Oil Pressure Gauge Query

11th June 2014, 09:25

Fitted a cheap ebay Dragon gauge oil pressure sensor and gauge in to the car. I have took the feed from the side of the head and wired it all in.

Find the reading is quite a bit low and was wondering is this because of the position of the sensor or is it because it is a cheap gauge.

I have searched about and seen others have put the sensor in the same place but I know the best place is behind the manifold but do to my set up there is no room for any type of adaptor tried loads of different ways so only option is the side of the head.

I tend to find on idle when cold says 35/45 psi and when warm it is reading very low about 10/20 psi on idle

When driving it is about 35/36 psi and doesn't seem to ever go anymore no matter what the revs and should be about 4 bar so 58psi

Engine has had a full rebuild and all seems ok so believe it to be either the sensor location or because it a cheap gauge.

Any input would be great or a recommended gauge ? I do have a exhaust temperature one the same make and this works fine.

11th June 2014, 11:33

I used a remote pipe from LMA so it would be on the block.
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motors...remote-t-piece

They do a banjo version too, clears the manifold fine.

11th June 2014, 12:13

I had got a remote kit for the oil pressure gauge cost me a fair bit to but with my set up being the opposite way around to normal. Inlet is to the left and exhaust to the right it wouldn't fit as the turbo was hitting of the pipe coming out the block.

Didn't want to risk it bursting the oil feed pipe so that's why i went out the head but not sure if its the location or cheap gauge that is the issue.

11th June 2014, 21:13

I'm running an oil filter relocation kit along with a cooler. There are 2 take offs on the relocator with the filter can I get an accurate reading from there?

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12th June 2014, 09:09

Best place is to tap in here -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...0-29135540.jpg

I can't run mine there due to my set up from my turbo but I would say it would be fine taking the reading from the relocator kit as the pressure should still be good enough there to get a decent reading.

I'm not sure if my location or the cheap gauge is my issue guess I might just need to buy a more expensive gauge and find out.

Can anyone confirm they get a proper reading from the head for a oil pressure gauge before I do ??

16th June 2014, 12:24

Not really had to much back on this so going to try a new gauge and sensor on my set up.

Can anyone recommend a decent oil pressure gauge they use on their saxo ?

16th June 2014, 13:25

I had my sensor in the same place.

I was getting 4 bar @ 4k (warm engine) which I believe to be correct.

16th June 2014, 13:31

Thanks for that know it can work ok there now.

Believe it to be the gauge with it being a cheap ebay one so going to try a decent make.

any suggestions ?

16th June 2014, 21:02

Depends on the grade of oil you're using too!

At the oil pressure switch hole it should be:

1.9-2.9 BAR at 800rpm

4.8-5.9 bar from 2000rpm

Since the oil pumps are the same, those values should be accurate for ALL TU engines, including diesels.

On a good or rebuilt engine. A worn engine, clearly the values are going to be lower.

The main thing is, you still have pressure. I'd be more worried about 5psi or less at idle tbh.

18th June 2014, 15:13

Using 5w40 Castrol at the moment.

I'm going to try a different gauge and see what that reads and go from there.

As you say glad there is some pressure