how do you install oil pressure gauge?

[avatar382]

My car has an aftermarket oil pressure gauge in the dash, but it no worky. Apparently the previous owner could not find a fitting for it. (whatever that means, I'm dumb)

 

So, I have this clear plastic tube thing from the gauge in my engine bay. I know where the sending unit is, but is it simply a matter of fitting this plastic tube onto the sending unit? Or does it replace the sending unit? Or do I need a new sending unit? Also, what can I do if the clear plastic tube thing doesn't reach to the oil pump area? Can I extend it with a similair piece?

 

Also the wire extending from the sending unit now I assume is for the idiot light on the dash. Is there a way to have both the oil pressure gauge and the idiot light working?

 

Thanks!

[MorganM]

Need a fitting that replaces your electric sending unit there on your pump. The fitting screws right in and the hose comes out of it upto the guage. Get enough tube to reach the whole length; I would advise against using couplers and extending the line. That would be just one more point of failure in your oil system. The guages I've setup came with several fittings so you could mix and match to fit your application. Also came with a little bit of thread sealer. Dunno where you'd find just the brass fittings and tube by itself.

[Snowman]

Take the factory sending unit out and take it down to Lowe's or Home Depot, and find a fitting that is the same thread type, then find a compression fitting to go on your plastic hose, and then somehow adapt them together.

 

I second the idea of not putting multiple hoses together because it does increase the chance of failure. And it that failed, it could mean catastrophic engine failure.

[carfreak85]

The thread in the block is an NPT fitting, so I had to get a NPT to SAE adapter and then a brass "T". I put the idiot light sender in one of the open ports on the "T" and the oil pressure gauge on the other port. I also used teflon tape on all the threads in the system to ensure leak-free operation. I can get pics this weekend if you'd like.

[archemitis]

just noticed i was responding to this post on the xt6 board...

=P

[Flow]

I was looking for some answers to the same question awhile ago.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12912&highlight=oil+guage

 

I ended up tapping the idiot light hole in the oil pump with a 1/8 NPT tap. I used lots of grease in the flutes of the tap and took my time cleaning the tap often. I also bought a like 10 feet of copper tubing to plumb it with. It was actually cheaper than the kit with plastic tubing which had a bunch of stuff I didn't need. Good luck.