How-to: Installing a mechanical Autometer Oil Pressure Gauge

[Gonad]

If someone wants to archive this, feel free. If it ever gets lost,I have the article on my homepage as well.

When installing an Autometer oil pressure gauge (or any other non-metric gauge), you need a conversion fitting to adapt to the metric system used by the 240sx.

This was installed on a KA24DE. I imagine the rest of the motors (KAE, SRand CA being the popular) will have similar setup.

Autometer recommends you buy one of their NPT to BSPT fittings whichcosts somewhere around $20CAD or $30CAD. However if you live in Ontario, Canada,you can go to AdaptAll in Toronto (http://www.adaptall.com/) and get your fittingsfrom there. Or look in the yellow pages for place selling metric hydraulic fittingsin your area.

If you plan to keep your stock oil pressure indicator light (on your dash)here's what you need to buy:

1 - 3-way 1/8" Female BSPT fitting1 - 1/8" Male to 1/8" Male BSPT fitting1 - 1/8" Male BSPT to 1/8" Female NPT fitting

Total cost for these fittings is about $10CAD.

Tools/parts needed:- 22mm deep socket- Ratchet- Approriate sized wrenches/ratchets to tighten the various fittings- Teflon tape- Autometer gauge, fittings and nylon tubing.

If you plan to make your own gauge pod:- Hole saw to cut the holes for your gauges (my gauges were 2-1/16" size)- Drill- 3/8" Plexiglass

The stock oil pressure switch is located near the oil filter. It's a very tightfit so the best thing is to unbolt it from under the car. The size of the switchis 22mm, so you will need a 22mm deep socket to remove it.

For my setup, I ended up putting the Autometer adapter in the middle of the T-fittingand the stock switch on the other end (see pics).

Be sure to put some teflon tape on the threads before you tighten thefittings. I had no teflon tape so I ended up using RTV sealent.

Stock oil pressure switch

The fittings

Fittings installed (minus the nylon oil pressure tube)

Gauge (the switch if for my electric fan)

Gauge pod (made of 3/8" plexiglass)

I custom made the gauge pod using 3/8" thick plexiglass. It's very easy tomake your own. Just take out the accessory tray (thats in place) andyou will see the shape.

Once everything is installed, check the fittings and connections for leaks.Let the car idle, take it for a spin and monitor the reading. If you lostsome oil while taking the oil pressure switch out, be sure to top it off.If it's any easier, take the oil filter out when doing this install.

On idle, on average, you will see about 20psi. Higher up in theRPM/speed/gear, your average PSI will be between 60psi and 70psi.

Good luck.

[sohc90adel]

this is a very useful thread, thanks! but you know there is a gauge pod for like 20 bucks that goes on the pillar.

[Gonad]

I personally hate pillar pods. I won't ever be putting any gauges there.

Plus this plexiglass pod I made cost me nothing. I had the parts lying around in my garage already.

[sohc90adel]

well the pillar pod makes room so i can use my little wallet and glasses holder. I think you hate the fact that evryone has pillar pods. which is hard to swallow but its a conveniant place to put them..

[Gonad]

It's not that I hate that everyone has them. It's just that it looks ghetto to me and it can be easily spotted while standing outside the car.

That's something I don't want; to draw attention.

I have two gauges under the pod. I can always remove the switch for another gauge down there.

The only other gauges I need are:- BOOST (once I get SR)- EGT- OIL TEMP

I will find spots for them when time comes around.

[silkk]

nice gauge pod and good write up!

[wangless]

nice . hey, i wrote you an email a while ago... did you ever get it ?

[Gonad]

nice . hey, i wrote you an email a while ago... did you ever get it ?

I dunno if I did. Sorry. Send again if you want.

[DAEDALUS]

VERY nice write-up. Good job Gonad.

[Gonad]

A few warnings:

A t-fitting directly on the block may have possibility of snapping off. I don't know if this has happened to anyone but the vibrating motor would most certainly cause such a thing.

Second, your fittings on either ends (gauge and block) could leak.

And lastly your nylon tubing could break/leak.

Some alternatives is to use SS lines or maybe even copper lines.

Take extra steps to make sure your fittings are totally sealed.

[BadMojo]

A t-fitting directly on the block may have possibility of snapping off. I don't know if this has happened to anyone but the vibrating motor would most certainly cause such a thing.

Wouldn't a stainless line between the block and the T fitting take car of that problem, as long as you don't leave all the weight supported by the line itself?

Also, wouldn't something like Peramtex thread sealant be a better alternative to teflon tape? I seem to recall the FSM mentioning the use of a thread sealant.

[Gonad]

Stainless or not, the fitting is very small: 1/8". And the load on itfrom the T-fitting, and the stock oil pressure switch will certainlyput pressure on it.

If you don't beat the hell out of your car all the time, you shouldbe ok, but it's just one of those precautionary steps worth taking.

[BadMojo]

Stainless or not, the fitting is very small: 1/8". And the load on itfrom the T-fitting, and the stock oil pressure switch will certainlyput pressure on it.

Actually, I meant a flexible line between the T and the block. That would take care of any chance that the movement of the motor would break the fitting. As long as the stainless line isn't just hanging there supporting all the weight of the T, the stock switch, etc.

Anyway, the plexiglass looks pretty cool. I also like the look of gauges almost *anywhere* other than the A-pillar.

[brazymstrp]

isnt it scary knowing that hot oil can spray the inside of your car if something goes wrong?

[Gonad]

Yes, it's very scary. I will be upgrading to an SS line soon. I'mnot worried about the hose breaking, so much as the fitting righton the gauge leaking.

Imagine hot oil spraying at 60psi+. That's a lot of pressure, andenough hot oil to cause some serous damage to your stereo and you.

It's probablly a good idea to check the fitting behind the gaugeevery once in a while. Especially when you see your oil pressureisn't reading as normal as before.

[sil80drifter]

OR you use an electric gauge. VDO makes cheap ones, AND their needles light up in the dark, noot just the background.

http://egauges.com/vdo_mult.as...Cart=

sil80

[Jookmasta]

so just to make sure, the part numbers that u used from adaptall were 172 for the T fitting and ss 9000 for the two sided male fitting? just want to make sure before i order. also, any luck on finding an ss oil line for the setup?

btw we have the same color car, so hard to find the sandstone beige on other 240s

[mick]

Is this for the SOHC KA engine?

Also; where does the stock switch connect to?
Modified by mick at 4:44 AM 12/31/2004

[sil80drifter]

there is no stock switch. stock sender is a (very useless) warning sign, it lights up an oil light on your dash after oil presure drops below 5psi. by that time it's usually too late and your motor is fried.

autometer sell an oil presure sender that has both an oil pressure contact and a warning contact which lets you know if your oil pressure drops below 11psi. I connected that to stock oil warning light and it works great.

sil80