Sorry to post this here if this is the wrong spot, but I know it doesn't belong in the "lounge" section.

Will a stock GM electric oil pressure sending unit work with an aftermarket Autometer oil pressure gauge?

The stock electric gauge reads from 0-60 psi, and the new one is going to read from 0-100psi. My new gauge didn't have the AM sender, so I'm hoping to reuse my old one.

Where do I sit on this one guys?

Ben T.

 

im not 100% but i believe the computer needs to see some type of oil pressure are you going to splice into the factory harness are just use the factory sender for the autometer gauge i think that the computer will take away timing if oil pressure drops too low so if you remove the factory lead it has no way to see pressure auto meter part number 2242 for replacement sender

 

That can't be right... the factory gauge only has one wire that leads directly to the instrument cluster. I've disconnected mine and driven for a test, and noticed nothing.

Maybe you are thinking of the oil temp sensor on the y-bodies?

That would make sense.

 

This is actually a TBI vehicle that's running a carbed crate engine.

Ben T.

 

My bad.... and my apologies. I take for granted this Advanced forum is LT1 based.

Excuse my post.

 

Even if its an LT1, there is no connection to the PCM from the oil pressure sensor.

 

This isn't going to answer my question, but there are two.

One sender sends electrical signal to the gauge, and another oil pressure sending unit ("oil pressure switch") sends it to the ECM. Pretty sure this is how it works, right guys?

Ben T.

 

IF it is a one wire system, the positive current is supplied to the gauge, and the negative current flows through that one wire. The amount of resistance is directly proportional to the pressure of the oil, and thus the gauge moves up and down according to the value of the resistance.

Much like a temperature sending unit.

 

So, could I use a one-wire sending unit that has the same values on the gauge face?

Ben T.

 

Man, I can't even comment on that, having never done that myself.

A mechanical gauge is always your best bet anyway.

 

Why not just buy the correct AutoMeter pressure sending unit, 2242, as noted above - $28.28 at Summit - and be done with it? Have you actually verified that there is also some sort of input to the ECU for oil pressure? You can't parallel single wire resistance devices. What ECU are you using? Have you looked at the wiring diagram for it?

 

Awwww.... Good point.

You asked which ECU I was running? I'm running a 4160 Holley so that's not applicable. It WAS a truck TBI computer, but it's not in charge of any engine control functions.

Yeah, I know that it's probably best to just grab the auto meter sender, but if it some other electric sender worked just as well, I would have rathered to pick it up locally. I have a discount at AutoZone. ;-)

Guess we can end this thread. I'll order the AutoMeter sender.

Ben T.