[dabnis]

I actually think that the solution on my boat is better. There is a hydraulic high pressure hose screwed into where the oil pressure switch would normally go, and this is run to a bulkhead in the engine room. There is a "T" fitting on the other end of the hose, on the bulkhead, and an oil pressure switch, and oil pressure sender on the T. This reduces the mass connected to the vibrating engine by a pressurized T fitting, and isolates the switches from the effect of vibration.

Here is an OLD picture, in which you can see the hose, pressure switch, "T", and sender to the right of the OLD Sea Ranger battery charger (now gone);

Interesting setup, however one more "link" in the puzzle? I can't see how the supply hose is secured to the T or the engine, but it would be good to inspect it often. I worked on 2 VW diesels, installing gauges in both of them using steel T's, which I checked often for signs of fatigue. After 3 or so years of use they were sound, even after taking a wrench to them.

Paul T

 

[eherlihy]

I went down to the boat today to prepare for my upcoming 4 day cruise (leaving Saturday). I checked a bunch of stuff on board, and assembled and inflated the RIB. Upon returning home, I found that FedEx delivered the new sender while I was away...

I sure hope that the old one is 1/8" NPT.

 

[dabnis]

I went down to the boat today to prepare for my upcoming 4 day cruise (leaving Saturday). I checked a bunch of stuff on board, and assembled and inflated the RIB. Upon returning home, I found that FedEx delivered the new sender while I was away...

I sure hope that the old one is 1/8" NPT.

IIRC,I think they make metric to NPT adaptors, if needed? A shop specializing in hydraulics might stock them?

Paul T

 

[eherlihy]

It's been a month, and TWO senders later, everything is fine. The first sender was a generic JEGS sender that looked right, but was the wrong resistance. The needle on the gauge never rose above 0, so I immediately swapped the old one back and left for my cruise. And, the oil pressure reading gradually dropped, as it had before, but never below 10 PSI. I then ordered a Westerbeake 024132 = Sierra / Teleflex 235880 sender, and installed it. Voilla - 60 PSI all the time! There is a slight drop in pressure when I throttle back to idle, but the engine is running fine.

BTW - The fitting IS 1/8" NPT.

 

[Capt Len]

Just shows to go ya that all that worry was wasted. Could be better to have installed an oil line to a real gauge and kept the angst for other stuff. The list is long.

 

[dabnis]

It's been a month, and TWO senders later, everything is fine. The first sender was a generic JEGS sender that looked right, but was the wrong resistance. The needle on the gauge never rose above 0, so I immediately swapped the old one back and left for my cruise. And, the oil pressure reading gradually dropped, as it had before, but never below 10 PSI. I then ordered a Westerbeake 024132 = Sierra / Teleflex 235880 sender, and installed it. Voilla - 60 PSI all the time! There is a slight drop in pressure when I throttle back to idle, but the engine is running fine.

BTW - The fitting IS 1/8" NPT.

Life is good!! Proves that something I always say, but don't always do,

"Try the easy things first", can work. Good to hear, thanks for the feedback.

Paul T

 

[Rockter]

Glad you got it sorted.
10 psi when hot and revving is low.
With new oil, at about 1800 rpm, my Volvo MD17C drops from 60 psi when cold to about 35 psi when hot.... with oil 10W/40.
The engine is 37 years old.
Toward the end of season, when the oil is not so new, it will drop to 30 psi when hot.
It never gets near to 10 psi, however.
.

 

[eherlihy]

I installed a new Westerbeake 024132 Sender ($70) and it failed after about a day of use. I returned it and bought a Sierra OP24301 Sender ($30) and it has been fine ever since. Pressure runs above 25 PSI, although I suspect that it is actually higher.

The sender is a 100 PSI, 240-33 OHM sender. Again, the catalog jockies at auto parts stores are NO help.

 

[dabnis]

I installed a new Westerbeake 024132 Sender ($70) and it failed after about a day of use. I returned it and bought a Sierra OP24301 Sender ($30) and it has been fine ever since. Pressure runs above 25 PSI, although I suspect that it is actually higher.

The sender is a 100 PSI, 240-33 OHM sender. Again, the catalog jockies at auto parts stores are NO help.

Don't know what the pressure specs are for your engine, but 25 lbs may be a bit on the low side? A mechanical gauge, even just used on a temporary basis, should be fairly accurate.

Engine Oil Pressure Test Kit

Paul T

 

[eherlihy]

Ya, I don't trust the electronic gauge either. Based on the short stint that the OEM gauge worked, I believe that it is actually running about 50 PSI.

 

[Capt Len]

Electric senders are notorious for reading low and temp sensitive. T off a real one.

 

[dabnis]

I have always installed after market gauges since they replaced them with warning lights.

I used mechanical oil pressure gauges. The only possible risk is for the hose connections to come loose. A temporary test gauge would give you a base line to compare the electric gauge to the mechanical gauge.

Paul T

 

[Rockter]

10 psi is low for oil pressure when warm.
With new oil, my old Volvo MD17C drops from 60 psi cold (perhaps 10 degC) to about 35 psi when hot, both revving to about 1800 rpm. With older oil, those figures change to about 55 psi and 30 psi, but never as low as 10 psi.
Are you sure your oil pressure gauge is reading OK?
If it is reading OK, I think you bearing clearances are getting a bit wide and the knocking may be a symptom of that.
.