Oil pressure gauge

[rich]

My new oil pressure gauge is ok on start up, then after a few mins starts flickering then shows full pressure, then all over the place, but settles down on tickover,,, any ideas, charging is ok. The gauges and senders were new this year and were ok for 2 to 3 months????

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 26/09/2004 19:50 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Bergman]

Is the gauge driven by a sender unit in the engine with bits of wire to the indicator unit?
If so sounds like a bad contact somewhere in the system

If its the sort with an oil pipe from engine to gauge err well sounds potentially nasty.

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[rich]

It's elec: i had a go at all the conections while it was running tonight.All the gauges for both engines run off same power source.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 26/09/2004 20:04 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Bergman]

Ok

Thats probably good news.

Assuming all other gauges are ok then power supply should be OK.

Which leaves the sender unit and wire from it to the gauge.

I would suggest take wire off sender unit and not what happens with gauge.

Do this with engine stopped and also running.

Repeat with wire connected to earth at the sender unit end

If gauge reading is stable then its probably the sender unit

If gauge remains wobbly then look again at wiring.

All this assumes engine is not making nasty banging and bumping noises - if it is then best err sort of stop.

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[rich]

I was in france when it started, done about 10 hrs nothings gone Bang!! I might try swapping wires I will try earthing sender.
<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 26/09/2004 20:23 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Althorne]

Check to see if your engine has a bypass valve for the oilways (used in case of blockages) to prevent total oil lose to vunerable parts.
If there is anything making this stick or the spring that closes it when not under pressure is weak this will account for rapid opening and closing giving similar reactions.

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[Bergman]

Someone I knew had a similar problem but on the old fashioned type of gauge with a capillary oil feed to the gauge.

The cause was a split in the pipe - so all oil pumped out eventually and engine sort of stopped - solid.

He found lots of oil in bilges and diagnosed a leak on engine - had it rebuilt at enormous expense and the did exactly the same thing again - including equally expensive second rebuild and some legal fees for threatening to sue first rebuilder after second rebuilder found split in oil pressure guage pipe.

Hence my first question about whether or not gauge was electric.

Fortunately you would appear to have nothing serious to worry about.



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[rich]

That is what i was afraid of so i changed to elec!!

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[tugboat]

Not sure from your post whether it is one or both engines that are showing the problem. If both look for the bit of the system which is common to both. If only one, swap the wiring over and connect it to the other engine (if the leads don't reach you can cobble something together with wire and crocodile clips, though make sure you wrap any bare wire or clips in insulating tape). The exercise is to gradually reduce the possible problem area until you have it pinpointed.

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[rich]

Did that And they all show zero.....

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[silverseal]

Check your earths, ideally by providing a direct earth to the engine earth point, using a new piece of wire- do similar with sender

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[rich]

I have tried every suggestion no luck,,I changed the oil and filters today, going down now, tide is up,,, Fingers crossed,,,,,,,, 20mins later,,,,, HuH Still the same, now it flickers from cold! will try new sender tomorrow.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 29/09/2004 19:19 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[rich]

Went down this morn, refitted mecanical gauge,,,,,,50lbs steady!!!! new sender on order.

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