

Jason

RRRoamer

So is there anyway to replace the bloody switch with a proper sender to get oil pressure to the dash (vs. the yes/no junk from the switch)?

RRRoamer

So is there anyway to replace the bloody switch with a proper sender to get oil pressure to the dash (vs. the yes/no junk from the switch)?

MTAS

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jskwarek @ February 1, 2006, 7:14 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Hey MTAS what do you mean you grounded the stock sending unit wire? Did this keep you from getting the low oil pressure warning? Does the stock needle stay flat or move to a normal position when grounded.

I tee'ed the stock fitting and am currently running the stock sending unit and the Autometer unit. But every once inwhile the stock needle comes about a 1/4 way up and then goes back down and I get the low oil pressure warning. The Autometer gauge is reading just fine so I'm not sure what the deal is. After reading this I'm thinking maybe it's because the stock unit isn't grounded it's just hanging off the brass tee and if I can just ground the wire instead of using the stock sending unit then I'd rather just do that for a cleaner install.

Jason
[/b][/quote]

I cut the wire going to the stock sending unit, extended it and grounded it (to a spot under the air filter if memory serves) to keep the gauge happy. It now looks no different than if it were still connected. I've had it this way and have never seen the needle move, just like when it was connected to the sending unit [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RRRoamer @ February 1, 2006, 7:35 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
So is there anyway to replace the bloody switch with a proper sender to get oil pressure to the dash (vs. the yes/no junk from the switch)?
[/b][/quote]

Years ago it was possible to put a resistor or something like that on the back of the factory gauge, but I don't think that's possible now. Not only is it a switch on the one end, but the gauge itself is severely dampened. So even if you could get it to work, it wouldn't have the reaction time a real OP gauge does.