I had a problem the last (first) time out a couple of weeks ago. My oil pressure sending unit came loose (still a mystery). Everything looks good, except the oil pressure gauge. It is a white faced Autometer electric gauge. It is pegged, and won't come back to zero.
The story - short version:
While I was driving, my friend was adjusting the timing. I was headed back to the dock/ramp and my friend noticed oil.
Anyone know how to get it to get it back to zero? I thought about just reversing the polarity on the sending unit or the gauge, but have no idea what that will really do.
I don't think I would reverse polarity. I would simply lightly touch the sender unit side of the gauge to ground and watch the needle. It will either try to head more to the pegged side or back to 0. But...sounds like the gauge is messed up or sender has a problem as the gauge should be back at 0 without doing all this.
Where is the wire. Is it shorted to ground. All an electric gauge is a meter to measure continuity to ground. When wired up, the sender starts to close the circuit as the presure increases. no pressure, no reading. As the oil pressure comes up, the sender passes more current to ground, higher reading. If the wire is laying on a grounded surface, it will be pegged. (full contact to ground). Check the wire, sometimes they will get burned by exhaust, frayed by constant rubbing somewhere or just loose and laying somewhere on the motor............If all is OK with the wiring, un hook the sender wire, (no ground) and see if the gauge returns to zero with the key on. If it does, re hook it up, if the gauge pegs the sender is stuck closed. If it doesn't zero, chances are the gauge is bad............Electric gauges do strange things sometimes, so the power source should also be verified before condeming any componant........MP
I disconnected the sending wire from the sender, and the gauge stays pegged. This means the gauge is bad right?
Send it back to Autometer their customer service is excellent.
I ordered a new one from Summit last night. It was less than $60 new and comes with a new sender (just in case) - including shipping. With the shipping cost back to Autometer and what they charge, not to mention the time it will take to get it looked at, I am probably saving money and time.
I had one do that. More than likely it got shorted somehow and when it spiked, it just lodged itself. I removed it from the dash, gave it a few smacks and it works fine.
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