Low oil pressure on new engine solved

[74 360 dart sport]

I had posted back a few months of 5lbs oil pressure on a new engine at idle and 20lbs at cold engine start up I bought a otc oil pressure test kit turns out my oil pressure at cold start is 55lbs then when motor is warmed up 20lbs at idle very happy my question is what is a good us made oil pressure gauge thanks in advance

 

[MoparMike1974]

Stuart warner makes good gauges. Doubt they are US made anymore.

 

[66fyssh]

Auto Meter Products used to be made in the US and may still be. I use their mechanical oil and temp gauges.

 

[Cal Tonsley]

Speedhut, great website, service and product, they’re located in Utah
Gauges: Universal-Fit, Custom and High-Performance | SPEEDHUT®
I built a custom dash for my Hardtop using their gauges, the oil gauge has a programmable warning light built in to it.

 

[65 Dartman]

Besides Speedhut being US-made, Dakota Digital is US-made in Sioux Falls SD. I will have a Dakota Digital conversion in my 65 and custom Speedhut gauges in my 47

 

[69FBCuda]

What is your budget, a few dollars vs a lot of dollars

You can pickup some nice used made in USA

 

[HiFire]

I used Speedhut for my Sweptline. Great products with easy to understand instructions.

 

[dart4forte]

Are you looking for electrical or mechanical? Been my experience electrical is hit and miss.

Mechanical gauges are good as long as you have a good feed line. Stay away from plastic. Heat cycle causes the line to become brittle. Copper line is the way to go, just avoid sharp bends. It’s easy to kink.

Always good to bleed the air out of the line to get a more accurate reading.

 

[pishta]

Always good to bleed the air out of the line to get a more accurate reading.

I always got a bubble in my copper lined oil pressure guage. What the trick in keeping it out? I knew it had a bubble in it because when I would bleed it at the gauge (plastic line too..was visible changed to hard line with same results, just crack the line for a second with a napkin to catch the oil) the gauge would show a small vibration at idle. Before bleeding, it would be 3 psi lower and not vibrate. Bad guage?

 

[daddio4048]

Speed Hut

 

[MRGTX]

...turns out my oil pressure at cold start is 55lbs then when motor is warmed up 20lbs at idle very happy ...

Isn't this still too low?

 

[oldkimmer]

I have used Isspro? Really nice and accurate. Kim

 

[67Dart273]

Bubbles in a gauge tube should make absolutely no difference. It MAY and I say may make the gauge respond a slight bit slower with air in the tube.

 

[dart4forte]

I always got a bubble in my copper lined oil pressure guage. What the trick in keeping it out? I knew it had a bubble in it because when I would bleed it at the gauge (plastic line too..was visible changed to hard line with same results, just crack the line for a second with a napkin to catch the oil) the gauge would show a small vibration at idle. Before bleeding, it would be 3 psi lower and not vibrate. Bad guage?

Hard to get all the air out. I’ve found that the older Stewart Warner gauges are more accurate.

 

[pishta]

Bubbles in a gauge tube should make absolutely no difference. It MAY and I say may make the gauge respond a slight bit slower with air in the tube.

air compresses like a spring, oil doesn't. If the gauge is measuring pressure, Id like it to be all non compressible oil. It really measured 23 with the air bubble out of it and 20 with the bubbles. the air did make the gauge read more stable, ie when I bled it, the gauge would vibrate very slightly at idle. I picture a hydraulic jack pumping with air in the system, its not going to lift to its fullest potential (show highest oil pressure) if its compressing air instead of moving fluid.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I had posted back a few months of 5lbs oil pressure on a new engine at idle and 20lbs at cold engine start up I bought a otc oil pressure test kit turns out my oil pressure at cold start is 55lbs then when motor is warmed up 20lbs at idle very happy my question is what is a good us made oil pressure gauge thanks in advance

Something used and old or something NOS. Sun, SW and even some of the cheaper parts store gauges back in the 80s were all made in USA.