adding a mechanical oil pressure gauge.

[xbeerd]

SO this may be dumb, but, to install the mechanical gauge, so i just remove the oil pressure sender unit and connect it there and run a line to the gauge right?

 

I did search. but came up short. if anyone see's a link that i dont know about feel free to post it to help future searchers

[backcountrycrui]

This prob. wont help you but I remember reading in a couple of non Oil pressure posts that during EJ swapps if you wanted to use the factory gauge then you had to connect a resistor to the oil pressure sending unit, because the ea82 guage and the ej sending unit spoke in slightly different ohms. But yes as I recall from those posts with the MECHANICAL guage then you do put it in the hole where the sendign unit was. It would prob. take a while to sift through the EJ posts to find the information to confirm my remembering.

Hope this helps or at least helps you with what you need to look for,

Mike

[GeneralDisorder]

Correct - you remove the sender, and plumb the line to the gauge in it's place. You can T it if you want and still run the factory gauge as well.

 

Personally I like to put in a 90* brass elbow and run braided stainless line to the fenderwall area and plumb the smaller line or aftermarket sending unit to the gauge from there. Otherwise the vinyl tubing is not well protected hanging under the car like it does.

 

GD

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Yes, just remove the oil sender from the pump & attach your line to the pump itself. Careful where you route the line to the gauge, the line will become full of Oil and if you happen to run it near the exhaust and it melts the line, you will develop a horrible oil leak.

 

Also be careful, the cheap plastic tube they give you with most kits is hard to un-coil, and will kink very easily. This will restrict the oil pressure reaching the guage and give you a faulty reading.

[GeneralDisorder]

Speaking of tubing - Most of the "kits" don't include a long enough (or good quality) tube in the kit. 6 feet is what you are likely to get which is barely adequate for a Subaru.

 

If you have any decent hot-rod or VW parts shops around that carry VDO gauges you should be able to get a 12' section of higher quality tubing and fittings for like $12 or so. That is THE way to go. The tubing is thicker and you have enough length to run it anywhere you like (VW's with the engine in the rear need the long-rump roast tube - thus why VDO sells them I suppose).

 

Also - it's just 1/8" tubing. You can use copper (or steel) as well. A bit harder to source and more expensive but has it's benefits. When you cut the copper be careful that you don't pinch off the ID of the tubing. And also make sure that you leave a small coil of tubing near the pump for vibration and expansion control.

 

GD

[MilesFox]

you will notice another plug on the oil pump. The large sender(analog gauge) fits in the larger plug, the smaller plug is there(where a dummy lite sender would go) and you can install your fittings there.

 

be careful as most gauge kits come with standard NPT ftittings, ehre the subaru plug is metric. you may have to mix and match fittings to connecto your gauge. be sure to use thread tape

[GeneralDisorder]

Some of the fittings are BSPT, and some are metric.... depends on EA81/EA82 so I can't recall at the moment which is which.

 

I sometimes cut the threaded end off the stock sender and drill/tap it to 1/8" NPT so I don't have to fiddle with adapters. Plus it's free!

 

GD

[xbeerd]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

I just have a bare gauge, so i'll have to wing the connections etc.

 

 

Off Topic:

 

Hey man, i dont think i'll make it over your way this week... gotta fix my ************ing microwave, POS died on me and have to get a new circuit board for it. its almost cheaper just to buy a new one!