Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Oil pressure gauge

Anyone know how to go about fitting an oil pressure gauge in a GDI plus 4? I'm ok at the gauge end but it's where to take off on the engine? Either electronic or the old fashioned oil fed one...

The way it was normally done (back in the 70s) for an after market fitting is to find the sender for the oil pressure warning light, remove it from the block, or wherever, and fit a "T" piece, so the sender for the gauge and the warning light still function.

Some modern cars (2009 Roadster, for example) have both gauge and warning light from one sender, but I've no idea if one could substitute a combination sender. I suspect the sender and guage are "matched" electrically.

The problem with modern engines, such as the GDI, is that most of the data from senders goes into the ECU first. So tampering might cause problems, so the 1970s method might be the only way.

Good luck!

A Morgan WITHOUT an oil pressure gauge WHATEVER were they thinking

I'm afraid my mechanical understanding is also back in the 70's. I fitted a few over the years and T'd off the oil pressure switch ok. But heck knows what that is on the GDI..
Apart from the fact that I rather like a few gauges to gaze at, I think an oil gauge is a better indicator of dropping pressure than a light that comes on at probably 5psi..often too late.

No oil pressure gauge on a new Plus 8...but it does have an accurate fuel gauge...

I'd rather have an oil temperature gauge than a water temperature gauge.

I use the parable of oil pressure gauges quite a lot in my training lectures on business intelligence. When you own a car without a pressure gauge, so long as the warning light isn't on you drive around quite happily, not paying it any attention.

Fit an oil pressure gauge, however, and everything changes. You are now constantly looking at the needle, worrying whether it is too high or too low, and completely unable to do anything about it - unless you are in the habit of carrying a fully equipped workshop around with you.

I just replaced the gauge sender unit on my 2002 Plus8.
The old one failed on a run and the reading went off the top of the dial.
Not too worried as the ecu cuts the engine if pressure drops too low from a second sender.
They are not linked.
On start-up the gauge did register about 3 bar but went up after a few miles.
Now back with a gauge showing "true" pressure...well as best as it is able to!
Quick and easy swop from under the car, one electrical connection and spanner to remove/fit with ptfe tape as safety seal on the thread.
I am now weaning myself off looking at the gauge other than at start up,a habit that started with the sender failure!

Right, I've now found the Oil Switch on my GDI. The thread looks like 1/4 NPT so i'll make/buy an adapter to take it to 1/8 BSP for the gauge connector.

Question is.. I can get both mechanical or electrical gauges that look identical from the front.. clearly electrical would be easier then I don't have the worry of pipe length etc..

But in my ignorance of these new fangled ECU/Sensor/CAN bus malarkies.. would I be safer using mechanical?

You won't be affected by canbus if you are wiring in direct from the sender. I'd go that route rather than a mechanical route...ie oil pipe, myself.

I bought an oil-filled gauge and adaptor for testing purposes and they strongly suggested it wasn't for permanent use.