oil gage reads 0

[trykflyr]

Is there a way to check the oil press gage from the sender connector to the gage? Looking at the schematic, the path to ground is thru the sender. Does anyone know if the gage climbs as resistance is increased or decreased? I have a rheostat I can use to check, just don't want to have the polarity backwards and drive the needle downward past 0.

[beandip]

Well you can check to see if the gage is working . Just unplug it from the sender and ground it . Turn on the key on and see what the gage reads. It should peg to the right if it is good. If this is the case the sending unit is gunnysack. If you want to really see what sort of oil pressure you have . Buy a manual oil pressure gage. I bought mine for $15.00 and connected it to the port in the block where the sending unit is normally screwed into. I ran the tube through a opening in the dash and put the gage on the console so I could see it while I drove. I found with a warmed engine I had 25 psi at idle and 50 psi at 2500 rpm.

Gary

[trykflyr]

thanx. I figured I could ground the gage somewhere, just wasn't sure if that would drive the needle the wrong way, i.e. low resistance reads less pressure, hi resistance reads higher pressure. I have a direct reading gage that I'll hook up and get good readings from before I get the car back on the road. As long as the needle's off the low peg and in the middle somewhere steady, I figure I'm good.

[JonnyRock]

Be aware that it's entirely common for the oil pressure gauge to read 0 at idle. Mine does, but I've had no problems with pressure whatsoever.

[trykflyr]

Important safety tip! thanks! I never got it much above idle to get it onto the trailer and haul it back to the garage. It had oil in it and it flowed OK when I drained it, so that may be the issue. I'll plumb a direct gage into it the first time i run it up again.