NWSubie Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 So recently a friend gave me a new mechanical oil pressure guage, can i use it on my EA81 motor and if so do i get rid the oil sending unit? My sending unit is broken and always has the red oil light is always on in my dash. I would love to have an actual gauge showing the oil pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykeys Toy Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 No you can't just get rid of it you will need to find a plug that will fit first. By the sounds of it you have an idiot light and getting to a gauge is preferred. And where the sender is on your oil pump is kinda off to the side the one you want to use is mounted on the bottom. Once that plug is removed you can put it where the sender was then you will need an adapter to fit the new gauge feed line. I do no thave a autozone part number but the adapter was in the back of the store and not in any kit, though you probably need the kit just for the hose. BTW they will know why the kit isn't good enough if you can bring the sender with you for a size thread and pitch count referrence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 You can run the line to the idiot lamp switch port instead, which is off to the side and better protected than the bottom port. Also it's a more common size - it's either 1/8" BSPT or NPT - can't recall which at the moment. You'll lose your idiot lamp but it sounds like that's already not working. Or you can do what I did once - didn't want to bother finding an adaptor so I cut the threaded portion of an old pressure sender off (leaving as much of the hex portion as possible), then drilled and tapped it to 1/8" NPT and came off there with a right angle tubing fitting directly to the nylon tube for the mechanical gauge. Cheap and effective. If you are going to be off-roading it - I suggest you go with stainless braided hose up to at least the fenderwall area to give it some strength. The nylon tubing that most gauges come with is pretty flimsy and the cheaper the gauge the thinner the tubing. For decent nylon tubing (street driven, etc), find a place that sells VDO gauge kits. Their tubing kit is like $12 and comes with a high quality, LONG section of tubing as it is designed for the older VW's with the engine in the back of the car. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWSubie Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 (edited) Thank you for your help I have alot of work planed for the old girl. I will be trying out what you said soon. Edited September 7, 2010 by NWSubie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Drop by sometime and you can checkout the gauges, etc on my lifted wagon. Just PM me. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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