underhood gauge - oil pressure

[SteveO_71]

At some point I would like to install additional water temp and oil pressure gauges ( probably electrical ) somewhere in the inside dash / console but havent decided exactly where as yet.

Also havent decided if I wanted to keep factory gauges functional or just install new senders and additional gauges.

So, in the meantime, I would like as a minimum to install an additional oil pressure gauge under the hood. I was thinking of just getting a 1/8 brass T and screwing it into the factory spot at back of the engine and behind the intake.

One leg would get the factory sender and the other leg would be for the underhood gauge.

Questions that come to my pea-brain are:

In the T leg for gauge, can I put a driect fit oil pressure gauge there? Or, will it be to difficult to see hidden there in the back?

Should I use the plastic tubing and mount a liquid gauge somewhere in the engine compartment? Where would be a good spot so as to be seen but not real blatant?

I'm assuming the NPT threads would need sealant on them. Will using the T fitting with sealant effect the factory gauge reading because of the resistance change? I thought I read to not use tape/sealant but wouldnt that result in a leak?

Any other suggestions/advice to accomplish what I'm trying to do will be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Don C]

I have a mechanical gauge in my toolbox that I use under the hood whenever I am starting an engine after rebuild. I use only copper tubing, too many hot things under the hood to melt plastic. I have a tee on mine, so I have an electrical oil pressure gauge and the idiot light.

NPT threads/fittings are tapered and don't need a lot of sealer. I use copper antseize for them, lubricates them so they can be tightened, provides some sealing, and has good electrical conductivity.

 

[delawarebill]

u didn't say what motor u have. now a 302 has the sending unit next to the oil filter and most likely hard to see a gage there. but i've never tried either. u can T in your orig sender and run 1/8" copper line to a gage anywhere u want. u don't need a liq filled gage.

 

[SteveO_71]

I have a 351c in the car.

I was under the impression that underhood needed liquid filled so thats what I was looking for. The frustration I was having was that the only underhood liquid filled were 1-1/2 in gauges that were direct fit. I would have to screw it into the T fitting or find some type of bracket to hold those and use an adapter from the gauge male to compression iftting for copper line.

The more common 2 -1/16 gauges have a bracket but were not liquid filled.

So, then liquid filled would be more for a gauge attached directly to the engine such as fuel pressure? Where it is going to be bounced around more.

Don and Bill.. Thanks for the tips!