How-to: Installing a mechanical Autometer Oil Pressure Gauge

[GonadSX]

I didn't have access to post in the FAQ so maybe someone can move this
thread there for future reference. :x:

When installing an Autometer oil pressure gauge (or any other non-metric gauge),
you need a conversion fitting to adapt to the metric system used by the 240sx.

This was installed on a KA24DE. I imagine the rest of the motors (KAE, SR
and CA being the popular) will have similar setup.

Autometer recommends you buy one of their NPT to BSPT fittings which
costs somewhere around $20CAD or $30CAD. However if you live in Ontario, Canada,
you can go to AdaptAll in Toronto (http://www.adaptall.com/) and get your fittings
from there. Or look in the yellow pages for place selling metric hydraulic fittings
in your area.

If you plan to keep your stock oil pressure indicator light (on your dash)
here's what you need to buy:

1 - 3-way 1/8" Female BSPT fitting
1 - 1/8" Male to 1/8" Male BSPT fitting
1 - 1/8" Male BSPT to 1/8" Female NPT fitting

Total cost for these fittings is about $10CAD.

Tools/parts needed:
- 22mm deep socket
- Ratchet
- Approriate sized wrenches/ratchets to tighten the various fittings
- Teflon tape
- Autometer gauge, fittings and nylon tubing.

If you plan to make your own gauge pod:
- Hole saw to cut the holes for your gauges (my gauges were 2-1/16" size)
- Drill
- 3/8" Plexiglass

The stock oil pressure switch is located near the oil filter. It's a very tight
fit so the best thing is to unbolt it from under the car. The size of the switch
is 22mm, so you will need a 22mm deep socket to remove it.

For my setup, I ended up putting the Autometer adapter in the middle of the T-fitting
and the stock switch on the other end (see pics).

Be sure to put some teflon tape on the threads before you tighten the
fittings. I had no teflon tape so I ended up using RTV sealent.


Stock oil pressure switch
http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/article4/pic1.jpg

The fittings
http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/article4/pic2.jpg

Fittings installed (minus the nylon oil pressure tube)
http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/article4/pic3.jpg

Gauge (the switch if for my electric fan)
http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/article4/pic4.jpg

Gauge pod (made of 3/8" plexiglass)
http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/article4/pic5.jpg

I custom made the gauge pod using 3/8" thick plexiglass. It's very easy to
make your own. Just take out the accessory tray (thats in place) and
you will see the shape.

Once everything is installed, check the fittings and connections for leaks.
Let the car idle, take it for a spin and monitor the reading. If you lost
some oil while taking the oil pressure switch out, be sure to top it off.
If it's any easier, take the oil filter out when doing this install.

On idle, on average, you will see about 20psi. Higher up in the
RPM/speed/gear, your average PSI will be between 60psi and 70psi.

Good luck.

[SimpleS14]

wow...very nice information...I might use this setup on my car.

[formeRiceR]

nice indeed...thanks for the info

[duey]

you saved me some major time, and future headaches.

THANKS!

[Johny5]

you offer very informative information but would you mind if i add to the mix? for starters, that T fitting is said to be a bad thing. During typical idle vibration or rough driving its been known to break off. A lot of my Hon-duuuuh friends said not to T because its a known problem, instead, just don't use the oem sensor. I've done that on my last two cars and its been fine on both to do this. Second, might i suggest 1/8 copper line while you're in the engine bay? A) its really clean looking and B) its very heat safe (compared to nylon) and you know the firewall will never get the best of it. Very nice install and you probably just saved a lot of people a lot of time!

http://www.theoldone.com/articles/oilpressure/

just for proof that my theory is not just pulled outta my ass :eek3:

[Shin_Kudo]

Great! This'll be useful when I do my gauge cluster.

[brianglawson]

hey gonad, what size gauges are you running in your 2nd din?

[GonadSX]

brian: I am using 2-1/16" gauges. You can fit 3 gauges in perfectly if
you use these sized gauges (or 52mm if you go metric route). Here's what
I had before (the pod was made of fiberboard at first but I switched to plexiglass):

http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/images/misc/gaugepanel.jpg

Johny5, I think that's some great advice. It never occured to me about the
fittings breaking off. I mean, like many others I would assume them to be
practically indestructible.

I think this is something I will definately be doing however, I'm going to leave
it like this for now.

I have already planned an SR swap early 2005 so this should hopefully last in
the meantime.

Oh and good advice about the copper lines.

[Yoshi]

great write up, just one comment...
I've been told by a number of speed shops that you should never mount mechanical fuel or oil guages into the cabin, because when the nylon tube breaks (apparently all 3 shops I talked to had first hand experience with specifically the autometer nylon tubes breaking pre-maturely) you have oil/fuel spurting at pressure inside the cabin. MAJOR fire hazard.

Just an FYI for the rest of you... the tubing and all the joints will eventually fail, it's just a matter of time, just like anything else. Not that I'm saying autometer/other mechanical gauges is/are crap and will fail... just that when it DOES, you'll have a big mess on your hands, and potentially fire!

Personal first hand experience: i have an autometer mechanical boost gauge, it's been in for just over a year, last month the cord cracked and made a nice boost leak for me, and I was only running stock boost! I was very thankful that my greddy FP gauge is electric.... can u imagine 3bar of fuel spurting all over my dash.... u know... where there's all kinds of lights and my stereo... 1 spark and I'm dead.

Cliff Notes:
If it's mechanical, it's staying under my hood, if it's electric, it's going in the cabin :)

[Mr. Badlose]

Sweet! I made mine out of plexi glass too!

http://guernsey.globat.com/~mountainracer.com/pics/gauges_shown.jpghttp://guernsey.globat.com/~mountainracer.com/pics/gauges_hidden.jpg

Did you also have problems with the holesaw's heat melting shit back together if you removed it too quickly?

[Break Beats]

Here is a different way that you can install an oil pressure gauge plus a heads up about using a T fitting:

http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/april04/nissport/

NISsport Oil Pressure Adapter for 240SX, $49.00:

http://www.nissport.com/catalog/product.asp?ProductCode=NS-2100S&EquipmentType=Applications

[mjjstang]

I bought that nisport adapter. pricy but does the job.

[GonadSX]

Nisport is a good alternative, but kind of costly. My piece cost me around $10CAD.

Today was a hot day and after driving back I went to check behind the gauge for potential leak.
So far it was all good. However, one thing I did notice. There was a lot of heat generated by the oil.

Along with my head unit right above, you can imagine how how it was down there.

This gauge will do for now while I have the KA. I will most likely consider selling it in place of an
electric gauge in the future when I get around to the SR.

If you want to be a little on the safer side, purchase some high pressure, heavily insulated rubber hose.
Or double-insulate the nylon tubing (something I will be doing).

[andrave]

its a lot cheaper to just retap the stock piece for NPT.
You should never use a mechanical fuel pressure gauge in the cabin. to whoever said that. an oil pressure line should be fine, if you go with the copper tubing. that nylon shit is weak. Besides the mechanical pressure sensors are more accurate and reliable than the electric ones.
don't get brass T's get steel, they don't break as easily.
finally, from sites like MCmaster.com you can get a single male to dual female T's and that way you don't need those piece of shit male to male adaptors.

[F3600]

just be sure that the nylon hose is loose and cannot bend by engine motion..., mine cracked by bending over the alternator. Losed 3/4 of my oil. Im lucky i was getting into my parking. 80 psi of oil pissing all around the engine bay = Real MESS

[andrave]

I advise against the nylon line. it sucks total ass.

[GonadSX]

Nylon sucks. Ok.

So what do you suggest besides SS lines? Copper lines?

[Johny5]

braided lines are fucking hot :) i think 2 or 4 an but not 6, 6 would probably be too big

[mjjstang]

semi OT but for boost gauge is nylon alright or no.

[Andrew Bohan]

resurrection time!

i have a KA-DE, and on my oil filter "neck" where the switch is, there's another hole next to the switch with just a plug in it. can i just use this hole for the gauge?
the fsm says for shops to take out the switch and put the gauge there, then put the switch back, so i dunno. help?

[Rennen]

FWIW:

I installed an Autometer oil pressure gauge in my car a while back. The fitting needs to be 1/8" BSPT. If you want to keep the stock warning light, go to www.mcmaster.com and get the following part #s
4860k631 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8"BSPT male
4978k121 1/8" BSPT female T fitting
4860k141 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8" NPT female

If you don't care about the stock warning light, just get the last fitting. Or Summit stocks an Autometer fitting that does the same thing (summit part # ATM-2269), but it is more expensive( $10.69 vs $3.68)

I got the summit one just because I had some store credit there, it works fine.

-Matt

[stevesr20]

FWIW:

I installed an Autometer oil pressure gauge in my car a while back. The fitting needs to be 1/8" BSPT. If you want to keep the stock warning light, go to www.mcmaster.com and get the following part #s
4860k631 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8"BSPT male
4978k121 1/8" BSPT female T fitting
4860k141 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8" NPT female

If you don't care about the stock warning light, just get the last fitting. Or Summit stocks an Autometer fitting that does the same thing (summit part # ATM-2269), but it is more expensive( $10.69 vs $3.68)

I got the summit one just because I had some store credit there, it works fine.

-Matt

will light never come on, on never go off? I don't mind it never coming on, but I damn sure don't want to stare at it.... thanks in advance....steve.

[NemeGuero]

this thread is 2 years old.

[stevesr20]

this thread is 2 years old.


DONTJUDGEME........:rofl:

[Rennen]

never come on