Gauges

[Croc]

Now that I have finished fixing things after my close encounter with the smelly kind, my oil pressure sensor has decided to imitate a rev gauge so I guess it is on its way out to lunch. The engine is fine - I took the oil pressure sender out and checked manually plus no leaks or lost oil so I think I am good there.

 

Anyone had good success with a mechanical oil pressure unit and gauge that they would recommend?

 

Also while I am at it, what other gauges do people swear by? I would like to improve the instrumentation - oil temperature and volt meter are ones I am thinking of adding.

[yellowss7]

For the oil temp, a commmon, simple solution is to install a temp sender, install a toggle switch and run the wires from the oil temp sender and the water temp sender, using the water temp gauge. A simple flick of the switch and you have water or oil temp on the same gauge.

 

Tom

[athens7]

Here for the gauge and hose (US source):

http://64.202.180.37/files/gauge.pdf

If one wants to add a low pressure switch and a warning light, here:

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/OIL-SYSTEMS-Oil-System-Spares/c162_165/index.html?osCsid=391cd622dc971c6ad72b5395cd935769

Think Auto doesn't want to ship to the US, but Merlin will, and BAT is run by a relative of the Think Auto owner.

[slomove]

For a couple of years I had an electronic oil pressure gage with sender from VDO (because I did not like the pressurized oil tube under the dash). I finally gave up on that. It is so inaccurate, supply voltage dependent, very sensitive to grounding problems and has only a very limited sweep of the indicator needle.

 

I am back to the original mechanical gage (although with upgraded high pressure tubing). Can not beat the simplicity, pretty accurate and fits my other gages.

 

I think Stack has electronic gages with stepper motor that are much better than the simple ones from VDO. Problem would still be to find a reasonably priced reliable and accurate pressure sender.

 

Gert

[Ian7]

  Croc said:

 

Anyone had good success with a mechanical oil pressure unit and gauge that they would recommend?

 

 

I'm about to go looking as well, what I will offer is that the stock Caterham electric sender/gauge is not worthy....

[pi7ot]

I use a SPA dual digital oil temp/pressure gauge after the Birkin supplied oil line split and destroyed the bottom end bearings.

I use a Tee coming off the block with the temp sender in one and the pressure sender remotely strapped to a chassis tube.

They have been reliable for 8 years and 25k miles of use , so They owe me nothing if they fail tomorrow.

 

m

[shiva]

CAI as some nice gauge too.

My seven is equipped with their whole catalog. RPM and speed has stepper motor.

 

their oil pressure, water temp and boost gauge are pretty nice.

 

Summit racing sells pressure switch. I'll be installing one in my fuel line. They are adjustable so you can fix the pressure threshold. Around 40 bucks I think.