Hey i've tried serching but couldn't find what the issue i have. i THINK the previous owner put an aftermarket oil pressure sending unit.. i may be wrong, but when i last checked it out, and pulled it out to clean it up. it had an adapter on it. like the sending unit was attached to a adapter which then bolted to the block... but it did have the grey cover.... didn't fit too well though hehe. well anyway. my issue is past 2 days... my oil pressure while cruising accordign to my gauge fluctuates a bit... like it'll be at 60psi cruising... then it'll jump to 90, then 60, then 120, then 90 then 60. and then next tiem i drive it'll never do it.. . i'm wondering if the stock unit does that... or if it's time to change my oil? i changed it just under 2k miles ago. with valvoline 20w-50 as recommended. and i top off oil recently... any ideas? thanks guys.

carlos
fd3s non sq tt

 

Oil pressure changes based on engine load. The stock sending unit has a separate adapter piece between it and the block. And get rid of that 'tt' from you sig or people will make fun of you.

 

If it's not your oil pressure fluctuating according to engine rpm, it could be a poor connection between the wire connector blade and the sender unit.

It's when your oil pressure gauge needle starts dropping and indicating low oil pressures that your sender unit can be on its way out.

 

hrmm so maybe i got a stocker... crap... as for upgrading oil pressure units.. is it possible just to get a auto meter sending unit and plug it into stock cluster? or MUST we put in a second gauge... would really not like to have double of everythign if i dont have to. what's weird is also... happened twice now.. after my oil pressure started doin the fluctuating.. not by rpm might i add, my coolant needle while lets say i stop in garage and let it idle a sec shoot a little higher then half way... so the first time i turned it off immediately as i've read. i let motor cool. coolant was fine... i turned it back on never did it. even with a/c idling there for 20 min... tonight i parked at a restaurant it did it again... now i'm worried. going home about 20 min into driving it's fine... my friend that was riding with me tell me hey you rtemp is going up again... so i'm like dammit. i'm screwed... 2 seconds later my temp just dumps literally back to normal range which is slightly below half. so i'm like wtf? if it was heating up... then cooled down again it'd be gradual.. but it just dumped back to normal like my oil pressure gauge... so i'm like maybe it's just goin haywire like the oil unit. then my speedo kills, odometer turns off. 5 sec later all my gauges are back to normal even theoil pressur. then oil pressure goes back up 30 psi and continues to flux here and there 30 psi +\-. is this common on 93 fd's? so many gauge problems? i mean if i have to i'll get another temp and oil sending unit.... and splice them into gauge cluster... but sheesh... my 90 miata and 94 protege never have cluster or sending unit problem like this... cept my miata when i rebuilt my motor, i screwed in and hand tightened the unit by hand and i busted the internals

any advice?

liek i said MUST i put doubled gauges? or just attached new sending units in both places and splice into harness? thanks!!!


Carlos

 

You have an obvious electrical problem that's not the fault of the stock units. You'll need to check your instrument panel connectors and wiring, fuses, battery condition, etc.

Don't presume the stock stuff is "crap". The sender may be faulty, but the oil pressure gauge usually isn't; no need to get an aftermarket unit in my opinion. The stock coolant temp gauge, well, that's another story...

 

yea this morning sucked again. driving to work, course oil needle jumping. speedo was fine. but right before work. needle all of the sudden shot up to 3/4.... scared teh crap outta me. so i turned the heater on JUST to check... needle dropped to below 1/2 as usual . left heater on to see if maybe i had an air pocket in coolant system. then needle went back up. then creeped down. after abotu 5 miles. turned heater off and put a/c on see if it'll heat up. never hapened. parked. went up to 1/2. what should i start looking for in the electrical system? just see if i have any shortages? or? anyone else had this problem? tonight after work while motor is cool i'ma check coolant again to make sure its' topped off. oil is fine. and i'ma gonna clean up the oil pressure spade to be sure. starting to worry. *sigh* i dont' hear my coolant or motor boiling. nor do i see excess water thrown back into the coolant tank. so. i appreciat eya'lls help with this.

carlos

 

hey has anyoen else tried that one gauge cluster gauge insert that that one guy did? here's the link i found. curious if it actually worked? i figure if my gauge are dying... might as well do this =-) but then again i'm wondering if i should jsut replace the whole cluster....... hehe

Carlos

http://maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/spa_gauges/index.html

 

btw. anyone here usign the mazdaspeed white face full replacement cluster? wondering if ya'll have had good luck with it for those that own one. and if they fixed the whol non linear and crap gauge like our stock ones are, if not, i may do that cluster insert. i like it =-) thanks!


Carlos.
http://corksport.com/tab0.4/store/ca...-interior.html
scroll down if you wanna see it.

 

IMHO it's not worth reinventing the wheel for the oil pressure gauge. The stock senders last around 60-80,000 miles, and run $80 for a new one. Oil pressure is really not that critical to monitor - as long as everything looks OK, you're fine.

I changed my sender this weekend while doing an oil change - added maybe 15 minutes to the process, and my oil pressure reads just great now.

Dale

 

what should i do about the coolant? just add another gauge? pull out the sender and clean it up with a wire brush and clean the contact? i've been wondering.. is it the actual gauge that sucks on the bezel? or the sender... if it's the sender we could tap into the ecu unit :P jsut wondering. thanks!


Carlos.
appreciate all the responses

 

The stock oil sending unit is on the drivers side under the oil pedistal. It gets caked with grime and the connection suffers. You can generally unplug it and clean off the oil and scuff the spade then plug it back up. Nine times out of ten this will remedy the twitchy needle on the gauge.

For the water temp, you should remove the filler neck and tap it for an aftermarket gauge sending unit.

 

OK i know our coolant gauges suck. just wanna ask this one really quick b/c i'm worried. i think i had an air pocket b/c 2 days ago the gauge said 3/4 again.... so i kicked the heater and it dumped to normal REALLY quick. when i got to work i let it cool all day. open the radiator cap after work and i need like 1/3 of a cup of water to reach the top. so i filled it. been great needle never moved until today. going back to work from lunch... i punched it... and the needle kicked up to 3/4. started driving normal. drop again. but here's the thing. i parked, let it idle for like 5 min, never moved.... so i turned it off. then turned key to ignition on and my oil pressure was at 90-120psi and coolant at the H but both needles we're bouncing in rythym..or liek in sync. i dont' remember my needles being UP when car off ig on. so i'm wondering...

I have an extermely tiny leak at the gasket where the oil filter neck meets to the tube.. i wanna say it's called the oil cooler gasket? could it be both of them have grimed up as post above me says making them go hay wire? IIRC both gauge are on the drivers side back where my leak is, i'ma pull it into the shop after work see if i can pull the plugs and clean em up... but what worries me is then i gunned it and it went up. dunno fi it's a coincidence with the gauge being screwy... or if a coolant seal is starting to cake on me... i have NO smoke whatsoever at all. anyone calm my mind please?

 

bump anyone ?? i know this subject is getting old. sorry :P

Carlos

 

I don't know what your stock gauges are doing, but get yourself an aftermarket temp gauge quick fast and in a hurry. Even while the stock gauge is in the middle, your engine may not be fully warmed up, and it may be heading towards overheating oblivion. Water and Boost gauges are a must for any FD owner. I think I must hold the record for stock oil pressure sending unit crapping. Mine went at 43K.