Oil pressure questions

jhdj250 · Post by **jhdj250** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:36 pm

Okay,

Another question-don't give up on me, ya'll have been a big help.

The oil pressure gage takes a long time to come up to pressure. When you take the fill cap off you see oil circulating whether the pressure is up or not. Is this normal (or at least relatively normal for a 38 year old car)?

James

Russell Roach · Post by **Russell Roach** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:50 pm

James,

Don't freak out the cars are notorious for low pressures...that is the guages are. It has to do with the pressure sensor on the passenger side of the block. I have seen those unit both brand new and used register as low as 10 psi at an idle I would tell you if you are not too much of a purist replace the gauge with a mechanical one replaces the sending unit with a capillary tube and truer pressures.

Russell

Import_sounds-of-mid-GA · Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:38 pm

lets say mine was doing the same, what would i ask for at my local advance auto? I didnt really worry b/c the sending unit is so old but my bros motor just tore up some bearings b/c the oil pump went out... parts for my car are a lil more expensive!

Post by **spl310** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:54 am

Evan,

I have good news and bad news for you. Yours does not have a sending unit - you have a capillary tube type oil pressure gauge. The good news is that the stock gauge is not that accurate anyway. Just get an aftermarket gauge and it should come with an assortment of connectors - you can just connect to the stock location on the block.

jhdj250 · Post by **jhdj250** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:20 am

Thanks a lot guys. That makes me feel a lot better.

Russell Roach · Post by **Russell Roach** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:45 pm

Sid,

That caught me by surprise! What year did they make the switch both my 66 and 67 had that funky(worthless) sending unit.

Russell

Import_sounds-of-mid-GA · Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:46 pm

well, i assumed sending unit b/c i bought a part for my car but i recieved a fairlady oil pressure sending unit instead of what i bought.... maybe a dif. year??

shifty · Post by **shifty** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:59 pm

I'm pretty sure they dropped the sending unit with the high-window cars.

Post by **spl310** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:50 pm

When the dash was redesigned for 68, the gauge was changed to a capillary tube type gauge. It is a little more accurate than the ones in the low windshield cars (which are notorious as being moving idiot lights...), but they are still not great. The up side is that fitting an aftermarket gauge is easier, but the down side is that the flex line gives a rubber failure point in the oil system - not a really good thing in my mind. I have seen more than one of those ripped in half by someone pulling an engine and forgetting to disconnect it. (OK, yes, I did it once too. LOL!!)

Hey, since I only have low windshield cars, that funky sending unit is cool to me! The bad news is that the 1500 uses a different unit - basically a pressure switch - to actuate the idiot light it has.

Import_sounds-of-mid-GA · Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:58 pm

you are on a role with the good news bad news thing arent you?

yes mom, please send me money

Russell Roach · Post by **Russell Roach** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:00 pm

Sid,

That's why the capillary tube in the race car is spelled braided metal line.

Russell

Post by **spl310** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:25 pm

A few street car owners have gone that route. Being rubber and directly under the battery (acid leaks and such), that OEM tube is a failure looking for an inopportune moment to happen. Braided stainless looks pretty cool too.

jhdj250 · Post by **jhdj250** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:30 am

A quick update.

The oil pressure gauge works fine now. Reads a steady 40 lbs. All it took was a very good cleaning of the contacts. Now if I could only get my gas gage to work all the time.

Import_sounds-of-mid-GA · Sat Dec 31, 2005 12:48 pm

anybody have a gas guage for a chevy.... .09oHM, its for the fuel cell summit racing sells with the fuel level sending unit