I have an '85 GA with a 12A and the stock electric oil pressure guage. Most (80%) of the time, it works OK. As expected, there is a small amount of oil that leaks from the under side of the water to oil cooler and drips on the sending unit. This occaisionally causes it to stop sending a signal. I pull the electrical connector, spray the conector and sending unit down with contact cleaner and every thing is OK again for a while. Ultimately I would like to swap to an air - oil cooler and install the racing beat oil pressure adapter.

Is there any way to easily (read - cheaply) install a mechanical guage to the existing system? if so what fittings/lines are needed? any one have any pictures?

 

T.J. (RotorMotorDriver) has done this on his '83 GSL. I believe he used an inexpensive 'generic' oil pressure gauge. It looks good IMO. Of course, you might want to go with a different gauge in your '85.

 

I don't really care about the guage, but I'm not sure how to adapt the line. What size are the threads? What type of fitting goes in the block? Can you buy these parts at the local parts store? I've seen several generic guages in the $20-$30 price range that mount under the dash.

 

Yeah, I have a cheapie $15 gauge or something. I forgot how much it was now, haha.

Anyway, as far as adapting it into the existing system, go get a "Y" fitting or "T" from your local hardware store. Get one thats 1/8" NPT male on one end, and has two 1/8" NPT female fittings on the other ends. I know that the stock hole and sender arent truly 1/8" NPT, but if you get them with some teflon and tighten them down good, theyre fine. I have my stock sender screwed into a 1/8" NPT fitting now, and theres no sign of a leak whatsoever. Anyway, use this "Y" or "T" or whatever letter you want, and then put the male end into the block, then the stock sender off of one end, and the mechanical gauge tube off the other. Rather simple really, and it probably wouldnt cost you more than $2. I would suggest that when you use teflon tape on these fittings (since the sender need to ground to the block), only wrap tape around the "main" part of the threads, leaving the first few threads uncovered to provide both a ground, and also prevent teflon tape from going in and clogging anything up. I actually experimented with teflon tape with my oil block and found out that even if you completely wrap a fitting in tape then screw it it, it will still ground because the threads cut through the tape and ground out (verified with my voltemeter). The tape just helps to fill in gaps in the threads .

~T.J.

 

Thanks for the input. This should suffice until I can get rid of that stupid water - oil cooler.

TJ, didnt you recently convert yours to an air - oil cooler? How is that working? Did you put a temp guage on it? what temps are you seeing?

 

Shameless ^Bump!

Anyone else have any more suggestions?

 

RMD - That sounds like a nice setup. I must've missed your thread on the subject.
don't know how that could've happened
Point me to thread with your pics please.
'cause I know there's gotta be pics
Thanks!

 

Yes. Go buy your cheap mech gauge at the local parts store. If you wanna do away with the stock gauge, remove the press sensor, and the gauge kit will have 1/8" NPT fitting. That will screw into the spot previously occupied by the sender. Use a little teflon tape so help it seal better. If you want to continue to use the sotck gauge too, youll have to use a Tee fitting so you can have a place for both to screw into.