Oil Pressure Gauge

[TybeeNic]

Any suggestions for replacing the stock oil pressure gauge? Since installing a Buick Grand National engine, which runs a much higher oil pressure than the PRV, my stock gauge constantly pegs.

[Rich]

How do you know it's really running a higher pressure than 80PSI (OE gauge max.)? Did it do so on the car it came out of? And, if so, how was that measured?

Is your D's dash gauge connected to the Buick's sending unit or did you transplant the PRV's sender to it? Am guessing that the dash gauge works best with the PRV sender or similarly-calibrated sender.

Seems strange that any engine would run >80PSI if the bypass valve was working.


And, to answer your question, I do not know of a way to replace the stock gauge and keep it in the original location.

[TybeeNic]

Rich . . .
Thanx for getting back to me so quickly. As for the engine - I have no idea about the car it came out of; regardless, however, when I got it, I did an engine rebuild - Comp Performance 69-246-4 cam, springs, lifters, etc. Got rid of the turbo and hooked up a 650 cfm Edelbrock carb, plus some other performance tweeks. On the stand, the dyno showed ~ 370+ hp. (enough to burn the hell out of her rear tires and keep her pretty much even with my '03 Vette). --- And no, I'm not interested in keeping her pristine!
I am using the PRV oil sending unit, though I did think about using the Buick's sending unit, but didn't want to mess right now with adapting it. All of the other gauges right now are working as advertised with the exception of the tach - but that's another issue I'll be going after (got a temporary sun tach hooked up for now).
According to my buddy who knows more than I about this, the oil pressure should be reading around 65-70, which it does when I get out of 3rd/4th gear. However it does peg when the engine is first started and/or if I get on it in 1st gear.
So what I'm looking for is either how to recal this gauge or find another gauge that would be able to handle this more cleanly.
Would appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Thanx again for your time . . .
. . . Nic

Comp Performance 69-246-4 cam, springs, lifters, etc.

How do you know it's really running a higher pressure than 80PSI (OE gauge max.)? Did it do so on the car it came out of? And, if so, how was that measured?

Is your D's dash gauge connected to the Buick's sending unit or did you transplant the PRV's sender to it? Am guessing that the dash gauge works best with the PRV sender or similarly-calibrated sender.

Seems strange that any engine would run >80PSI if the bypass valve was working.


And, to answer your question, I do not know of a way to replace the stock gauge and keep it in the original location.

[DMCMW Dave]

According to my buddy who knows more than I about this, the oil pressure should be reading around 65-70, which it does when I get out of 3rd/4th gear. However it does peg when the engine is first started and/or if I get on it in 1st gear.
.

Replace the sender with a new PRV sender. That's a common problem even when still screwed into the PRV. 65-70 is the same as you'd expect when first starting up the stock engine.

[TybeeNic]

Thanx Dave . . .
I'll give it a try.
...... Nic

Replace the sender with a new PRV sender. That's a common problem even when still screwed into the PRV. 65-70 is the same as you'd expect when first starting up the stock engine.