Oil pressure gauge

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Dogdoc90

Dogdoc90

Joined
Nov 27, 2019
Threads
15
Messages
87
Location
Bend, Oregon
I can’t seem to get my oil pressure gauge to work and was wondering if anyone might have some input. This is a 70 pig with a later era gauge cluster (Chg light instead of Amp). When I start her up, the oil pressure needle starts to move then quickly goes back to zero. My mechanic had me unhook the sensor from the sender and hook it to ground to test the gauge; when I started it gauge swung all the way up so I’m assuming the gauge works. Just replaced the sender and no dice. Would appreciate any ideas. Thanks
 
Maybe not a lot of help but I know when I upgraded the gauge cluster on my '85 4Runner (years ago) I had to change the oil pressure sensor out for a later one that matched the gauge in the cluster.
 
WarDamnEagle said:
Maybe not a lot of help but I know when I upgraded the gauge cluster on my '85 4Runner (years ago) I had to change the oil pressure sensor out for a later one that matched the gauge in the cluster.
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Hmmm. The new sender is supposed to go up to 1979 but maybe it’s still incorrect.
 
First buy or borrow an inexpensive mechanical oil pressure gauge and confirm your engines oil pressure.

If your engine has X or XX oil pressure then we can try to get your gauge in the cluster to agree.
 
J Mack said:
First buy or borrow an inexpensive mechanical oil pressure gauge and confirm your engines oil pressure.

If your engine has X or XX oil pressure then we can try to get your gauge in the cluster to agree.
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Great. I’ll try to get that done this week and get back to you. Thanks 🙏
 
Dogdoc90 said:
Mechanical oil pressure measured today at 55-60 psi with engine cold and hot, fairly consistent. Is there a way to calibrate the gauge? Thanks
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Yes but I'm burning the candle at both ends trying to get a few jobs done right now.
Give me a week and I'll help you. Good news you know you have good oil pressure so we have time.
 
FWIW my 97 80 series has shown more or less 0 psig for about 5 years. I have a new pressure sending unit but haven’t installed it. I run Mobil 1 in everything and probably have a Polyanna trust that all is well. Having said that, high pressure is not a sign that all is well. Ideally you want the lowest possible pressure that lubes the engine. 55 to 60 sounds maybe a tad high but certainly not abnormal.

So if the gauge worked, is there a pressure, high or low, where you would stop the engine? Just curious.
 
Gauge barely rises at all so until the gauge is somehow calibrated, I have no idea if the pressure is in a reasonable range
 
No idea for a lumbering old land cruiser engine but for sports car racing we wanted ~10 lbs per 1000 rpm

I’m with you on the synthetic, in the early 90’s we had my Baja out and stuck in slow traffic in the mountains on a hot day...pressure dropped to 10 as oil temp went close to 300...opened the filter and all was good. (Valve seats didn’t fair as well)
 
WarDamnEagle said:
Maybe not a lot of help but I know when I upgraded the gauge cluster on my '85 4Runner (years ago) I had to change the oil pressure sensor out for a later one that matched the gauge in the cluster.
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That was my thought as well, but it sounds like the senders are good through '79...
 
My book tells me the resistance of the gauge but unfortunately isn’t telling me the resistance range of the sender, maybe @cruiseroutfit or @fj55-100 might have access to that info. If not I’ll order a sender and make a quick little test fixture here to check it.

I’ve been fighting with OEM senders being out of range on a few of my vehicle lately so I’ve been buying multiples and testing them to find the one that’s closest now when I need something.


IMG_20200419_081618978.jpg
 
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J Mack said:
My book tells me the resistance of the gauge but unfortunately isn’t telling me the resistance range of the sender, maybe @cruiseroutfit or @fj55-100 might have access to that info. If not I’ll order a sender and make a quick little test fixture here to check it.

I’ve been fighting with OEM senders being out of range on a few of my vehicle lately so I’ve been buying mutables and testing them to find the one that’s closest now when I need something.


View attachment 2278060
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Interesting that the signal from the sender is intermittent - flashing bulb.
 
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