My friend bought an rx7 that was in a small front end crash, more like fender bender but bent the oil cooler and it kinked the oil line going to the oil cooler so we replaced the oil cooler and pulled the line out straight, on the test drive oil pressure was fine at first right in the middle of 30 and 60, then it started dropping to around 15 psi around idle, and even when driving sometimes, is this normal or is the oil cooler we installed bad? im pretty sure the gauge is fine but i probably shouldnt rule that out just yet

 

The stock electrical gauges in these cars are not to be trusted. ALWAYS verify with a mechanical gauge before doing any troubleshooting. You'll see 25psi at idle and 40+ everywhere else on a mechanical gauge.

The hole in the block under the oil filter pedestal is 1/8-28 BSP thread. Or if you don't want to do it that way you can install an oil filter sandwich and use standard 1/8 27 NPT threads that most gauges come with.

 

^ This

The question is, is the sensor, or the gauge that sucks?

 

thank you guys very helpfull

 

any recommendations for a good after market sending unit/gauge?

 

Hard to go wrong with autometer. I prefer mechanical gauges for accuracy, but some people frown on having a pressurized oil line routed into the cabin, and the electrical variety should be better than the stocker and still last many years.

 

The oil gauge on mine has stopped functioning for years.......

 

There is a capacitor for the oil pressure gauge that is up supposed to be under on of the clutch slave bolts. See if it is there, other than that, an old stock gauge is inaccurate just like everyone else said.

 

I have found that capacitor to make little difference. I have seen cars without it (or with a broken wire) with a normally functioning gauge, and I have also seen cars with it present and plugged in normally, yet a wacky gauge that was clearly inaccurate.

 

Looks like I will be installing an aftermarket oil gauge too.

I never noticed it until watching someone elses video on here, but my gauge does the same as theirs. It drops to zero regularly on idle and at deceleration.

I just don't like seeing that. I am about 85% sure that everything is fine, but rather not chance it.

 

I dented and bent my oil pressure sender so now it stays all the way up. Don't got any cares though cause I have a new engine