Mechanical gauges installed

[5thhorsemann]

I'll start by saying I am a huge fan of mechanical gauges, and always hold the electrical gauge readings suspect. I will also say that having the mechanical pressure gauges (fuel and oil anyway) in the car with me will not happen, a tubing failure or broken bourdon tube can cause a mess on an oil gauge and a blow torch on an illuminated fuel gauge.

So earlier this year I put a cowl induction scoop on my damaged hood to forever rid myself of the vapor locking problems with the 240. I don't really like the hood as much as the stock look (which I love) but it did the trick.

So now I have my mechanical water temp and oil pressure installed, waiting on the third cup to add the fuel pressure. I plumbed the lights on the gauge faces to a 15 PSI pressure switch in the oil line, so if I loose pressure, I loose lights, just added peace of mind.

As seen from the drivers seat, the 2 5/8 inch autometers are easy to read and you don't have to take your eyes off the road. I like the hood a little better now.

[72 OJ]

5th,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that is good insurance , I am also adding a water temp mechanical gauge on my ride

Edited September 23, 2012 by 72 OJ

[siteunseen]

That looks good! I'd like to see the hood too. Can't find a picture though.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

NIce install.

I like the way they peek out at you!

[5thhorsemann]

Thanks for the complements.

Did quite a bit of driving this weekend, I now realize just how bad the original oil pressure gauge is. I left all the electrical gauges and sending units in place, the oil pressire gauge is SLOW on the read, you could loose all of your oil pressure and it would take a long time to see it with the gauge.

On the bright side, I have good oil pressure, solid as a rock 42 psi at idle and it rises steadily to just over 60 psi at speed.

I'll post more picks once the fuel pressure gets installed.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

That is a lot of idle oil pressure! Wow. That must have been when it was cold right?

ON another note. I agree the OEM gages are just barely better than a idiot light. They tell you what you engine may have been doing about 10 seconds ago. HAHA

I thought my brand new DatsunSpirit engine had Zero oil pressure at idle. Sort of freaked me out. But when I hooked up a mechanical gage, it has about 18 to 20 psia at idle, and 60+ at cruise. The OEM gage will not read above 45 psi after warm no matter what. I soldered the connection to the sending unit which helped some, and I bet if I cleaned off the terminals on back of the OEM gage it would read just fine. But the mechanical gage put all worries to rest.

[5thhorsemann]

That is a lot of idle oil pressure! Wow. That must have been when it was cold right?

ON another note. I agree the OEM gages are just barely better than a idiot light. They tell you what you engine may have been doing about 10 seconds ago. HAHA

I thought my brand new DatsunSpirit engine had Zero oil pressure at idle. Sort of freaked me out. But when I hooked up a mechanical gage, it has about 18 to 20 psia at idle, and 60+ at cruise. The OEM gage will not read above 45 psi after warm no matter what. I soldered the connection to the sending unit which helped some, and I bet if I cleaned off the terminals on back of the OEM gage it would read just fine. But the mechanical gage put all worries to rest.

Sorry, I fat fingered the key board, that would be 24 psi at idle, warm. At cold start it reads 35 psi at idle.

I have also noticed that it takes a second or two to see any pressure at the gauge at startup, is this normal for an L24 or should I have a look at the check valve.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Not sure, but you probably have some trapped air in the nylon oil pressure line and that may be slowing or at least making your gage sluggish.

[5thhorsemann]

That was something I would never have thought of, it never would have crossed my mind that an air slug in the tubing would have an affect on the reading at such low pressures. That said, I bid a bleed on the some odd three foot nylon line, no change, but worth trying none the less.

I've been paying close attention to this pressure lag at startup. If the car sits for less than a few hours there is little or no lag at all. if it sits all day or over night the lag is 2 to 3 seconds. I think when I do the Captian Obvious cam oiler install I will take a look at the check valve too.

I'm not really worried, I have great confidence in the Amsoil's ability to cling to the motors guts and provide enough lube at startup to get me through the lag time.

As the temprature drops I am also starting to see that old cold starting problem increase where the cranking time is getting longer and longer, the cooler it gets. This is something that I need to address soon, might have to start a new thread on this as I have no idea where else to go with this one.

[5thhorsemann]

So I got the fuel pressure gauge installed this week to complete the three gauge set.

I love the placement and ease of read while driving. I also love the way you can actually watch the thermostat open and close as you drive down the road, it opens at 185 and closes at 180, so as you drive down the highway the needle rocks back and forth between the two.

Here's a shot of the hood.

I'm hoping that once the car is painted (before the end of the year) the hood will blend in a bit better with the lines of the car as at this point I am comitted to the scoop as a perminent addition.

Edit, Damn, I need to clean the windshield!

Edited October 14, 2012 by 5thhorsemann

[siteunseen]

I'd bet your car has a permanent BOLO for it. 1 mean arse looking car!

[5thhorsemann]

Thanks, she gets a bunch of attention even with 40 year old paint and primer patches. I'm only weeks away from paint and chomping at the bit to get the new silver laid down. Dropping off the truck motor today to get the machine work done. As soon as it goes back in its off to paint for the Z.