TOPIC: Oil pressure question.

Has anyone ever used an oil pressure sending unit and gage instead of the pressure switch and idiot light/horn? Call me fussy but I like to know whats going on.
Tom from Rubicon,WI

Thought about it but never did it. What I have done is removed the sender and replaced it with a manual gauge during the first startup of any engine I buy. I want to know too what's going on, after it's determined it's okay mechanically I replace everything with the oem parts.

Tom: I have installed manual oil pressure gauges (not electric) in three of my boats with Homelites. Oil pressure varies from 10 psi at idle to 40 PSI at full speed. I install a brass tee at the original sender and run a very small diameter tube up to the gauge mounted in the dash. I leave the original system in place so I in essences have two oil pressure monitoring systems. The tubing is available at the auto parts store. Brass fittings at Menard's.

Greg Anderson
Wisconsin


see pressure gauge through steering wheel







Note brass tee is located just above the electric fuel pump and original sender sticks straight up and small tube connects straight out. The brass tee is somewhat obscured by the fuel hose off the electric fuel pump.

Thanks for the replies guys,10 - 40 psi. seems rather low especially for such a high revving engine.
I never thought to use a mechanical OP gage.
One more thing to run through the rigging tunnel in my Whaler.
Tom from Rubicon,WI

The easiest way to put on an oil gauge is to use an electric one. Make sure the sender is matched to the gauge selected. The oil sender pressure port is of the standard diameter & thread pitch for most US made senders. This eliminates the possibility of having a ruptured oil line going to the gauge.

Also, regarding the oil pressure - this is a very small engine with solid valve lifters, so the pressure required is not large.