Stock Oil Pressure Guage

[Scott Leininger]

I just got my Burgandy MM last Monday. While In Indy I stopped by Kenny Brown and was talking with the guys. They told me the stock oil pressure guage is a fake and dosent work. Is this True??? If so thats the biggest bunch of BS I've heard of. The factory brochure and dealership said nothing of this. Is the guage totally worhtless or can it be made to work???


Help.

[Petrograde]

Well,... it works,... kinda.

It's more like an idiot light. here is a link (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2993&highlight=oil+gauge) that will show you how to convert your existing gauge into a working gauge.

They are similar to Auto Meter Ultra-Lite gauges. I think the difference in the gauge face is a slightly different font.

Some folks have just swapped out the whole guages.

Hope this help a bit!

[Bradley G]

[QUOTE=Scott Leininger]I just got my Burgandy MM last Monday. While In Indy I stopped by Kenny Brown and was talking with the guys. They told me the stock oil pressure guage is a fake and dosent work. Is this True??? If so thats the biggest bunch of BS I've heard of. The factory brochure and dealership said nothing of this. Is the guage totally worhtless or can it be made to work???


it does display if there is pressure but it always reads the same pressure value I think it's 6+ lbs.

[RF Overlord]

Scott: Kenny Brown is right...the gauge is a fake...oil pressure gauges have been fakes on all Fords since at least the early '90s...although this is by far the most egregious example of it I've ever seen... :rolleyes:

If you want one that works, AutoMeter p/n 4327 is what you're looking for...it looks almost identical to the OEM gauge, except it doesn't have the green backlighting...you have to replace both the gauge unit and the sender (included) to make it play. As Petrograde said above, some people have taken the OEM face and installed it on the aftermarket gauge to retain the totally stock look...I prefer the aftermarket face myself, I think it's easier to read at night...

[FiveO]

What about the Voltmeter? That at least looks like it works.

Whats the part number or info on the sending unit?

[RF Overlord]

FiveO: the stock voltmeter is real.

Although AutoMeter sells the oil pressure sender separately, you have to replace both the sender and the gauge unit to make it work...the stock gauge unit can't be adapted...

[FiveO]

FiveO: the stock voltmeter is real.

Although AutoMeter sells the oil pressure sender separately, you have to replace both the sender and the gauge unit to make it work...the stock gauge unit can't be adapted...


Thanks RF.

I'm thinking to match the color of the gauges I'll just buy a new voltmeter that matches the new oil pressure gauge.

Anyone have the sending unit part number from Autometer or Summit?

[RF Overlord]

Anyone have the sending unit part number from Autometer or Summit?

I'm a little confused by your question...do you mean the p/n for the oil pressure sender alone? That would be 2242...but it won't work with your existing oil gauge...the complete kit, with gauge, sender, and sender adapter is p/n 4327...

The voltmeter doesn't need a sender...

[FiveO]

I'm a little confused by your question...do you mean the p/n for the oil pressure sender alone? That would be 2242...but it won't work with your existing oil gauge...the complete kit, with gauge, sender, and sender adapter is p/n 4327...

The voltmeter doesn't need a sender...


Ahh...the oil sending unit comes with the oil gauge. Didn't realize that.

I do know the voltmeter doesn't need a sending unit...thats simple :)

Thanks!

[TAF]

I think Kathy (MARAUDERCHICK) (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/member.php?u=1499) has an OEM/faced/working one...For Sale...;)

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

I just got my Burgandy MM last Monday.
Another new color ??????????? :rolleyes:

[MENINBLK]

Scott: Kenny Brown is right...the gauge is a fake...oil pressure gauges have been fakes on all Fords since at least the early '90s...although this is by far the most egregious example of it I've ever seen... :rolleyes:

If you want one that works, AutoMeter p/n 4327 is what you're looking for...it looks almost identical to the OEM gauge, except it doesn't have the green backlighting...you have to replace both the gauge unit and the sender (included) to make it play. As Petrograde said above, some people have taken the OEM face and installed it on the aftermarket gauge to retain the totally stock look...I prefer the aftermarket face myself, I think it's easier to read at night...

Can you take the body and the face of the Stock gauge, and switch the gauge internals and gauge sender with the AM 4327, to keep the look and the backlight ?

Has anyone done this yet ?

[MENINBLK]

I don't know if this can be done, but I wrote to Autometer
asking if they could take the OEM Gauge I have and swap out
the internals with the AutoMeter 4327.
This way I can retain the faceplate and the working backlight of the gauge.
And I will get back a SEALED Gauge from Autometer with the correct pressure sender for it.

I will let you guys know what their answer is...

[hitchhiker]

This has been done before and there is a discussion of it somewhere on this site.

As memory serves, the person who did it bought two new gauges so that he would have plenty of spare parts.

It was not easy, but was accomplished.

You might try a search on 'Autometer'.

Best Regards,

David

[martyo]

Can you take the body and the face of the Stock gauge, and switch the gauge internals and gauge sender with the AM 4327, to keep the look and the backlight ?

Has anyone done this yet ?

Pete:

This can be done and I have done several of them. Give me a holler if you want a hand. I just gave a very good friend of mine one of these gauges or I would offer it up to you. I can slo look in my parts bin and see if I have enough parts to make up another one.

Let me know if you want a hand.

[RF Overlord]

Can you take the body and the face of the Stock gauge, and switch the gauge internals and gauge sender with the AM 4327, to keep the look and the backlight ?

Has anyone done this yet ?

Petrograde provided the link on exactly how to do this in his reply above ^^^

[David Morton]

...I do know the voltmeter doesn't need a sending unit...thats simple...Every voltmeter must have a sending unit. It's called the battery. :lol:

Which reminds me (seriously now) I will be rewiring mine to get the reading directly from the battery terminal. If it's coming from the fuse block, which I suspect, then that would account for the 12.5-13.5 reading I'm getting. I want to know what the battery is getting (minimum 13.5V, maximum 14.5V), not the 1 volt drop that the fuse block sees. Also you can't count on the fuse block reading if your battery or it's cables and clamps are going bad. Times like that the fuse block can be seeing 13.5 volts but the battery is showing 11.5 volts, which is a bad thing.

Why have a voltmeter and not be reading voltage at the source?

[FiveO]

Ok...I'm getting confused.

Both the OEM and replacement Oil gauges are electric. In my SHO I have an active oil gauge with an oil line running right up to it...no electrical connection other than for the light.

By sending unit...I was under the impression of where the gauge gets the reading. I can handle the electrical hookups but wiring it into where it gets the reading is my quandry.

I'll have to re-read the original post to try and get a better grip on it.

I'd also agree about wiring the voltmeter directly to the battery...I may do that.

[RF Overlord]

By sending unit...I was under the impression of where the gauge gets the reading. I can handle the electrical hookups but wiring it into where it gets the reading is my quandry.

FiveO: replacing the gauge is actually pretty simple, but you have a number of choices as to the exact method...look for a PM from me later this AM...

[NRAUD]

I don't know if this can be done, but I wrote to Autometer
asking if they could take the OEM Gauge I have and swap out
the internals with the AutoMeter 4327.
This way I can retain the faceplate and the working backlight of the gauge.
And I will get back a SEALED Gauge from Autometer with the correct pressure sender for it.

I will let you guys know what their answer is...
MENINBLK did you ever get a response from Autometer on this request?

[jonroe]

FiveO: the stock voltmeter is real.

Although AutoMeter sells the oil pressure sender separately, you have to replace both the sender and the gauge unit to make it work...the stock gauge unit can't be adapted...I'm new so please forgive me if this has been answered. I have done some searches but no luck.

Isn't the stock gauge a real gauge that WOULD respond properly if it was matched to a proper sending unit or is the gauge itself totally fake? Most gauges like this simply respond to varying resistance from the sender. If our stock set-up is a real gauge with a bogus sender that doesn't give varying resistance, then a proper sender would work. But if the stock gauge simply won't respond as a normal gauge, then of course a good sender wouldn't work.

I find it hard to believe that Ford (what am I saying?) would bother to get a weird non-responding gauge for this purpose especially from a real gauge maker like Auotmeter. Why would Autometer make such a gauge? I believe it for my 93 TBird SC because the gauge is not a name brand, but in the case of the MM?

Can anyone enlighten me as to why our stock gauge won't work with a proper sender.

Thanks.

Jon

[GordonB]

As I understand it, we need a new Oil Meter and a new Voltmeter. Replace sending units, replace guages, keep wiring only. Now they will work correctly. Oil is off or on. Volts works, but not very accurate -- diff. of one volt between my 2 cars stock.

GordonB

[RF Overlord]

Isn't the stock gauge a real gauge that WOULD respond properly if it was matched to a proper sending unit or is the gauge itself totally fake?
The gauge itself is fake...simply replacing the sender has been tried and doesn't work.

I find it hard to believe that Ford would bother to get a weird non-responding gauge for this purpose especially from a real gauge maker like AutoMeter. Why would Autometer make such a gauge?Ford has used fake oil pressure gauges since at least the early '90's. When they wanted a "look" for the Marauder, they approached AutoMeter to build the gauges to their (Ford's) spec. AutoMeter agreed. If they hadn't, I'm sure Sun, Stewart Warner, VDO or some other gauge builder would have been quite happy to take Ford's money.


Can anyone enlighten me as to why our stock gauge won't work with a proper sender.The internals of the stock gauge are specially designed and ballasted to act only on a limited mechanical range... IOW, when you apply full 12V to it, it won't read full-scale, it will only read a little higher than centre (approx 60 lbs). Since the complete AutoMeter kit (PN 4327) sells for only $55 at Summit, Jeg's, etc, it's not practical to attempt to re-engineer the stock gauge unit.

You CAN transfer the face of the stock gauge to a real working gauge to maintain the exact look, if you need to, but it's fairly precise work, and the differences between the stock and the replacement gauge units are minuscule. The link to the procedure is somewhere in the thread above...

Lastly, the stock voltmeter is NOT a fake...it does actually work, although some members have said the accuracy is not very high. The replacement gauge is less than $20, so it's a no-brainer while you already have the pod apart to install the new oil gauge...

[PJR]

Speaking of the voltmeter. Does anybody else have a 1 to 2 second delay before the voltmeter reads proper voltage? When first cranking, mine reads just below 12, then after the delay shoots up to 14.5. Is this normal???

Just to clarify, this delay is after cranking, engine running.

Thanks for replies.

[RF Overlord]

PJR, if I'm reading your post correctly, then yes, that would be normal. The alternator won't output until it's turning at some minimum speed (not sure what that exact speed is, but it's above cranking and below normal idle). Before the voltage regulator kicks in, you're just reading battery voltage.

[PJR]

Got it. Thanks for the reply.

[BADMERC]

Ford probably did not want the customer (us) to get worried about such a big

oil pressure fluctuation. After replacing mine, I replaced the volt meter as well.

I believe the stock guages are to hard to read while driving, especially at night.

Also move the cigarette lighter to the side and us an auto meter angle ring to

add a third guage. It looks great.

[jonroe]

Thanks, RF. I appreciate your careful and patient explanation. Makes sense.

It still gets me though why bother getting a specially engineered fake gauge when Ford could simply have put in off-the-shelf working gauges with no special effort at all - amazing!

Could it be that Ford did not want to answer all the questions that might arise from less than savvy owners about the operation of a real oil pressure gauge? I scratch my head.

I guess I'll bite the bullet and do the gauge swap after awhile.

Jon

The gauge itself is fake...simply replacing the sender has been tried and doesn't work.
Ford has used fake oil pressure gauges since at least the early '90's. When they wanted a "look" for the Marauder, they approached AutoMeter to build the gauges to their (Ford's) spec. AutoMeter agreed. If they hadn't, I'm sure Sun, Stewart Warner, VDO or some other gauge builder would have been quite happy to take Ford's money.

The internals of the stock gauge are specially designed and ballasted to act only on a limited mechanical range... IOW, when you apply full 12V to it, it won't read full-scale, it will only read a little higher than centre (approx 60 lbs). Since the complete AutoMeter kit (PN 4327) sells for only $55 at Summit, Jeg's, etc, it's not practical to attempt to re-engineer the stock gauge unit.

You CAN transfer the face of the stock gauge to a real working gauge to maintain the exact look, if you need to, but it's fairly precise work, and the differences between the stock and the replacement gauge units are minuscule. The link to the procedure is somewhere in the thread above...

Lastly, the stock voltmeter is NOT a fake...it does actually work, although some members have said the accuracy is not very high. The replacement gauge is less than $20, so it's a no-brainer while you already have the pod apart to install the new oil gauge...

[MM03MOK]

BINGO!!!!!

Could it be that Ford did not want to answer all the questions that might arise from less than savvy owners about the operation of a real oil pressure gauge?

[cyclone03]

Ford would have 70% of the Modulare fleet in the shop once owners started seeing cold pressures over 100psi and hot idle pressures at 25psi.A working oil pressure gauge is scarry to watch in our cars,but I love mine!

[RF Overlord]

cyclone, I agree with you...but I think jonroe was referring to the fact that it's bizarre that Ford went to all the trouble and expense of having AutoMeter customise an existing gauge to make it non-functional for what was supposedly intended to be a performance application, when presumably the owners would be a little more savvy. :dunno:

[jonroe]

That's exactly what I was getting at, RF.

Jon