oil pressure gauge

[quickangel93]

do i really need to run one? like theres a light already, and im pretty sure check engine would light up before oil pressure goes to high. so its is better to run one? like half of the time ill wont be paying attention to pressure gauges, most of the time ill be eyeing my wideband.

[mozzandherb]

No you dont need one, unless you really want to get an accurate reading. Even then most autometer gauges aren't accurate anyway

[NAiL05]

do i really need to run one? like theres a light already, and im pretty sure check engine would light up before oil pressure goes to high. so its is better to run one? like half of the time ill wont be paying attention to pressure gauges, most of the time ill be eyeing my wideband.

Eyeing a wideband doesnt do you any good when you lose oil pressure in your engine. That damages more crap than a wideband unless you have some sort of half ass tune. When you run any sort of FI you focus on all main gauges regardless. The AF is the least of anyones concern as long as y ou get a good tune from a reputable person. AF is there for tuning purposes so its pointless to "focus" on it all the time.

[evil_demon_01]

do i really need to run one? like theres a light already, and im pretty sure check engine would light up before oil pressure goes to high. so its is better to run one? like half of the time ill wont be paying attention to pressure gauges, most of the time ill be eyeing my wideband.

Also not sure if its what you meant, but the engine light won't come on due to high/low oil pressure.
The oil light will come on once oil pressure is below 3.6psi. So realistically its not very helpful untill its too late on a modified car.
Oil pressure gauges are cheap enough, and can be mounted on the A pillar in direct view.
Also you will only be looking at the afr during tuning, whereas if you have a permanent oil pressure gauge - It's just that, permanent. So when you finish tuning you can still pay attention to oil pressure at all times.

[Boost_Lee]

With a turbo car, you have additional oil routes, which just mean more potential for leaks. If one of those leaks is major, an oil pressue gauge can monitor that loss quick enough for you to respond and save an engine. By the time the stock idiot light comes on, its most likely too late. Especially if you are driving the car hard when it happens

Its not NEEDED, but good to have on a highly modified/built setup. (High volume oil pump, balance shaft eliminator kit, etc.)

[chessboxer]

As everyone else has said, no, you don't have to run it, but it is a good idea to do so. With an oil pressure gauge, when you hear something go boom, you can instantly look to the gauge, and if you see the oil pressure dropping, you could know to shut down the engine immediately.

[fatboy1185]

As everyone else has said, no, you don't have to run it, but it is a good idea to do so. With an oil pressure gauge, when you hear something go boom, you can instantly look to the gauge, and if you see the oil pressure dropping, you could know to shut down the engine immediately.

you should shut the engine down no matter what if you hear "boom"

[NAiL05]

or if you see oil pressure start decreasing abnormally or stay low.

[chessboxer]

you should shut the engine down no matter what if you hear "boom"

Funny story time.
I was coming home from work this week when I heard this loud boom sound.
I immediately look to my oil psi gauge to see that nothing had changed. Nonetheless, I shut it off and pull over, afraid that my time had finally come.
I look everything over, dont see anything crazy going on, and I start it back up. I get home and check it again.
Ah, I broke my diy torque damper, snapped the metal attached to the spring right in two.
Thus, a loud boom sound can be more than exploding internals, if youre lucky.
Ok, so it wasnt a very funny story after all.

[F22HB]

You could always get an aftermarket low oil pressure warning light that comes on at 10 or 20 psi with a gauge so you can both monitor it and have your attention instantly drawn to it in the case that it does go low. Atleast at 10-20psi you still have some pressure. Enough that you wouldn't be kissing the engine goodbye. The stock dummy light is basicaly there to tell you you're boned. By that time, the damage is done.

[bcjammerx]

I like guages myself...lights are either on or off...you don't see the pressure dropping, you only see it once it has hit that point...but it will keep going beyond that point (of light on) so with a guage you can see a trend coming.

Also WHERE you place the sending unit matters, on my supra, the op sending unit is located after the oil pump, but before the oil filter. Thanks to cheap clamps that connect the lines from the OPSU to the OF, I can lose a hose and not get any oil to the engine, but still have my gauge lying to me. Meanwhile the engine is getting no oil and the pan is getting sucked dry...so I see pressure but the engine sees none. (oil flow on mine is from pan to oil pump, to oil pressure sending unit, to oil filter, then back to engine)

You want it to be the least likely place to develop a leak, and the most likely place to get the drop in oil pressure first...mine is the opposite

I will soo be trying to move the OPSU to just prior to the engine inlet...yes...I've had the above situation happen...twice...first time thought the clamps weren't tightened by prev. hands...second time (after I tightened ALL of them) realized it was shitty clamps...luckily I saw an oil leak and killed engine before anything happened.

"dripping...but my gauge OH SHIT!"


Either way...you don't have to...but it is recommended on a build. The new skyline has tons of gauges...good stuff to have to keep an eye on your investment/expensive toy

[quickangel93]

the reason im asking this is i bought 3 gauges off ebay. glowshit ones. theres boost, a/r (which im not going to hook up) and oil pressure. someone dropped my oil pressure gauge and the button that switches is gauge light fell out. now i have to take it apart and put the button back. but theres no screws or anything. so thats why im asking is it worth it to use it.


thanks for the info guys. really appreciate it.

[bcjammerx]

ah...that sucks...

[alb_accord]

since you are going turbo, you will definitely need it for all of the above reasons.

[westsideaccord]

I would highly recomend using oil and boost pressure gauges, as far as that goes I use equus oil pressure, which is a mediocre brand name, meanwhile my boost gauge is autometer. Personally I would only use names YOU trust, or at least what everyone else is using, aka autometer! That way you are more certain your gauge isnt going to read wrong. some companies use only the cheapest parts and no research or development go into them and you end up with a Flashy innacurate gauge!