Oil Pressure And Oil Temp Guage Opinion

[jmo69]

I've been pondering this source for oil pressure and oil temperature gauges. Using the Vanos oil line with 2 tees spliced in for the sending units for electric or mechanical gauges. If I use elec. guages I'd have to attach a ground for the senders. Mechanical are more positive and probably cheaper. The question is, does anyone know the inside diameter of that oil line and opinions on whether worm gear clamps will hold the oil pressure. This is the hose, I just don't trust idiot lights.

[SS Ball3r]

there are easier ways to do that. And always go for electric gauges. finding a ground is not that dificult. I think one of the easiest and most cost effective ways of doing this is to drill and tap your oil filter housing for 1/8" npt fittings. I did this and it works perfectly. It s a fine ground and gives good signal to the gauge. You could buy the adapter housing cap, but those are around $100. Drilling the stock housing vap allows you to either direct mount the sender, or remote mount it.

I used autometer phantom gauges in my car and love them FYI. And stay away from cyberdyne gauges,not that you were going to or anything, but i had a terrible 4 month battle with them about gauges not working direct from factory. They sent me 4 different sets and the led's burned out within days or didnt work to begin with...

[Meatball546]

I agree with that. Oil pressure is too important of a thing to trust to just one light.

[jmo69]

there are easier ways to do that. And always go for electric gauges. finding a ground is not that dificult. I think one of the easiest and most cost effective ways of doing this is to drill and tap your oil filter housing for 1/8" npt fittings. I did this and it works perfectly. It s a fine ground and gives good signal to the gauge. You could buy the adapter housing cap, but those are around $100. Drilling the stock housing vap allows you to either direct mount the sender, or remote mount it.

I used autometer phantom gauges in my car and love them FYI. And stay away from cyberdyne gauges,not that you were going to or anything, but i had a terrible 4 month battle with them about gauges not working direct from factory. They sent me 4 different sets and the led's burned out within days or didnt work to begin with...

I'm not sure where I'd tap the housing on my M52, I thought the cap but that's plastic and wouldn't be much of a ground. M50's can use that oil center adapter but it's not available for the M52.

[SS Ball3r]

really? The oil filter housing cap is plastic on m52's?

i know that bav auto sells a VDO fitting block that threads onto the oil lines for the oil filter housing also. I just feel like this area is a better area for a pressure gauge since it wold seem to have a more positive representative of oil temp and pressure.

[jmo69]

I'll have to check Bavauto out, but I think that using the oil line would be a good source, I'd use larger tees so I won't impede the flow. Found the block, for what it costs I can buy the replacement hose in case it doesn't work, plus I'd need two for both gauges.

[Evil Spoonman]

I would not trust worm gear clamps to hold oil pressure, it can be in excess of 70psi. I would use electrical gauges for oil temp and pressure, 180 degree oil in the passenger compartment does not strike me as fun. Try to get double pole senders if you can. You can just ground them anywhere you want that way, no requirement as far as lack of thread sealant. I personally used ProSport gauges and senders, they have been fairly accurate to date (some have complained about them).

I've never seen a tee'd oil filter housing line, it has potential.

Thoughts:

- Tap the filter housing (not suggested, it is aluminum).
- Remove the idiot light sender and use an adapter to fit the oil pressure sender in its place, remote mount the pressure sender in the vicinity (should be mounted relatively upright). You lose the use of your idiot light.
- Oil distribution block (best option).

Another random thought:
It may be possible to grab a generic three port oil distribution block with a 1/8-27 NPT banjo bolt (that doesn't cost a a hundred bucks). Get a short oil line made with an M12X1,5 male on one end and a 1/8-27 NPT female on the other. Affix to the idiot light sender location. Plug and play. It's a bit roundabout though... you may end up spending $100 in bits and pieces by the time you get there. Basically it is a long adapter, there isn't actually much room to add things under the manifold.

[jmo69]

Actually I've got a place that makes up high pressure hydraulic lines, I'll have to see what they can make up for me. I use hose clamps on 110 psi water hoses on my redi-mix truck although the water doesn't get much over 120 deg. F. Found this too, but IDK if it's the same size banjo bolt, for $8 more they have a street tee that would hold 2 senders and be more compact that my original idea. http://www.namotorsports.net/detail....t_cd/NPCON.017