Need dual oil pressure sensors in SBC 350: How?

NewbVetteGuy

NewbVetteGuy

Well-Known Member
I want to keep my original analog oil pressure gauge happy and functioning in my 79 C3 Corvette, but I also would like my Holley EFI to be able to read oil pressure.

My intake completely blocks the ability to use the port near the distributor. Can I use some sort of Y or T-adapter off of the above-the-oil filter port so I can use both an analog and a digital gage at the same time or would this create some sort of errors in the sensor readings?

-Am I ok to use teflon tape on the senders or does it screw up the ground?


Adam
 
I would really doubt that Teflon tape would screw up your grounds you would still be making metal to metal contact but I don't think this has a thing to do with your grounds
 
You should be able to test the resistance with your meter after it's installed, just check from the metal case to the engine block. It should be only be a few tenths of one ohm (re 0.3Ω).
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Indycars said:
You should be able to test the resistance with your meter after it's installed, just check from the metal case to the engine block. It should be only be a few tenths of one ohm (re 0.3Ω).
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Good call! Great and simple test. I will do that. I've ordered this stainless T. It might be too short for the stock, fat sender to clear the block, but I'll find out "the fun way". https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091CMGBXJ/

Adam
 
27CD3CEB-A818-4D43-A6B6-466BE5E29A99.jpegB850A1F1-9EE0-416C-992B-AFCF71EF8F7B.jpegAnd just as a random update on my C3 Corvette’s FIRST TPI engine build: the engine is back in the car as of two Saturday’s ago!



The race to complete a million tiny tasks begins!

-I had to move the alternator, remove valve covers, and remove the rear driver's side runners just to get a hose clamp on the fuel line... You have to love TPI intakes to deal with this stuff....

-My wife got me signed up for Joe Simpson's "Tune The Trilogy" Holley EFI tuning training course and forums for Christmas, too, so I'm looking forward to getting to tune my first EFI engine, too!


Adam
 
that looks spectacular !!
as to the oil pressure sensor , I guess I did things just a bit differently, I ran the oil pressure sensor that cuts off power to the fuel pump, in series
with a LED light that indicated power was routed to and getting to the fuel pump as the wire that normally goes directly to the cars frame ground from the fuel pump was routed through a dash LED before going to the frame ground, thus I could see the led was lit if the fuel pump was running and I had an oil pressure gauge to check also, thus if the LED light was ON I knew the fuel pump was running and I must have oil pressure , plus the oil gauge would show the pressure, and oil temp gauge would show oil temp, if the LED was out I knew the fuel pump was not running and I would also glance at the oil gauges and the fuel pump would not run , nor would the LED light, if oil pressure fell below about 7 psi

BTW if go that route don't panic if the engines running fine and the LED goes out for a few seconds regularly, the fuel pump is also regulated on the high side pressure and it will occasionally go on/ off for a couple seconds, obviously having a fuel pressure gauge is a big help with diagnosing a bad fuel pump along with the LED and oil pressure gauge


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curing that problem with how your c4 corvette runs badly or won't start​

A recurring theme has been replayed over and over, READ THE LINKED INFO CAREFULLY THERES NOT A DAMN THING YOU CAN'T FIND AND FIX WITH A FEW TOOLS, AND SOME FAMILIARITY WITH THE CORVETTE< A SHOP MANUAL IS A HUGE HELP Id strongly suggest you systematically verify the cause rather than making...
garage.grumpysperformance.com

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Safe and efficient electric fuel pump wiring using a relay and safety switch​

Ensure max electric fuel pump output and safety with a relay for no voltage drop, plus an oil pressure switch that won’t let the pump run if the engine loses oil pressure.
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105-electric-fuel-pump-failsafe-wiring-circuit.jpg


left_rear_lt1_4d450da287562ad39575a002e0395ac35ab14e48.jpg

oil pressure sensors usually next to distributor base
images


images
 
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Indycars said:
Turning out to be a real pretty engine bay !
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Even though my Chevy block is painted what looks more like Pontiac blue?

I wanted a metallic-looking paint and it was the only metallic block paint color at my autoparts store, so I just ran with it. It needed painted during COVID and I figured with the supply chain issues I had to go with something in my local store if I ever wanted it done.

Adam
 
Well, I got it done. I can't fully recommend this particular solution, but it works.

I used this 1/8" brass pipe tee and screwed it into a 1/8 -> 1/4" pipe thread adapter and then directly into the block above the oil filter after removing the original brass standoff pipe (I wanted the fittings closer to the block so they're out of the way of the headers). https://www.amazon.com/GlowShift-Pressure-Temperature-Adapter-2012-2016/dp/B071PF53LP

I bought a truly garbage quality stainless one for cheap off of Amazon and it had to get returned. It shouldn't go anywhere near an oil system...

The diameter of the brass tee was just too big to be fully screwed in -the corners hit the block once it was screwed in maybe 4-5 turns so I grinded the corners down on my bench grinder, and cleaned all the shavings out and it went in just perfectly.

The EFI sensor comes off at a 90 nice and out-of-the-way, but I'll definitely have to put some heat shielding on the wire that goes to it or it'll burn up on the header.

Oil Sender tee.jpg

I'm sure there's a better Tee out there somewhere but this worked good enough. I did not check how many ohms I have between the block and the sensor body; still need to do that...

Adam
 
Could you use a 90° fitting so your sensor doesn't come straight out, pointing at the headers. But pointing back towards the bellhousing or down some. Or a short flexible line and you could mount the sensor anywhere.
 
Indycars said:
Could you use a 90° fitting so your sensor doesn't come straight out, pointing at the headers. But pointing back towards the bellhousing or down some. Or a short flexible line and you could mount the sensor anywhere.
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Yes. This one actually has 2 fittings at 90 degrees; I could've used another piece to make it stick out further and put the plug in the end port and installed both sensors at 90s to fit closer to the block, BUT... The stock location of the analog oil pressure sender was straight out as I have it currently and it's actually sticking out less than stock, and the threads that I have the plug screwed into weren't perfect and when I screwed the plug in it got pretty tight. I should've backed it out and chased the threads with a tap, but this project at so much time I was over it so I just forced it in and the threads are probably REALLY screwed up now so there's no way I'm removing that plug, lol!

I just really need to check something off my list to feel like I'm making any forward progress towards getting this thing done...
 
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