Hey guys!
I finally started my new 350 yesterday, I have basically everything hooked up except the exhaust, she sounded sweet, but rather loud with just the headers and y-pipe on. I only ran it for 10 mins, for some cam break in time, and before I shut it down the temp guage was up to a little below 260 The timing is not set yet so I'm figuring that's why it was running so hot. Anyway, what I am wondering about is if there is any siginificant difference between the oil pressure and temperature sending units for a 1984 V-8 Trans Am vs. a 1990 V-6 firebird? I have the cluster out of a '90 V-6 in my '84 (so that I have an elec. speedo. for my T-56) and I just have everything hooked up with the senders that were in the 305 in my '84. The big reason I am wondering this is that when I was running the engine at approx. 2000 rpm for cam break in the oil pressure was pegged at 80 psi, and actually when I was cranking it over the guage got up to 20 psi. I figured the old sender would work, since the '84 and '90 clusters both have 80 psi guages. Was I wrong in this thought? Also, the temp. guage seemed to be working properly, but is there a difference in those senders, from '84 to '90? (or V-8 to V-6?) Sorry if this is kinda confusing, but I hope somebody can understand what I'm talking about and give me some advice!

Thanks!!!

-Paul

 

Any thoughts from anyone?

 

The only thing that might be different would be the design (shape) of the senders. The original gauges in my friends 72 truck used the same ohm ratings (? I guess that the right word) as the gauge cluster from the 85 camaro that we're using in it now. (IE, 0-90 ohm gas gauge). The cluster in my 84 camaro came from a v6.. I just had to swap out the tach (for correct rpm reading).
When I first started my motor in my bird, my oil psi did/does pretty much the same.. 15-20 psi just while cranking. I've had 2 new sending units on it and both were the same. The melling high volume oilpump is the main reason for that. I wish my oil gauge went to 80psi, too. Mine only reads to 60 I cheated & ulled the needle off and set it to abour 55 when cold so I could at least see some movement from the gauge... pegged past 60psi isn't very interesting to watch & it kept making me thing the gauge was broke.

 

Thanks deadbird,
I agree...I have decided that the sending unit works fine. I don't have a high volume pump, but everything in the engine is new and the clearances are still tight, so I'm assuming the oil press. is higher than it will be in the long run. At idle the needle comes down off 80 a little, so I do know that the sending unit is working at least somewhat close to properly. Also on the tach...I got a Dakota Digital signal converter box for the tach so that I could use the one in my 6 cyl cluster with my 8 cyl motor, it works pretty slick! Thanks for the input! Now I just hafta get my motor to stop overheating!

-Paul