<VV> Electric oil pressure sender - One man's opinion

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/26/2005 7:10:47 AM Pacific Standard Time,  
tibbitts at qx.net writes:

Anyone  using an electric oil pressure unit?  Where did you mount the  sender?
Anyone want to post a picture?  There was a lot of talk back  in October of
the pros and cons of the mechanical versus the  electric.  I've wanted the
electric all along, but man it's a tight  squeeze.  I know I am going to have
to do some plumbing in order to  make it work.  Just looking for some
suggestions.  Thanks in  advance. 

Getting close to making some noise finally. I just hope the  darned thing
doesn't bounce out the door when I start it up.  



Cliff - First, be sure to retain the pressure switch that  triggers your 
warning light. Of course, the problem with that is the size of the  original unit. 
With the sender screwed into it's original (62-up) location,  it is not 
usually a problem. (although the units do fail, and leak, in old  age!) If you add 
fittings and move the sender up and away from the  original mount, the load on 
the threads - especially when you are running down  the road, can cause 
leakage or failure - as in breaking off. I suggest you check  out the 
"Adapt-a-bolt" or whatever the vendors are currently calling it. This is  a bolt that 
replaces the original oil filter bolt, adding a threaded hole on the  top for 
another pressure sender to feed your gage. This does place the new  sender out in a 
precarious area, but if you feed the wire back to the shroud,  the whole 
package remains inside of the fan belt, so you won't have to remove  anything to 
replace a fan belt. The only caveat I can suggest is that the bolt  location 
(holding on the oil filter with a gasket between the bolt and the  casting and a 
gasket between the oil filter and that casting) tends to  isolate the sender 
from a good electrical ground. To get representative readings  to the gage, 
you might have to add some type of ground wire from the sender to  the engine 
block/shroud. If you don't use the adapt-a-bolt, use a good hose to  feed the 
pressure signal over to the left side of the engine (again, feed it  under the 
fan belt for servicing reasons) use a T-fitting and mount both the  sender and 
the stock switch solidly, either on the shroud side or the frame  rail, 
letting the hose take up the vibration. I do not recommend using  solid tubing for 
this, as vibration can cause cracks. Be sure to check for a  good ground. The 
ground quality could affect both the sender and the  switch.  - Seth Emerson