Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

[Donald H.]

I just started my 66 engine up after sitting for 2 years while I did the restoration. The only thing I did to the engine while it was out was put in a correct standard volume standard pressure Melling oil pump (with the correct green spring).

When we started the car and went through tuning it up, the oil pressure indicated good at around 40#. Today I took the car far a short drive around the neighborhood. Oil pressure was fine, then dropped to about 30# cruising at slow speed. Dropped to 20 or below at idle. Needless to say, I went straight home.

When I shut the car off, the needle of the oil pressure gauge dropped way to the left of '0'. When sitting before the gauge needle sat at '0". This is a new 60# gauge, the GM Reproduction that came in a Delco box. Some previous owner had put an 80# gauge in my small block car.

Before I purchase another gauge and tackle installing it, is there any known history of problems with these reproduction gauges? Anyone else out there had issues with them.

I would much prefer a restored original, but what I see on Ebay is junk.

Thanks,
Don

[Ralph E.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Don,
Do you have another spare gauge? If you don't just pick up a cheap gauge at Napa for testing.
Just thinking you should verify it is the gauge before you do anything else.

[Donald H.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Sorry, I should have mentioned, I did buy an inexpensive gauge (Sunpro) and hooked it up under the hood. Oil pressure rock solid at 45 or so at idle. So I'm fairly confident it is the repro gauge.

After I disconnected the repro gauge and it sat for a while, I now notice the needle is back up to the right of zero at about 15 lbs?

Thanks,
Don

[Joe R.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Don,

When installing the repo oil gauge or any other for that matter you should use a wrench to hold the brass block while tightening the oil line to keep it from turning. If you don't you can have a leak or incorrect gauge reading. Learned this the hard way.

JR

[Donald H.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Don,

When installing the repo oil gauge or any other for that matter you should use a wrench to hold the brass block while tightening the oil line to keep it from turning. If you don't you can have a leak or incorrect gauge reading. Learned this the hard way.

JR

When I installed the line to the back of the gauge I did have a wrench on the gauge brass block, so I think I installed it correctly. The gauge worked fine all the time we started and ran the car while tuning. We had it running off and on most of the day (another story, but we had trouble getting the timing set).

And the gauge worked correctly when I started my short drive today, then it just started reading low and really dropping.

I'm concerned that if I spend another $70 plus for another reproduction that it will fail!!

Thanks,
Don

[Michael H.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Did you check for any kinks in the line either in the engine compartment or under the dash ? Is it possible you may have over tighten it and collapsed the end of the fitting thus restricting the oil flow to the gauge ?

Mike

[Donald H.]

Re: Need recommendations - Oil Pressure Gauge failed

Did you check for any kinks in the line either in the engine compartment or under the dash ? Is it possible you may have over tighten it and collapsed the end of the fitting thus restricting the oil flow to the gauge ?

Mike

I haven't checked the gauge end of the tubing, but there aren't any kinks and the end at the engine is good. I used one of the pre-formed lines that LIC sells. They are very rigid, and no bending at all needed to install it. I'll check the gauge end when I get the energy to get under the dash and disconnect it. Of course I put it in before I had the steering column, seat and under dash parking brake assembly (remember this is 66) in place.

Thanks,
Don