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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: 92EcoDiesel Jetta on June 30, 2009, 10:14:56 am
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Where's the best spot to tee in an oil pressure gauge on my car? Thanks!
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My preferance is not to Tee at all - the oil pressure at the head is subject to a crank bearing's slot - on half the bearing only.... so, I put my tap on the filter flange.
(http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/the_arb/103_4347.jpg)
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what the hell does it matter where you get the oil pressure reading from? the turbo still takes lots of oil, and those squirters dont exactly use a teaspoon of oil either. both things are absolutely oil hungry. it doesnt really matter in my oppinion where you take a reading from. no gauges are absolutely accurate. and there are soo many variations in oil pressure too. thickness, condition of your oil galleys and passages, weather your oil pump is in good shape or not, weather your bearings are good. all ive ever used my oil pressure gauge for was just to see that my engine had some ammount of oil pressure.
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I have the stock oil cooler with coolant heat exhanger. Do you mean use the connection for the idiot light sender on the oil filter flange for the pressure gauge? What kinf of fitting is it? flare? NPT?
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I have the stock oil cooler with coolant heat exhanger. Do you mean use the connection for the idiot light sender on the oil filter flange for the pressure gauge? What kinf of fitting is it? flare? NPT?
Yes, that's what I mean and did. Its NPT. I do agree with Rabbit on Roids that we have non-calibrated gauges and in the end any gauge location will tell you if you have healthy oil pressure.
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It's supposed to be on the filter flange.
I however put mine on the head. That's the end of the oil flow so if you have good pressure up there rest assured all the places before it are good to go.
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Is the circled item on the head an oil pressure sender? If so, is that a good spot for the oil pressure gauge?
(http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/EcoDiesel/Photo_063009_011.jpg)
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Thanks Andrew! Would you know the thread size? I'd like to put a Tee there and keep the sender plumbed in.
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Thanks Andrew! Would you know the thread size? I'd like to put a Tee there and keep the sender plumbed in.
I once put an oil pressure sender on an aircooled type 3 with a Tee for the light but the sender was one of the electric Ford types which were pretty big. One day going about 65 on the highway the tee broke {from vibration from the big sender I suspect} and it blew out so much oil at once and got down in the heat exchangers and blew so much white smoke up through the defrosters I actualy had to stick my head out the window to see to get off the road. I was in the fast lane and just passed a semi and I bet he thought, "Damn, look at this maniac and his car is on fire too" :o I think a Tee is fine though for these senders we use though and a manual pressure gauge, {non electric type}
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If you connect at the head, what pressure is considered healthy for a turbo engine?
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Thanks Andrew! Would you know the thread size? I'd like to put a Tee there and keep the sender plumbed in.
M10 x 1... VDO dealers sell them, among others.
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so 7-10 psi at idle is nothing to worry about then, right?
and ive got 10w30 in there for temporary, so it goes up a little with 15w40
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Thanks Andrew! Would you know the thread size? I'd like to put a Tee there and keep the sender plumbed in.
M10 x 1... VDO dealers sell them, among others.
I found this one but they're in Australia. It's too long and could be problematic with vibration. Does VDO make them? Got a p/n? Meanwhile I keep looking.
http://www.snakebite.com.au/vdoadaptertm10m1018nptf-p-229.html?zenid=a701eb33a65a0557c00386dc96b1d4ba
(http://www.snakebite.com.au/bmz_cache/0/0c071149abc53fa72cd785c0e05b5072.image.180x126.jpg)
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This Tee is M10x1 on the 1 male and 2 female threads I think. So it's NFG.
http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2688&osCsid=58ovaq0mmd2qhmbf5i6n2it9u4
(http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/images/V240850.jpg)
This one looks the same but cheaper:
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VDO-240-850
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The m10 x 1 thread is almost exactly the same size as 1/8NPT except it is straight instead of tapered. I don't like to thread 1/8NPT directly into the head as it will damage the threads in the head slightly, but any local auto parts store should have a metric conversion kit for gauges. It will include an adapter that goes from 1/8NPT to m10 x 1. Then go to the hardware store and get a 1/8NPT brass tee and a 1/8NPT nipple. The metric to NPT adapter goes into the head and the nipple threads into it and one of the legs of the tee. Whatever fitting you are using to go to the gauge goes into the next leg and the stock sender can screw right into the third leg of the tee. There's no need for an adapter for the sender. The threads are close enough and who cares if you muck up the threads of the sender or tee? I like to use locktight high-heat thread sealant (white paste). Be sure to think about how you are assembling it and the various clearances for the two senders.
Yeah I pulled the sender out yesterday to have a look and I said to myself it sure looks close to 1/8 NPT!. I searched Autozone for "metric conversion kit for gauges" and variations of it but did not find any. I'll try NAPA next.
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VDO make a sender with two terminals, one for the gauge and one for the idiot light. The idiot light will switch on at 7lbs. The sender has the correct thread for the cylinder head.
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_send.asp?Sender=80PSI_5Bar_VDO
Check out # 360-006 $25
Guy
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VDO make a sender with two terminals, one for the gauge and one for the idiot light. The idiot light will switch on at 7lbs. The sender has the correct thread for the cylinder head.
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_send.asp?Sender=80PSI_5Bar_VDO
Check out # 360-006 $25
Guy
Jason, 360-006 will work if I have the electric gauge that works with it. But I don't.
This VDO Tee # 240-850 will do the job and is priced more reasonably at $7.50. http://www.42draftdesigns.com/categories/products/vdo/vc240850.htm
(http://www.42draftdesigns.com/images/vdo/hardware/vdom10t.jpg)
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I used a tee with 1/8npt and screwed it right into the head, napa has 'em. I didn't think it was the correct threads but it was so close I didn't know what else it could be.
A few years ago I was putting an oil pressure gauge on a subaru justy which goes into the cast block, so I went to napa to find out what kind of threads it was supposed to be and he said 1/8npt. I tried forever to get it to thread in and finally went back and told him that so he looked it up and said yup 1/8npt. I ended up running an 1/8npt tap in there.
So I bet he played my ignorance and it was supposed to be m10x1.
Is the aluminum head or brass threads stronger?
My brother put a gauge on a jap gasser with like a 3 inch long straight extension and it broke off in no time, try to keep it as short as possible.
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What do you think of this location for the oil pressure gauge? Also, what's the best way to run the 1/8" nylon line from the engine bay into that area behind the switches?
(http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/EcoDiesel/oilpressgauge_070809_001.jpg)
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I poked around and it looks like the easiest way in is through the speedo cable opening. What do you think?
(http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/EcoDiesel/speedocable_070809_002.jpg)
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thats how i did it, just run it right beside the speedo cable. thats how my plastic boost gauge is ran into my car.
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I've got the gauge plumbed in but not mounted. Started it up to check for leaks and there was none. 60 psi engine dead cold with Rotella 15W40. Is that about right or low? I don't really like having engine oil running into the cabin. Anyone use a thing called an isolator?
(http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/EcoDiesel/oilpress_070909_002.jpg)
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60 cold sounds a bit low to me, I get 95-100 cold, doesn't matter though hot is what matters.
Oil running into the cabin won't hurt a thing unless you spring a leak.
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60 cold sounds a bit low to me, I get 95-100 cold, doesn't matter though hot is what matters.
Oil running into the cabin won't hurt a thing unless you spring a leak.
Where did you plumb your gauge? Oil filter or cyl head. The 60 psi cold was at idle, taken at the oil filter (in lieu of the pressure switch). I will move it to the cyl head tomorrow and see what it reads there.
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At hot idle it's about 15 psi, 55 mph in 4th it's 30 psi. I'm not sure how accurate this cheapo gauge is. Are these numbers within spec? I've heard 10 psi per 1000 rpm but I don't have a tach. What rpm is my engine at 55 mph in 4th?
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Mine is in the head.
At hot idle it's about 15 psi, 55 mph in 4th it's 30 psi. I'm not sure how accurate this cheapo gauge is. Are these numbers within spec? I've heard 10 psi per 1000 rpm but I don't have a tach. What rpm is my engine at 55 mph in 4th?
Spec is something like 28psi @ 2000rpm.
Look on your tranny bellhousing, there's a 2-3 letter code, look that up on http://www.scirocco.org/gears/
I would think it's around 2200rpm @ 55, check though ;).
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I was wrong with the numbers I gave earlier, I was thinking 5th gear @ 55, in 4th it's probably 2900-3100rpm.
If the numbers you gave were taken from the head then it's rather low.
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i just read someone elses post on here, and just like i figured, the pressure is the same reading at the filter flange and at the head. there was maybe a 1-2psi difference, but it was basically the same reading. both at idle and revved up going down the highway.
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The only difference I noticed was the oil pressure came up faster at the oil filter than at the cyl head.
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no way? couldnt be that the oil pump is 3 inches away from the filter flange? and the oil pump is like 15 inches from the head?
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At the oil filter, the needle moves almost instantaneously after engine starts. At the cyl head, there's approx a 1/2 second delay.
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I calibrated my cheapo oil pressure gauge to a Mercedes 300D oil pressure gauge. My gauge was reading low. I calibrated it by twisting the Bourdon tube a little by reaching in the light bulb hole with long nose pliers. After calibration, at idle I am now reading 20 psi and at 60 in 5th I am reading 35 psi. I am going to plumb in the Mercedes oil pressure gauge temporarily to double check that I calibrated the cheapo gauge "good enough".
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35psi is way way low oil pressure for cruising. what kinda oil u running?
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If I get the rpm up, say 3rd gear at 55 mph I can get the oil pressure up to 60 psi, In 5th at 60 it's betwwen 30 to 35 psi.
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35 psi at 3500 rpms for a hyd turbo motor is just fine.
oh yea!
i totally forgot that his engine is a hydro lift engine. i forgot those things have weak oil pressure.
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10 psi pr 1000 rpm is a very good rule to live by.
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I ended up using all 1/8 NPT, a 1/8 NPT hydraulic steel nipple for strength into the head and a 1/8 NPT brass Tee. So far so good- no leaks. I think the parts are sufficiently strong to not have any problems down the road but I'll still keep an eye on it..
(http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/EcoDiesel/oilTee_071509_004.jpg)
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Hmmm... does your oil light still come on when you first turn the key to "on"?!
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Yes it does. Why do you ask?
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Lots of folks run into sensor grounding problems when they use Teflon tape to seal the oil pressure fittings... sounds like you're OK.
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Lots of folks run into sensor grounding problems when they use Teflon tape to seal the oil pressure fittings... sounds like you're OK.
I didn't cover the first 2 threads on the fitting with the Teflon tape, that insured electrical conductivity as well as keeping the Teflon tape out of the oil.
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I hooked a mechanical gauge up to my head port just to see what it was reading and i had 60psi upon cold start up. Once it ran for a while it dropped to 30psi and would act like a tach and go up and down with the rpms. Ive never seen an oil pressure gauge fluctuate like this but i guess it dosent matter as long as i have pressure.