Oil pressure gauge question

[octanejunkie]

So my 71 Scamp had an idiot light combo for break/oil - I would MUCH rather have a functional oil pressure gauge but want to retain the factory look

Is there a factory oil pressure gauge I can swap in place of the idiot light in the dash?

I can always add a lamp for the brake idiot light somewhere else or eliminate it completely...

 

[bob shaner]

You can have both the factory light and a aftermarket gauge, you need to put a "T" fitting where the oil pressure fitting is on the back of the block,one side to the original light sending unit the other to the new gauge. You can find the fittings you need to do it at Home Depot, hardware store or a auto parts store.

 

[OUTLAW]

I believe you need to get the ralleye instrument cluster to get the stock type of guage (basically just a lo-hi face on it ). I would find a guage of the proper size (reguardless of brand) and slip it in where the idiot lights are now and save some $$$$

 

[Bill Crowell]

Grab an oil pressure gauge off, for example, an old Dodge truck at the junkyard. But I guess the problem is how you would mount it in the instrument cluster to make it look stock. I can't advise you on that. I think you would also need to get a different oil pressure sender: one that provides high-through-low resistance rather than just a idiot light "switch" type.

 

[octanejunkie]

Grab an oil pressure gauge off, for example, an old Dodge truck at the junkyard. But I guess the problem is how you would mount it in the instrument cluster to make it look stock. I can't advise you on that. I think you would also need to get a different oil pressure sender: one that provides high-through-low resistance rather than just a idiot light "switch" type.

Not a bad idea actually, as long as it works. I guess I can field test with a small battery and lighter - LOL - but finding an old Dodge truck in a junkyard around here is going to be a challenge, especially with gauges intact, all the yards here are filled with clunkers from the cash for same program

I did find an aftermarket repro at Redline Gauge Works for only $200, sarcastic, but considering how much I charge per hour at my work it seems a bargain for a guaranteed working gauge that will work, bolt up, and match the look vs. spending days searching obsolete parts yards with no guarantee of success. Then again spending money is the easy way out of most things... not too much satisfaction there I'll admit

Still looking for other suggestions for a factory style single gauge vs. replace the entire panel/cluster with an aftermarket, but the Stewart Warner gauges do look nice...

The sending unit is the least of my worries, AutoZone carries both types (idiot lite vs. gauge sender) which is what led me to believe that there was an oil pressure gauge option from the factory

 

[RedFish]

Factory oil pressure gauge would go in a different panel with different printed circuit board, connecters, etc...

 

[Bill Crowell]

RedFish wrote: "Factory oil pressure gauge would go in a different panel with different printed circuit board, connecters, etc..."

You're right, Red, normally it would, but it would be easy to wire in an oil pressure gauge from another Chrysler product (assuming you could find a place in the instrument panel to mount it) by connecting its positive terminal to the output of the +5 volt voltage limiter and its negative terminal to the oil pressure sender lead. You'd also have to bag the old "idiot light" sender and replace it with a continuously-variable one.