Oil pressure gauge install, empty oil galley

[Pugsly]

The hose where the pen is at (with a yellow mark going into the blue T) I *think* goes to the BOV. I was wondering if I could connect the hose for the boost gauge to that instead of cutting the hose right at the BOV.

[Spec-B GT]

how did you get your dash to light up BLUE instead of WHITE. Did you replace the bulbs? if so what brand where they.

[Deer Killer]

So that black flexible rubber hose that goes to the hardline/L shaped "T" is vaccuum eh?

PCV system is my guess, without guessing too hard.

[yamie700]

how did you get your dash to light up BLUE instead of WHITE. Did you replace the bulbs? if so what brand where they.

 

It's just the way the camera caught the light, they are all stock white.

[TSiWRX]

OK, here's something that puzzles me.... I apologize in advance for my continued stupidity/ignorance, but this is the first time that I've done a galley-tap.

 

So, since install, my gauge (AutoMeter NEXUS) has always seemed somewhat tempermental. Every once in a while, it'll drop out. This scared the hell out of me the first couple of times....

 

Each time, though, I've noted that changing the physical position of the extension/relocation hose and sender seemed to "cure" the problem - for a time, anyway.

 

Recently, though, I've just started to get fed-up with the whole thing. This came to a head today when I actually decided to take apart the proximal end - the end by the sender - of the assembly, to see if perhaps it's gunked-up or otherwise somehow "plugged."

 

It somewhat surprised me how little oil came out during the disassembly....just a few drops on my catch-cloth.

 

After this initial disassembly/cleaning of the sender-to-elbow (I used the WRXtra kit) area, I replaced everything, started the vehicle back up, and still, to my chagrin, noted that I'm getting no reading on my gauge.

 

Thinking that perhaps my trouble stem from further-down, I next took apart the braided-hose -to- elbow section.

 

At this point, I noted that - hum...it seems like there's been no "new" oil that's come up through the hose since I cleaned out the elbow-to-sender area?

 

So, dumb question - am I supposed to rig the relocator/extension so that it drains the galley in-favor of gravity? If so, why? I would think that even 25 PSI would be more than enough pressure to send oil "upstream?"

 

And I know...I just don't have time to do this right at this moment - I should pull the TMIC and check the galley plug area, and perhaps take the relocation hose itself completely off the vehicle for a thorough cleaning to flush out anything that might be blocking oil passage. What I can at least say, for now, is that there appears to be no leaks down by the galley.

 

Please advise.

[yamie700]

I would think the problem may be with the gauge rather than the connections. If you are having intermitent problems but the car is running just like always it seems like the gauge may have issues.

 

I have my sender mounted above where the galley is, like you said gravity wouldn't be a concern at 80psi.

[TSiWRX]

^ I'm thinking sender issues.....

 

Thanks for the checkup.

[Deer Killer]

Pressure is pressure, oil doesn't have to be at the sender.

[TSiWRX]

^ True, but if the oil is making it up to the sender, then there's gotta be something up...right?

[Deer Killer]

No.. Who knows how much air is left in the line after it's compressed. oil could make it up there under pressure and come back down without pressure.

 

btw, is this a 100psi gauge you have? I'm pretty sure when cold we get over 100 psi, my oil pressure send has gone bad as well. It used to pin that gauge at max when cold, and had reasonable readings when hot.

[TSiWRX]

^ I see what you mean. Thanks.

 

-------

 

Yes, 100 PSI gauge. That's a thought about the sender..... And yes, I sometimes see a pegged gauge when cold.

[SubiGT]

Slight hijack, sorry, but would this unused galley port work for oil temp as well?

[mccorry]

I had issues with my Pro gauges dying on occasion.... tried 2 senders with the same issues ... and finally installed a mechanical gauge for this very reason. Now I don't have a sender to go bad...

[TSiWRX]

I've isolated my problem to sender/extension hose positioning - my own fault.

[BobGT]

I've isolated my problem to sender/extension hose positioning - my own fault.

 

Please explain.

 

Bob

[TSiWRX]

^ It seems to be "positional," for me.

I'd "draped" my WRXtra extension/relocation line over/around the gap between the manifold and positioned it over by the mounting bracket on that side of the engine, and it just seemed that for some reason, it would randomly not pick up pressure properly.

Currently, I have it draped "up and over" the turbo-to-TMIC flange area, and then back behind the TMIC, and it seems to work fine.

For whatever reason, when I'd routed "underneath" the TMIC, near the turbo-to-TMIC connection area, going towards the A/C line support bracket as my final mounting point, it wouldn't work properly, either.....

Go figure....

[BobGT]

I had issues with my Pro gauges dying on occasion.... tried 2 senders with the same issues ... and finally installed a mechanical gauge for this very reason. Now I don't have a sender to go bad...

 

Am I reading this right?

You have oil pressure line going to your gauge INSIDE the car??

I hope you have that hose protected and tight.

 

Bob

[BobGT]

^ It seems to be "positional," for me.

 

I'd "draped" my WRXtra extension/relocation line over/around the gap between the manifold and positioned it over by the mounting bracket on that side of the engine, and it just seemed that for some reason, it would randomly not pick up pressure properly.

 

Currently, I have it draped "up and over" the turbo-to-TMIC flange area, and then back behind the TMIC, and it seems to work fine.

 

For whatever reason, when I'd routed "underneath" the TMIC, near the turbo-to-TMIC connection area, going towards the A/C line support bracket as my final mounting point, it wouldn't work properly, either.....

 

Go figure....

 

Thank you.

Any pictures of your current extension "routing" or a sketch showing before and now?

Bob

[TSiWRX]

I wish I could do a sketch on-line, but my computer skills are far from "mad-tyte, yo!"

 

I'll try to snap a picture for you in the coming days and post it here as an attachment, and will try to note previous positioning by editing with MS Paint.

 

This might take me a couple of days, though - baby Anna is getting her 6-month immunizations today, and judging from the immune ramp-up from her last set of shots, me and mommy are due for a rough rest of the week and weekend.

 

----

 

As for the mechanical gauge, no biggie - my musclecar buddies do it all the time. As long as everything is done right, "fluids in-cabin" is a very, very, very rare thing. Many prefer this route due to less chances of component failure.

 

And since brother mccorry is an old-school muscle-car guy, I'm sure his Kung-Fu is powerful when it comes to this kind of stuff.

[BobGT]

Hey, no rush.

Family first , of course.

I just tought you might have something already, but I can wait.

It's for my upcoming oil pressure gauge installation (2-3 weeks away).

 

Thanks

Bob

[TSiWRX]

^ No problem, brother Bob.

 

I should have some pictures to upload by tomorrow.

 

Sorry, but poor little baby Anna, who is usually such a good-humored child, had a rough night last night. Sigh...can't not have those immunizations, but they sure do a number on her afterwards!

 

Thanks for your understanding!

[mccorry]

Am I reading this right?

You have oil pressure line going to your gauge INSIDE the car??

I hope you have that hose protected and tight.

 

Bob

 

 

Yep ... and yep. It actually isn't a big deal. All cars were done this way back in the day.

[TSiWRX]

Pix attached.

 

First pic is of how it's currently routed. The "pointer" ( bright red - it's actually a magnetic pickup ) lies over the majority of the extension/relocation hose, which I've wrapped in a bit of left-over thermal wrap just as extra protection near the turbocharger. If you follow the line towards the 12-o'clock position of the TMIC, you'll see the sender.

 

Second pic is of how it was routed previously (what did NOT work in my particular case). The positioning of the magnetic pickup's body and head essentially replicates line and sender positioning.

 

Hope this helps! And again, sorry for the delay!

[BobGT]

Pix attached.

 

First pic is of how it's currently routed. The "pointer" ( bright red - it's actually a magnetic pickup ) lies over the majority of the extension/relocation hose, which I've wrapped in a bit of left-over thermal wrap just as extra protection near the turbocharger. If you follow the line towards the 12-o'clock position of the TMIC, you'll see the sender.

 

Second pic is of how it was routed previously (what did NOT work in my particular case). The positioning of the magnetic pickup's body and head essentially replicates line and sender positioning.

 

Hope this helps! And again, sorry for the delay!

 

Don't be sorry, YOU are helping ME.

Thanks again for the pics, I've got the idea how it's done.

I'm still trying to figure out why original setup didn't work -

because it doesn't make sense.

Bob

[TSiWRX]

Again, no need to thank me. Just glad to help.

I'm at a loss, too, as to why the original setup didn't pick up pressure reliably. It's not like I kinked the line or placed the sender "wrong."

I'm totally puzzled.

But Scout's Honor (though, I've gotta confess, I never entered the Scouts....), I kid you not, my current setup works very well, except if I've parked the vehicle for extended periods on a steep incline (and then, I get pressure readings nearly as soon as I first dip "the other way") - I just can't figure it out!

It makes no sense!