Oil Pressure Gauge

[VehiCrazy]

I have one on mine, the pix are on here somewhere.

The only bad part of the install is where to read the pressure from. I used the oil filter fixture. There is a plug there from the factory. The pain part is that it is a weird thread size. I tefloned the hell out of a standard fitting and it has been fine for 7 years now.

As far as being able to see low oil, you will be able to if you glance at it often. What happens is when you go around corners or are on a steep hill and if the level is low enough it will momentarily pool the oil away from the pickup. You will see the gauge go towards zero and then stumble back. But you have to glance at it often to catch it. You can also use it to monitor bearing condition because this is where you maintain oil pressure. If you know the usual baseline pressures you can watch for a steady degradation.

[tom4bren]

Where you place the pick up is very important. You actually want to read it at a location that has variations as that will give you the quickest indication of low pressure ... but you have to 'learn' to use it (when to look at it, how often and under what conditions).

I know that the OEM oil pressure guage on my TLC is worthless. It doesn't read low pressure even when I'm very low on oil.

Actually, let me caviate the above statement: it's worthless as an absolute measurement, but ... I've learned that when my oil level gets low, the pressure reading varies more with engine rev.

[TheGanzman]

As previously indicated, Oil Pressure (and Oil Level) gauges are ALMOST not worth the trouble or expense of installing; in real World conditions, you virtually have to be STARING at the damned gauge with a hand on the ignition (or kill switch) to truly have a chance of actually "saving" your engine. Usually, those gauges are just good at being "reporters"; they're the first to tell you that you've already HAD a catastrophic problem!

They're good in race cars, because race car drivers are trained and used to checking their gauges every 2 seconds, literally. In real World driving, we're all guilty of being lulled into a bucolic state of complacency; fiddling with radios, CD players, DVD players, Palm Pilots, Cell Phones, GPS devices, returning text messages, nut scratching - have I left anything out? I'd bet the BEST among us prolly only averages checking what gauges we have maybe 12 times/hour over the course of a drive...

Now if you're REALLY heart-set on making a failsafe "system" to save your engine in a low pressure situation, there are total systems available that will monitor your oil pressure/level (BTW, this will require you to modify your oil pan with a sophisticated baffling system) at all times, and automatically shut your engine off in the event of a loss of pressure/level. I'm guessing it's not likely "street legal" (not that I guess anyone would CARE if they were hellbent on having said system) and it's probably pretty expensive in its own right, but they DO exist and they could be modified for the VX...

Myself, I'd only consider it if I had a Keith Black-built all-aluminum Hemi motor worth $30-50K; now THAT would be something to protect! (Hmmm....wonder if it would fit in the VX...)

[Ldub]

[QUOTE=TheGanzman;148147] In real World driving, we're all guilty of being lulled into a bucolic state of complacency; fiddling with radios, CD players, DVD players, Palm Pilots, Cell Phones, GPS devices, returning text messages, nut scratching - have I left anything out? [QUOTE]

Well, since you asked...smacking the kids around, putting on makeup, reading books & papers, eating & drinking....I know there is more...

Here is a little something that might actually work, it's been posted here before, but I can't remember who to give credit to...

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

OK, found it...Thanks to Rene M

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ht=accumulator

[tom4bren]

Spit'n, pick'n, oggling ...

[VehiCrazy]

Just stating what works for me. I have mine on the pillar so it is always in my peripheral vision.

As for them being not worth the trouble. Nice blanket statement with no backing evidence. If you are tapping into the port on the oil filter you are reading the pressure to the engine as it happens. And you are able to see the oil pressure sputter before it goes completely. Way before you do major damage. I have done it. I am actually speaking from experience.

I thought this forum was to help each other out. Advice from people who don't have the gauge and have not used it telling people that it is worthless isn't much help. I have one. I use one. It works. And you don't have to be a race car driver to watch your gauges.

[TheGanzman]

Well, I'm 53 years old, supported myself through college by street racing in the '70's, and I've built 23 vehicles from the ground up; other than that, I don't have any experience...

I say again: When you have a sudden loss of oil pressure/volume, you have a coupla SECONDS to react before your motor is deader than disco. If you just HAPPEN to be staring at your oil pressure gauge (and how many of you have overheated an engine - usually a LOT more gradual of a process - and NOT noticed your temp. gauge climbing 'til it was in the red) and have the foresight to IMMEDIATELY shut 'er down, you're golden; otherwise, you're SOL...

Just a "contrasting opinion" - if YOU think an oil pressure gauge is protecting YOUR engine, good for YOU! For every ONE guy I've met who can say he saved his motor 'cause he saw the low oil pressure on the gauge, I can think of a dozen more guys with oil pressure gauges who WEREN'T watching it when it zero-pegged...

Oh, and BTW, I did happen to offer something as a worthwhile alternative, that the OP might not have been aware of; an AUTOMATIC system - far more fail-safe. So keep your rocket in your pocket, please...

[Ldub]

Just stating what works for me. I have mine on the pillar so it is always in my peripheral vision.

As for them being not worth the trouble. Nice blanket statement with no backing evidence. If you are tapping into the port on the oil filter you are reading the pressure to the engine as it happens. And you are able to see the oil pressure sputter before it goes completely. Way before you do major damage. I have done it. I am actually speaking from experience.

I thought this forum was to help each other out. Advice from people who don't have the gauge and have not used it telling people that it is worthless isn't much help. I have one. I use one. It works. And you don't have to be a race car driver to watch your gauges.

Speaking of "blanket statements"...just because YOUR particular experience differs from others around here, who are trying to help each other out, doesn't make your opinion magically more valuable...


(edit) Dang, The Ganzman beat me to it...gonna have to start callin' him "quickdraw"...

[Gussie2000]

[QUOTE=Ldub;148149][QUOTE=TheGanzman;148147] In real World driving, we're all guilty of being lulled into a bucolic state of complacency; fiddling with radios, CD players, DVD players, Palm Pilots, Cell Phones, GPS devices, returning text messages, nut scratching - have I left anything out?

Well, since you asked...smacking the kids around, putting on makeup, reading books & papers, eating & drinking....I know there is more...

Here is a little something that might actually work, it's been posted here before, but I can't remember who to give credit to...

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

OK, found it...Thanks to Rene M

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ht=accumulator

Hey !

What about drinking dunky donuts coffee with bagels while you are searching for the napkins under the dash board ?

[SilverBullet75]

I used to have an old Porsche 914 that had an oil pressure light that came on at low psi. When I added a gauge, I also added an annoying/loud piezo beeper that sounded when the light went on (approx. 10psi). This came in very handy during autocrosses..

So for a VX, you'd need the 914 oil pressure sender (or equiv.) and a light and/or piezo beeper from Radio Shack.