Checked my oil pressure using a mechanical gauge

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Checked my oil pressure using a mechanical gauge

unclebernie · Guru

My 92 Explorer did the same thing with the factory gauge. It always sat low, and caused concern for me. After hooking up a mechanical I realized there was nothing to worry about. So I made it fit in the dash..... As for the smoking small block, I think they all did that!!!!! Of all the ones I had, if they didn't smoke when I got them, they did when I stopped driving them!!!!! I may have been a little rough but it was fun.....

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Todd, that is tons of oil pressure. I bet if you check a number of those old engines you'd find lots with 10 pounds at hot idle, foot on the brake in "drive". You're right, I bet valve seals are in order.

Have you ever checked if the stock sender is available? I can't recall which one it is off hand but if I haven't checked for you yet, should I?

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

The cluster is from an American 70 Bonneville. Would the sending unit from a Pontiac motor fit?

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

69Laurentian wrote:

The cluster is from an American 70 Bonneville. Would the sending unit from a Pontiac motor fit?

It should fit, as they use pipe thread.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I can see if I can find out thread size. If it''s not the same, there certainly will be a way to adapt it.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Todd

The OEM number should be 6462137 for a 70 Bonneville with gauges. I did some googling and I think it will be next to impossible to find one as it fits the W30 Olds cars in the early 70's. I see guys looking for them in some of the threads I found.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Todd I think Pontiac clusters max at 80 psi and Chevy ones at 60 psi so you need a sending unit that will read to 80 psi even attached to that Chevy engine.
I used a Ponrtiac sending unit on mine, you must remeber the thread on that.
http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/index.spark?aBID=118110&p=3&topicID=19133625

I never said anything to you before about your Big Block idea but to me that's one to scrap. There is nothing wrong with a good running reliable 350.

-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 28th of May 2010 11:57:12 PM

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Did you get our sending unit at Parts Source Ray? What year and model did you quote?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I'm at work now and checked Standard Motor Products. They say a PS157 for your application Todd.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

65Camino picked it up for me at a local parts shop near the studios where he works down off King Street near River in Toronto.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

That one pictured is a direct crossover (S769>PS157) so that makes sense. Whatever parts store you have should carry one or the other.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Thanks guys. I'll order one on Monday

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

69Laurentian wrote:

Thanks guys. I'll order one on Monday

65wagon · Poncho Master!

69Laurentian wrote:

I've been worried about the small block in my Laurentian being a little tired. The reason for this is I get a little bit of blue smoke when first started and some smoke when I get hard on it (hard to tell if it's blue when I do this). The cluster gauge always read really low-almost nothing at idle. So, tonight I hooked up a mechanical gauge and was relieved to find 30psi at idle when warmed up and 40 (and climbing) when I revved it. From what I've read that's pretty much dead on normal for this engine. So, I assume my smoke is from the valve seals. The car idles and drives very well and gets decent mileage. It's causing me to second guess putting the big block in. The car is a dog off the line (crappy rear end gears). I wonder if I would be better off to put different rear end gears in the car to wake it up a bit and down the road install a 700R4..

I'd like to continue to use the factory oil press gauge so I'm on the hunt for the proper sending unit. If I can't find the proper sending unit I may try to spoof the gauge using a resistor.

Todd

ive been doing lots of highway cruising so i like keeping the high gears but with the powerglides even a big block strugles so turbo 350 are a simple cheap fix, but you already have that i would look into a 200 series overdrive they dont break as much

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I have a THM350 in my car. The car runs so well right now I hesitate to change anything. I can't even get a chirp off the line though. She does however pull hard at highway speeds. Maybe a 12 bolt with some better gears might be a better idea than swapping the engine.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I ordered the sending unit today. It will be in tomorrow. Cheapo me was expecting something like $15 bucks. 40 bucks! Ouch

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

69Laurentian wrote:

I ordered the sending unit today. It will be in tomorrow. Cheapo me was expecting something like $15 bucks. 40 bucks! Ouch

Ya I remember paying about that too, I was sticker shocked as well so make me Cheapo too!

65wagon · Poncho Master!

69Laurentian wrote:

I have a THM350 in my car. The car runs so well right now I hesitate to change anything. I can't even get a chirp off the line though. She does however pull hard at highway speeds. Maybe a 12 bolt with some better gears might be a better idea than swapping the engine.

i like 350 too they are simple cheap and reliable. if you want to chirp tires keep your cruise gearing install a saturday night special torque did it on a 64 woke it right up still gets decent miliage running 273 gears

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Good idea. What are the specs on that convertor?

65wagon · Poncho Master!

69Laurentian wrote:

Good idea. What are the specs on that converter?

when i did the calculation for the 64 we first figured out what the flash of the original torgue is. thats the point at which the car moves after revving on most this is far below the engines peak torgue. you want it close to this point most stock are around 1400 to 1800. i got a BM 2500 for the 327 woke the car right up ill ckeck my books in town next week to make sure but its a simple performance improver you can also change the point or how hard the shift points are with a shift kit as with everything stay conservative. i bought my 62 GMC with a hard shifting th350 you will not like it hard on trany and you