Oil gauge not working

NLXTACY · 09-05-08, 10:43 AM

I am having the opposite issue as the maxed out oil gauge. My oil gauge just quite working all together. At first I thought this was a simple oil sender issue so I got a new sender. Nothing. Then I went ahead and grounded out the wire expecting to see the oil gauge spike. It read nothing.

Now I did do the coolant temp mod which went flawlessly and the oil gauge worked fine after doing that mod. What I am worried about is that the issue is with the gauge itself which would force me to get a new gauge which is part of the coolant temp gauge...which means I would have to do the coolant mod all over again.

Hoping it may be something else ridiculously simple and stupid.

NLXTACY · 09-06-08, 02:14 AM

before I get lost to the ether...

-Spike- · 09-06-08, 11:35 PM

TTT- someone must have a clue on this.

-Spike

NLXTACY · 09-06-08, 11:42 PM

Thought for sure the crickets would still be chirping on this. Thanks for the bump Spike. Makes me look less desperate. It doesn't effect any drive issues but does mean I have to check oil twice a day just to make sure. Its also never come on again magically. Just flat out stopped working.

-Spike- · 09-07-08, 12:16 AM

I disremember exactly how it works, but it seems to me that if you ground the wire going to the sender, the guage should max out. If that doesn't happen, the first thing I would check is the continuity of the wire all the way back to the guage plug, and look at the traces on the cluster. If all that checks out good, you probably need a new guage. You could try PM'ing Tools R Us to confirm all this, he haz knowledge.

-Spike

raydouble · 09-07-08, 12:41 AM

Came from this thread discussion of a possible oil gauge mod.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-te...gauge-mod.html

hope it helps.

medtro · 09-07-08, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

Now I did do the coolant temp mod which went flawlessly and the oil gauge worked fine after doing that mod. What I am worried about is that the issue is with the gauge itself which would force me to get a new gauge which is part of the coolant temp gauge...which means I would have to do the coolant mod all over again.

Swap the old coolant temp gauge into your new gauge.

NLXTACY · 09-07-08, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by medtro

Swap the old coolant temp gauge into your new gauge.

Er you can't. They are both on the same gauge. Its one piece. Hmm...although maybe the circuits ARE separated and removeable but I don't recall.

BTW, the oil sender checks out fine. I can try the gauge sometime tomorrow but I am looking to get as much info off this thread for possibilities before I start ripping it open again.

slow95z · 09-07-08, 06:52 AM

just put a manual gauge in there, they are much more accurate anyways and give you an actual PSI reading rather than high and low. i know thats not the answer you wanted but look at it as an upgrade.

nicholas · 09-07-08, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

Er you can't. They are both on the same gauge. Its one piece. Hmm...although maybe the circuits ARE separated and removeable but I don't recall.

BTW, the oil sender checks out fine. I can try the gauge sometime tomorrow but I am looking to get as much info off this thread for possibilities before I start ripping it open again.

But you can swap the 2 resistors over to a new gauge. I tried to be really careful around the oil gauge when I did this mod beacuse that thing looks super fragile.

medtro · 09-07-08, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLXTACY

Er you can't. They are both on the same gauge. Its one piece. Hmm...although maybe the circuits ARE separated and removeable but I don't recall.

Sorry about that. I guess I should have paid more attention when I was holding coolant temp gauge.

NLXTACY · 09-07-08, 10:45 AM

Well I am thinking about doing this but yes I am still looking for an actual fix. BTW having a PSI/#s reading is the same thing as having the lines on the gauge for me. Unlike the coolant temp there is no flat spot in the readings. So the 2/3 line is the same thing as say 35psi. Its kinda moot if its a line or a number. BUT I am considering it just to have something that works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slow95z

just put a manual gauge in there, they are much more accurate anyways and give you an actual PSI reading rather than high and low. i know thats not the answer you wanted but look at it as an upgrade.

NLXTACY · 09-07-08, 10:46 AM

Oh this is true. I actually have two sets of spares for it anyway because I thought I was gonna screw it up the first time

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicholas

But you can swap the 2 resistors over to a new gauge. I tried to be really careful around the oil gauge when I did this mod beacuse that thing looks super fragile.

NLXTACY · 09-07-08, 10:48 AM

Yeah its definitely one piece but I wish I paid more attention to whether the back circuits would separate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by medtro

Sorry about that. I guess I should have paid more attention when I was holding coolant temp gauge.

Brian894X4 · 09-07-08, 11:09 AM

If the gauge doesn't move off of zero even with the wire fully grounded, assuming the gauge is getting current to the gauge...the wire is not broken, etc, then the gauge was maxed out at some point in the past and the mechanism is bent or the tiny coil wire inside overheated and melted inside.

The oil pressure gauge is extremely delicate and unique in design and cannot be fully grounded for any length of time. The first thing to happen when it maxed out for a certain lenght of time is the needle hits the stop, but the mechanism wants to keep going, so the needle moves out of place in relation to the mechanism. This will cause the gauge to read zero or low all the time. Eventually, the tiny wire which is designed to heat up and make the metal bar move will overheat and melt with disconnects all current through the gauge.

More than likely you're going to need a new gauge. You might try some wrecking yards. Good luck.

NLXTACY · 09-07-08, 11:16 AM

BRIAN, this may be the case. For a long time we were always reading max oil pressure and for a while thought that maybe it was grounded somewhere. But after checking everything it seemed fine. What you are describing may very well be the issue. So looks like I will taking it apart again after all.

Luckily for me I am right next to Spectre Off Road so I can just walk in there and pick up a used one. I guess while Im in there I need to make sure that the wire isnt bent or melted. I remember from doing the coolant mod that you were NOT supposed to touch the oil gauge at all and I was careful. I'm not so sure SOR would have been careful when disassembling the cluster.

Sounds like a project for tomorrow.

mylesprimo · 09-13-08, 07:09 AM

This is just a shot in the dark, but changing my pcv valve and cleaning that all up fixed my maxed pressure problem. That might help I do not know,