Hello
I’ve read the posts in regard to the location of a mechanical oil
pressure gauge, and it’s been suggested to mount it in the engine
compartment. Since I am constantly checking my vitals as I’m
driving I would prefer to have it visually accessible so I may
observe it under all driving conditions. I’ve been very careful
about routing the feed tube and securing the connections, so my
risk of something coming loose and spewing oil all over the
interior should be nil. My question is; where have others located
the gauge so it is easy to see, out of the way and aesthetically
pleasing? I was thinking of placing it just under the ID strip to
the left of the radio consul. I realize it would have to be removed
if I needed to open the fascia, but it’s such a PITA to open the
panel now what’s one more thing to pull off to gain access? I was
also considering putting it in the glove box. I have a '66 4.2 fhc
so I don’t have a door on the glove box. The bezel will attach to
any vertical or horizontal surface so the side of the radio consul
is another alternative. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and
suggestions.
Joel–
ex jag
Denison, TX, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
Why install a second guage, when you can just replace your electrical
guage with a mechanical one? There have been threads on this in the
past. I think it was a Triumph mechanical guage that looks like the
Jag, but is mechanical, instead of electrical. Or, you could explore
swapping the guage face, to be totally authentic looking.
Best.
Bjarn
Hello
I’ve read the posts in regard to the location of a mechanical oil
pressure gauge, and it’s been suggested to mount it in the engine
compartment. Since I am constantly checking my vitals as I’m
driving I would prefer to have it visually accessible so I may
observe it under all driving conditions. I’ve been very careful
about routing the feed tube and securing the connections, so my
risk of something coming loose and spewing oil all over the
interior should be nil. My question is; where have others located
the gauge so it is easy to see, out of the way and aesthetically
pleasing? I was thinking of placing it just under the ID strip to
the left of the radio consul. I realize it would have to be removed
if I needed to open the fascia, but it’s such a PITA to open the
panel now what’s one more thing to pull off to gain access? I was
also considering putting it in the glove box. I have a '66 4.2 fhc
so I don’t have a door on the glove box. The bezel will attach to
any vertical or horizontal surface so the side of the radio consul
is another alternative. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and
suggestions.
JoelSubject: [E-Type] Mounting of mechanical oil pressure gauge?
ex jag
Denison, TX, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
Not sure why you wouldn’t mount it where the stock gauge now is. I switched
faces on an Sunpro gauge, so that it looks very much like the stock gauge.
Just leave a few extra coils of nylon line behind it, and you won’t be
pulling out the feed tube.
Mike Frank
At 09:15 AM 10/23/2005, you wrote:
I was thinking of placing it just under the ID strip to
the left of the radio consul.
In reply to a message from Michael Frank sent Sun 23 Oct 2005:
The Stewart Werner gauge doesn’t match the Smith gauge, so even if
I change the chrome bezel with the black Smiths bezel it will look
out of place. Also, the SW gauge goes up to 100psi so I can’t put
the Smiths face on it.
Joel–
ex jag
Denison, TX, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Mon 24 Oct 2005:
Another option would be to install a ‘‘low pressure oil warning
buzzer’’ somewhere under the dash. This inexpensive device gives
you an audible annoying buzzer indicating that your oil pressure is
either very low or non-existent. Installation would require
installing the sender off a tee wherever you can get oil pressure,
and then just running a wire from that sender to the buzzer which
you can mount anywhere under the dash. Same thing can be done for
high water temperature. Gaugea are great if you look at them.
These aubible devices are a cheap, effective monitoring device.
The ones I have seen were available in boat supply shops, but I
wouild imagine that maybe some of the larger auto parts suppliers
like Summit Racing may also carry them.
Regards,
Dan Siegel
1950 F-2 truck
70 2 & 2
74 OTS
76 XJS–
DAN SIEGEL
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
In reply to a message from DAN SIEGEL sent Mon 24 Oct 2005:
I went through this same mounting location issue some time back,
but finally decided to place the gauge under the hood. I made a
bracket and mounted the gauge on the intake manifold at one of the
crossover pipe bolts.
It’s a chrome gauge, and I used chrome flex piping to connect to
a ‘‘tee’’ that I installed next to the oil filter. It looks great ,
and adds a little ‘‘shine’’ to the engine. I show my car quite often,
therefore I wanted the engine bay neat and clean - this arrangement
just adds a nice touch. I regularly compare the mechanical gauge
reading to the dash gauge for security and have had no problems.
This way, you don’t have to modify anything on or near the dash and
everything looks normal inside the car!
Jim
'68 2+2–
Jim Tison
Cumming, Georgia, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Sun 23 Oct 2005:
Hey Joel,
I installed a mechanical guage right in the same hole where the
electric one went. I had a generic mech. guage 2’’ dia and took off
the dial and bezel from the smiths guage and put it on the other
one and now it looks original. Now I don’t have to wonder what the
oil pressure really is. Just fed the plastic tubing thru a hole in
the firewall and down to the filter housing.–
Quentin Brown 68fhc
New Hartford, NY, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
The Sunpro gauge works well for this…I installed the dial from the
Smiths, it looks almost real. If you’re more ambitious, you can remove the
works from the Sunpro gauge and install in the Smith’s case:
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Sun 23 Oct 2005:
Hey Joel,
I installed a mechanical guage right in the same hole where the
electric one went. I had a generic mech. guage 2’’ dia and took off
the dial and bezel from the smiths guage and put it on the other
one and now it looks original.
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Sun 23 Oct 2005:
Most of the 100PSI Smiths oil pressure gauges out there are
mechanical, sell for less than $50 and are the same size as the
Jaguar electrical 60 PSI gauge. The faces and trim rings can be
exchanged for a fully original look. As far as the calibration,
the prime value of the gauge is to alert a loss in pressure. The
actual reading is basically irrelevant. Switching the faces merely
means that the reading is about 60% of actual (if the gauge shows
30PSI, the actual is 50PSI). Whether the reading drops
dramatically and stays there, or if it drops gradually over time,
you have a problem. Take a look at eBay auctions 4584287676,
8009654051, 4584690465, 8009521242 or 4584287676. Another
consideration is that using the original location requires no
drilling or other mounting work and can be completely reversed with
no ill effect. If you are concerned about originality, this would
seem to be the way to go. As far as leaking oil lines, I drove my
1966 AH Sprite for 70,000 miles and never saw a drop of oil behind
the dash or anywhere else along the feed line. That gave me the
confidence to convert my E Type gauge. Good luck,–
The original message included these comments:
compartment. Since I am constantly checking my vitals as I’m
driving I would prefer to have it visually accessible so I may
observe it under all driving conditions. I’ve been very careful
about routing the feed tube and securing the connections, so my
risk of something coming loose and spewing oil all over the
interior should be nil. My question is; where have others located
Joel,
There are definite advantages to having the gauge in the cockpit… after all that’s where it was intended to be However, for those of us that put the gauge in the engine compartment I think we still trust the electric gauge to tell us if there is a problem. The mechanical gauge is only verification, perhaps some calibration and only viewed when an anomaly is seen on the electric gauge. I know the o/p senders get hammered as junk and prone to failure, they may be junk and do fail more frequently than they should but realistically I’m not convinced they’re so bad that one needs to install mechanical verification in the cockpit. My original sender worked for 33 years, replacement died within one year, second replacement is 4 years old now, works fine. Even if not precise they “absolutely” give enough information to know if there is an emergency and more info than the idiot lights that replace gauges on virtually all modern cars. They react slowly and usually a few lbs off but that is not enough justification to mount a separate gauge IMHO. I have actually removed my mechanical gauge now. After using it for about a year, I know what the electric gauge is telling me. If it does something weird I’ll reinstall the mechanical gauge temporarily.
pauls 67ots
Hello
I’ve read the posts in regard to the location of a mechanical oil
pressure gauge, and it’s been suggested to mount it in the engine
compartment. Since I am constantly checking my vitals as I’m
driving I would prefer to have it visually accessible so I may
observe it under all driving conditions. I’ve been very careful
about routing the feed tube and securing the connections, so my
risk of something coming loose and spewing oil all over the
interior should be nil. My question is; where have others located
the gauge so it is easy to see, out of the way and aesthetically
pleasing? I was thinking of placing it just under the ID strip to
the left of the radio consul. I realize it would have to be removed
if I needed to open the fascia, but it’s such a PITA to open the
panel now what’s one more thing to pull off to gain access? I was
also considering putting it in the glove box. I have a '66 4.2 fhc
so I don’t have a door on the glove box. The bezel will attach to
any vertical or horizontal surface so the side of the radio consul
is another alternative. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and
suggestions.
Joel
<<<<<<<<<<<
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Sun 23 Oct 2005:
Dear Joel,
Have a look at the e-type photo section under ‘‘wiper upgrade’’ - the
last pic shows where you can mount a smiths guage where you can see
it while driving. It shows through the steering wheel and you get
to keep your old guage.
If you want a picture of the T-piece under the throttle pedastal at
the other end under the bonnet (hood) then I can post one over the
weekend.
kind regards
Marek–
dogdog
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
However, for those of us that put the gauge in the engine compartment I think we still trust the electric gauge to tell us if there is a problem. The mechanical gauge is only verification, perhaps some calibration and only viewed when an anomaly is seen on the electric gauge. I know the o/p senders get hammered as junk and prone to failure, they may be junk and do fail more frequently than they should but realistically I’m not convinced they’re so bad that one needs to install mechanical verification in the cockpit. My original sender worked for 33 years, replacement died within one year, second replacement is 4 years old now, works fine. Even if not precise they “absolutely” give enough information to know if there is an emergency and more info than the idiot lights that replace gauges on virtually all modern cars. They react slowly and usually a few lbs off but that is not enough justification to mount a separate gauge IMHO. I have actually removed my mechanical gauge now. After using it for about a year, I know what the electric gauge is telling me. If it does something weird I’ll reinstall the mechanical gauge temporarily.