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Advice for oil pressure gauge install


icemonkey
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Hold fire :D IIRC on the VG there are 2-4 threaded holes with bolts in them down on the block (One hole has the oil sender switch in it)

I tapped into the front one to get my water temp :aok: and I'm pretty sure one of the others is an oil line. So you could just put it straight into that :aok:

 

I'll take some pics in daylight, if I remember :D

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Hold fire :D IIRC on the VG there are 2-4 threaded holes with bolts in them down on the block (One hole has the oil sender switch in it)

I tapped into the front one to get my water temp :aok: and I'm pretty sure one of the others is an oil line. So you could just put it straight into that :aok:

 

I dunno about the other holes, but here's the factory sensor location:

FSM sez wat....OilPressSwitch.jpg

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If you are installing an aftermarket guage set, get the electric gauge rather than the mechanical guage so you don't have to run a plastic oil line under the hood, through the fire wall and into the cabin. This avoids an engine fire or a shoe full of oil when the line breaks, comes undone, etc. Plus, the electrical wires are easier to route as they are smaller and bend easier.

 

Be sure to use a grommet at the firewall so the metal edges dont abraid the wires. A dab of RTV would be good to seal it with when everything checks out (Do not use household caulking that smells like vinegar, these are acetic acid based and will cause the metal to rust). Also route the wires well away from heat sources like exhaust manifolds - plastic tire straps are your friend!

 

Ensure you are using a good ground point for the gauge. For both the gauge and the gauge light, hook the power to a switched (ignition) power source, not a continuous (battery) power source (DO NOT get power from the cigarette lighter). Ideally, the gauge light wire will hook into the dash light system so the gauge light only comes on with the dash lights (and would dim with them too).

 

If you plan to add any other gauges, now is the time so you route other wires at the same time and repeat less work.

 

HTH.

Edited by BowTied
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That's a good point. I had lots of problems w/ the mechanical oil gauge in my Equus set at first.

However, if you replace the plastic tube w/ copper (sold by autometer) and remember to teflon the threads, your set-up can be damn-near bulletproof.

 

Electric is easier though.

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Agreed on the copper line. It is an upgrade cost that might be worth while if you already had the mechanical set-up.

 

I would suggest having a copper line "coil", like you see on some brake lines, between the engine and the firewall so that the movement of the engine doesn't stress the line.

 

Good point on the teflon pipe dope for the threaded connections.

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Thank you everyone, however disaster has struck. I just bought this truck a few weeks ago and am in the middle of fixing it up, I was putting an oil gauge on it because I was just a teeny bit worried about how often the oil was changed. 1st thing I did was to change the oil, today I took the filter off to get better access to the switch so I drained the engine, the brand new oil with no more than 30 miles came out thick and black. So I took off a valve cover to find sludge like Ive never seen it before (and i have owned a high mileage Fiat). Thick, waxy and blocking everything to a depth of 1/8th inch minimum. Now I know why the she is so original - no one lifted the hood in 180,000. I guess I will clean what I can by hand and run lots of oil changes this week, or until she runs clear... Anyone got a spare engine?

 

I bought the copper line on your advice, and to be honest I am a teflon tape addict, is there nothing it cannot do? I recently used it to make up for the wear on the sleeve bushing at the bottom of the gear shift - a temporary fix until I can find a replacement. Solved the sloppy shift problem.

 

Stupid question, is the socket size for the oil pressure switch, 26mm?

Thanks one and all

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1st thing I did was to change the oil, today I took the filter off to get better access to the switch so I drained the engine, the brand new oil with no more than 30 miles came out thick and black. So I took off a valve cover to find sludge like Ive never seen it before (and i have owned a high mileage Fiat). Thick, waxy and blocking everything to a depth of 1/8th inch minimum. Now I know why the she is so original - no one lifted the hood in 180,000. I guess I will clean what I can by hand and run lots of oil changes this week, or until she runs clear...

 

Damn, that sounds nasty!! Rather than run endless oil through it, run an engine cleaner like Seafoam a time or two, flush with the cheapest oil you can find with a cheap filter, and if it flushed clear, then put in the oil/filter you wish to run.

 

Anyone got a spare engine?

 

Why, yes, actually I do. A VG30e out of a 95 with 130K on it and it runs flawlessly. Timing belt has been replaced.

Where are you, what do you want on the motor and what is it worth to you? ;)

 

B

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Be careful using teflon tape - not only does it need to be wound onto the threads a certain way, a small piece of it floating around in your oil system is not good. For the products I work on, I forbid teflon tape near any hydraulic system. Coolant system, no problem.

 

 

Sometimes flushing a dirty engine like that can wreak havoc... if you remove the gunk you found under the valve cover be ultra sure you don't knock any crud (chunks, particles) into the oil system. Good luck!

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2 Flushes, 3 oil changes, 3 filters and now 3 1/2 quarts of lightweight oil and we will see. Installed the oil gauge, thank you everyone for the advice. As for the new engine, give me a few weeks to see how this one pans out - I may go crazy and just rebuild it, unlikely though. Just in case Ive just moved to Colorado. :sly: Are you far?

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As for the teflon tape and the engine Ive kept it all well back on the threads - however on the bottom of the gear shift lever (for a manual 5 speed) I dont expect many problems as its a temporary fix, and a lot better than the grinding that accompanied the gear changes before. The guy I bought the truck from thought it needed a new tranny, but the play in the stick was astounding. Bled the master cylinder, wrapped the bushing, did the oil thing and perfect!

 

As for the gunk under the valve cover - ShopVac. Hope I haven't ruined my engine... Live and learn.

Thank you all again.

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Can you elaborate? Flushing the dirty engine like how? What kind of havoc can it wreak? Seriously...

 

With such a build up of gunk and goo and dirt and who knows what (he said it was thick in there), it would be very hard to not knock some down in the engine. Additionally, there is very likely gunk and goo buildup in the engine in places no readily visible from just removing the valve covers, such as the intake valley. So if this stuff get kocked down, or by using a flushing agent flushed into oil galleries, push rods, lifters etc. where they lodge in place, you can starve a portion of the engine of oil.

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You are absolutely right BowTied. I panicked a bit, as I recognized that the engine probably needs a complete overhaul. As I have just moved across country to a new job and no longer have a dedicated garage I needed to get running. In my defense the truck was only taking about 2, 2 1/2 quarts of oil, I used Seafoam to flush twice, replacing the filters each time, then three oil changes till the oil came out clean(ish). Now she takes 3 1/2 quarts of oil. So I guessed that the engine was being starved of oil somewhere along the way. Hence the need for the Gauge, I wanted to monitor what was going on till I get down to the big rebuild or replacement in Jan/Feb. I just didnt know how bad it all was.

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