Anyone who uses an autometer electrical oil pressure guage please let me know if this is correct. I have followed all the wiring instructions correctly, my sender is grounded, when the ignition is off, the guage reads 0, when I switch power on the guage clicks and goes full scale, past 100 and stays there. is this normal or should it return to 0. this is without actually starting the engine.

I am about to start my engine for the first time since a full rebuild and turbo install, and I have to make sure that my oil press. guage works for this critical time, TIA

 

my elec oil psi gauge calibrates itself each time its turned on and returns to 0.

 

I wonder then if I have a bad sender or a bad guage...

 

very possible its bad. mine went bad after about 500 miles. had to buy a new gauge and sending unit. my friends oil temp from autometer had a bad gauge itself, always starting out like 50 degrees high

 

I don't recall the exact sequence, but one key position will have the gauge clear itself (just before car is started and the engine has 0 oil pressure, it calibrates to 0). Then during the starting the gauge begins to read.
If anything, I would recommend checking the wiring. You may just be seeing the calibration sequence and not getting to the (read oil pressure) sequence, because you haven't started the car yet.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blackeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">very possible its bad. mine went bad after about 500 miles. </TD></TR></TABLE>

With the little faith I have in electric oil pressure gauges, I wouldn't doubt it could be bad, or will be bad shortly. I'm just thinking wiring issue right now.

 

thanks for the advice, I have checked the wiring countless times, The 12v switched power goes to the back of the guage, the other is ground, and the signal wire is not shorting out on anything, the sender is also grounded. When I test the wires with my meter, I have 12v at the back of the guage when the key is on when I hit the starter I have no voltage and the guage goes to zero (duh...no power) I'm stumped. Any other ideas before I buy another new guage and sender? Thanks guys.

 

I know you said you checked but could be wirirng.

Mine did the exact same thing and it turned out I had 2 wires switched.Pegged 100 psi with the car off.I looked at it a thousand times and then on time 1001 noticed the little diagram on the back of the gauge was diffrent then what i had,changed it and it worked fine.This is for an original autometer sport comp gauge

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racin_jayson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I wonder then if I have a bad sender or a bad guage...</TD></TR></TABLE>im on my third sender , there crap!!

 

Since im SUCH a nice guy, I'll show you with pictures I just took at 4:30 am. I did the wiring wrong on purpose to show what your saying.Usually when you hear it click it's a wiring issue.I had a sender crap out but there was no clicks.It just wouldn't read at all one day.

This is my gauge normal with the key on engine off.looks like it's not at zero but it's just the angle.It sits at zero




This is my gauge with the key on engine off with the power and signal wires switched on purpose,it clicks and pegs the gauge under zero



This is my gauge with the key on engine off with the signal and ground wires switched on purpose, it clicks and pegs the gauge over 100 exactly what yours is doing




You said you grounded the sender..Have a picture of what you did? My water temp sender I had to ground the adapter since its in between a rubber radiator hose,But this I didnt have to add an extra ground.Maybe that could throw it off?I can hook up and extra ground and see what it does in the morning


Modified by cbustuner at 11:23 AM 9/4/2007

 

You could also try hooking it to the OEM sender. It won't be calibrated, but it will put out a signal that will operate the gauge.

 

maybe you have to switch where you have the locking washer and the wire connection on the sending unit

 

you probably have the wires reversed...

look on the back of the gauge... there are little marks telling you whats what... should have and I for ignition, a G for ground, and the other one is the signal from the sender unit...

my autometer electric gauge hasnt given me any problems... I do know that when i had the wires wrong at first, it went to full scale deflection right away... so check the wires..

The needle goes from below 0 when off, to 0 when the ignition is switched on..

 

Well, I'm thoroughly embarassed now. I did have the ground and signal wires crossed, I guess the diagram on the instructions was the opposite of what is on the back of the guage. Thanks cbustuner for the pics and the help I owe you beer.

 

same thing i said...

no worries man

 

mine is below 0 when the key off. key on is 0.

 

thanks Topdawgg

 

See that was my thing too.I had it hooked up like the instructions said and the actual diagram on the back of the gauge was diffrent.Someone should let them know.