i bought an autometer electric oil pressure guage. it came with a new sending unit but i dont know how to install it, since i hear attached to the stock unit is some kind of fuel relay?

can anyone explain what i need to do to get this installed? location and how to would be excellent


ps, yes i did do a search but it seems everyone had the old pressure sending units on the top of the block next to the distributer.

 

WHat you'll need to do is attach it to the rear china wall on the block. I've got an oil pressure gauge and that's what I have to do. Unfortunatly I've been to lazy to rip apart my TPI so I can see what I'm doing. You also may have to modify your intake so it can screw into it. Just remove the plug and go to town. This is how they used to do it on older cars.

 

You can also use brass plumbing fittings from a hardware store to offset it or put an angle into the sender to clear the intake stuff...

 

Thats what I did on a friends bird, works great.:lala:

 

I did that with my autometer unit and ending up braking the threads of the rod off inside the block. So be careful. It didn't do it immediately, I just noticed an oil drip a few weeks later.

I used a rod and T fitting. Now I just use the autometer unit and unplugged my stock one. Still runs fine.

 

where can i get # 13 and 12 from? thats what i need.. what are the sizes on those?

 

sorry forgot the picture

 

kiljoy
I think i still have those parts your looking for i took them off when i put the autometer guages in my drag car let me know if you need them

 

im putting the stock sender back in the stock location (next to the oil filter) with my new 383 but does anyone know what size plug i need to go get to plug the hole on top by the intake?

 

I think it's 1/4" npt.

 

or 1/8th" NPT - these plugs run about 79 cents each at Lowes/Hone Depot.....

 

Now that I think about it, I'd be pretty positive it's 1/8". That thing was tiny.

 

I'm a little confused maybe you guys can help me out.

I was under the impression that the oil sending unit was located right above the oil filter. (My car is a 91 Camaro RS w/ 350). That would be #21. From the diagram, it looks like there is a second oil pressure sender near the top of the block, #s 11, 12 and 13.
Do our cars have 2 oil pressure senders? KillJoy said something about the fuel relay being integrated with the oil pressure sender #21. What's that all about? Thx.

 

well i guess it changes over the years....i know my 1991 TPI car only has one right above the oil filter

 

The earlier cars just had the one up at the back of the manifold. (my 87 was like this). I think when they added the low oil pressure fuel cutoff they moved it to above the oil filter.

 

There is no low oil pressure cutoff.

The oil pressure switch was used on the older cars as well.
Older have seperate units for the gauge (block, behind manifold) and switch (above oil filter).
Newer have one unit (above oil filter).

 

As best I can remember my 87 didn't have anything above the filter. :shrug:

What do you mean there isn't an oil pressure cutoff? Why is that switch directly connected to the fuel pump?

 

My '87 has one.

The switch is wired to the positive side wiring of the pump, in parallel.

It is also connected to the battery.

If the FP relay fails, the switch acts as a failsafe to supply power to the pump.

The fuel pump will run weather the switch is present or not.

 

That I definatley know is true because mine's been disconnected for over a year. I've just been running an aftermarket pressure sender and guage but with the switch disconnected it tells the car it's got full pressure, which is odd.

 

All the blocks are the same right? Do they all have both threaded boses (above oil filter and at the back of the manifold? What do they put there for the years they don't use one? Thx

 

yess all blocks you would probably run across are the same. a 1/8 NPT pipe plug works great!