Installing a mechanical oil gauge

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Installing a mechanical oil gauge

Postby gunner » Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:29 am

What is the best way to hook up a oil gauge on a 75 Monza 4.3. I have been told the fuel pump is hooked into the stock oil sending unit to cut off the fuel pump if a crash happens. Are there ports on the back side of both heads or just on the pass side. What about the hole by the oil filter.
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Re: Installing a mechanical oil gauge

Postby spencerforhire » Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:55 am

You could use the port above the oil filter(if you can get the OEM pipe plug out), but the simplest way to add an oil pressure gauge is to put a tee in the hole behind the intake manifold. Due to the height of the oil pressure/fuel pump switch, you will probably have to point it off to the side and put the oil line pointing up. Any auto parts store or big box home improvement store will have 1/8" pipe thread brass tees and nipples.
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Re: Installing a mechanical oil gauge

Postby gunner » Thu Oct 10, 2013 11:12 pm

Tried installing the mechanical oil gauge today with a T fitting with the stock oil sending unit pointed off to the side and the oil line out the top. When I went to crank the the car it cranked when the key went to the on position, I did not have to turn the key to the crank position. It wound start up with out turning the key all the way. Strange. I removed the gauge and it went back to normal.
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Re: Installing a mechanical oil gauge

Postby SeniorSavage » Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:39 am

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Re: Installing a mechanical oil gauge

Postby spencerforhire » Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:40 am

The orientation it's mounted in should have no effect on how it works. Sounds like the pink(ignition) and purple(start) wires were shorted together somehow; your sender or it's connector plug must be defective. I had the mechanical oil pressure gauges plumbed like that in quite a few H-bodies over the years; never had a problem.
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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