Hi,
I'm a newbie and have a simple question for you knowledgeable guys and gals.
I want to install Boost and Oil Presuure Gauges on the sides of my Tachometer. I have the Boost engine connection figured out but cannot seem to find any data on how to connect a mechanical oil pressure gauge to the engine. Where do you connect it and what hardware would be required to make this connection???

Help please.

Thanks,
hogtrader

 

Welcome to NAM!

(Using the search feature of the forums will quickly bring you results.)

Steebo777 did a great write-up on a mechanical oil pressure gauge here...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=41028

Good Luck Hogtrader!

 

That I did! And I have run into zero problems since it's install. And as the write-up says, this could be used for a mechanical or electrical guage. Good luck!

 

Steebo,
Please check your install instructions. Some of the included pictures are X'ed out. Please fix if you can or send me the locations of those pix so I can have your excellent install package complete.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ad.php?t=41028

Thanks.
hogtrader

 

It was a struggle but I now have a great set of auxiliary gauges. Oil Pressure and Boost. I will post pix in my gallery. They look great.

I have a question for you folks with Boost gauge experience. Can you describe what I should see and when I should see it. For instance, when I put my foot in it the boost goes to 5-9 pounds but as soon as I am done accelerating the boost drops off and I actually pick up 5-10 nches of vacuum. Is this normal?

I'm very happy with the results and have to thank Steebo for his helpful directions at https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ad.php?t=41028 .

Take a look at the pix and let me know what you think. I will be glad to offer any "been there, done that" assistance.

 

I have just purchased Stewart Warner electrical oil pressure and oil temp gauges, could anyone tell me if this how-to works for an electrical gauge too, as it is done for a mechanical one.

Also, what will I need apart for what's supplied with the gauge to do the install?

 

The install should be the same, the sender dictates what kind of signal goes to the gauge - in your case a digital signal through a wire. You might need an adapter for the sender so it can fit into the stock location on the block. I forget sizes, but when you get the stock sender off, just take it and your new sender to a hardware store and buy a fitting. You have a bicycle, right?

Looks like that how-to tells you what size fitting you need. Note, that you don't have to install both the stock and new senders with a T. I completely replaced my stock sender. Just keep an eye on your oil pressure gauge for any signs of pressure loss.

 

Thanks. So how did you fit the stock plug so that the oil light in the cabin doesn't go on?

 

I just cut the wire and left it dangling, well, tied off. By design, the wire turns the light on when it is grounded.

 

MMh, it seems a bit drastic...also, this way the mod is not reversible, or you'll have to buy a new wire to do so...

 

I left enough of the wire on the stock sender that I can solder it back if need be.

 

Mmh, so you basically mounted the gauge sender in the stock one's place, and then you cut the stock wire, is that all? No oil light at all?

 

I too am running the Stewart Warner oil temp and oil pressure gauges. I have the temp sender mounted with an adapter in place of the oil drain plug and I used Cravenspeeds adapter for the oil pressure sender which allows me to keep the stock sender and idiot light.

 

Thanks for telling me, earlrabbit. I'll take a look at that Cravenspeed adapter

 

Exactly.

I did something similar at first, but the whole assembly is rather heavy and with enough bumps, it started to leak. I suppose the T fitting had a stress fracture and it sprayed a mist of oil under there. So I just did away with it.

I'd like to note that if you have your oil temp gauge sender in the drain plug hole, rig some sort of disconnect. That way you can undo the wire when when it is time to change the oil. My first sender had its wire twisted around too many times during sevral oil changes and it snapped. I soldered in a connector of some sort and it works great. It does not effect the readout; due to resistance.

 

That's great advice, I'll keep that in mind, thanks

 

Oh, that sender with the snapped wire... it was wrecked, so I had to buy a new sender.

 

I was thinking, what about some sort of adapter with two holes, one for the sender and one for the drain plug, so that when you change the oil you just unscrew the plug and the sender is never bothered? could this be a solution?

 

It seems like there should be a way to do it using only OEM parts and the oil ports in the block, because if you have the factory Chrono Kit, you get both an oil pressure gauge *and* the standard idiot light, and there are no senders in the drain plug.

 

I know, with the Chrono pack you should have the oil temp gauge too if I'm not mistaken, so I wonder where did they put the oil temp sender...but anyway, I think one of the best solutions to keep the standard idiot light and fit an aftermarket oil pressure gauge is to use the Craven Speed adaptor. That can also be used to fit the oil temp sender on the oil drain plug, and keep the stock plug too, so that when you change the oil you won't have to unscrew the sender.