On a 420 G the gauge now reads 30 at 3000 and 15 at idle. I havent checked with a manual instrument, but suspect the sender.
I know that they are notoriously unreliable.
Do any of the usual suspects have good ones for sale?
JEC had a batch of matching senders and gauges made. I don’t think they are available any more and they weren’t cheap. I have a set but would advise checking with a wet gauge.
Have you considered changing to an old-style mechanical gauge? A wide variety of Smith’s gauges are available, so you should be able to match the style of the original. Installation kits are also available, with thin coiled nylon tubing and the necessary fittings. I’ve done this on my e-type, and think it’s an improvement.
Bob Frisby
Boise, Idaho USA
If your gauge is similar to the contemporaneous E-type gauge, you will soon be in luck. Ray Livingston will soon be selling reliable senders with matching internals for the gauge. See the current E-type thread. I agree that mechanical gauges are also a good solution.
If you choose to gamble in a Smiths sender, be sure to get the correct one–either for a 60 PSI gauge or for an 80 PSI gauge. I think yours would be 60? They changed to 80 around 1970 on XJ6 cars.
The important thing is that your engine has the correct oil pressure. If your existing gauge is working then temporarily check the pressure with a mechanical gauge (cheap from auto parts store). Note the difference and save the money.
Pat H
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What grade oil are you running? Your figures seem a bit low if you are running 20W 50 but a check with a mechanical gauge would be of value.
What does it read at 2000 and 4000?
The spec is 10psi per 1000 rpm and so far you are at or above this level. I.e.everything is normal.
I was recently thinking of making a simple calibration box for these gauges. Do you there’d be any demand?
Plug your sender in.
Connect a compressed air supply or track pump to the sender and gauge.
Set the calibration according the air supply to equal the car’s gauge.
Reconnect the sender into the car engine.
Any takers?
kind regards
Marek
I have seen Bobs setup (over the internet), very nice & original looking
I decided to banish the problem forever with a digital gauge…obviously does not look original, but they work very well…end of story. Evo gauge $80
I could always retrofit the originals, or a mechanical gauge…but I wont,
SNG Barratt. Also you may need to access the back of the gauge and adjust it. That’s what I did a few weeks ago and its spot on now.
Back at my summer house, where the car is. Last night I took it out and let it idle for 10-15 min. 30psi at 750. Good!
Then drove it for 15-20 min. Almost 40 at 3000. Good!
Then I let it idle outside the garage. 10-15 at 750. Perhaps ok?!
(20-50 mineral oil)
Conclusion: it takes 35mins to warm up fully.
10-15 mins is not warmed up - the water gauge may show water is circulating at “high” temperature, but the engine block has yet to properly warm up.
kind regards
Marek
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I already wrote “The spec is 10psi per 1000 rpm and so far you are at or above this level. I.e.everything is normal.”
Which part of those two sentences are you struggling to understand?
There’s a company here in UK called, Car builders solutions. They have been going for about 20 years, and specialise mainly in the kit car area. However they also supply classic repro parts and replacement stuff. They do an electric oil gauge which has a matched sensor. They also do a petrol gauge which you can calibrate to suit the shape of the tank.
Their catalogue is online and 467 pages long.
It’s definitely worth a browse.
I have no connection with the company.