[CairnsZook]

Hi fellas,

I'm in the market for some fully-sic gauges for my new big-block Baleno motor
I had some aftermarket gauges hooked up to the old Sierra engine, but I broke the temp sender and couldn't get the oil pressure sender out of the old block.
Can anyone recommend some good oil pressure and engine temp gauges for a G16B?

[boostedbrick]

Repco has 2" gauges for $30 at the moment. If that sale is on down your way. I getting some of these tomorrow. Or supercheap has 25% off calibre gauges, $52 for water and oil guages.

[oozuk]

Autometer gauges are good quality but a little pricy

[bazook]

speco are good, i don't trust vdo i had them and when i put the clutch in the temp would change

[jonno_racing]

x2 speco. love mine!

[steak_knife]

bazook wrote:

speco are good, i don't trust vdo i had them and when i put the clutch in the temp would change

I have heard of that, never seen it tho..

Should be fine for auto's then???

[Fatzook]

oozuk wrote:

Autometer gauges are good quality but a little pricy

X2.

I have $3k worth for cammo Thats only 7 or 8 guages

[steak_knife]

Fatzook wrote:

oozuk wrote:

Autometer gauges are good quality but a little pricy

X2.

I have $3k worth for cammo Thats only 7 or 8 guages

Does it go yet???

[Fatzook]

steak_knife wrote:

Fatzook wrote:

oozuk wrote:

Autometer gauges are good quality but a little pricy

X2.

I have $3k worth for cammo Thats only 7 or 8 guages

Does it go yet???

Only in my dreams

[tombutt]

u must have a active imagination then mrfat

[Fatzook]

tombutt wrote:

u must have a active imagination then mrfat

So must you. We're still yet to see the mythical creature you call a girl friend

[PJ.zook]

I run Speco gauges in zook, but the bastards get moisture behind the lenses and the water temp has already been warrantied once, and now its reading too high again.

[CairnsZook]

What sort of temperature range should I be looking for? The last one I had barely moved, even when the engine was working really hard.

Is the best place for the oil pressure sensor where the stock one is? Or can I put it somewhere else so I still have the dash light?

[fordem]

Temp readings will vary with the location of the sensor - in the normal location (under the thermostat) look for 80~100 area (175~212).

For oil pressure - on a 1.3 there should be a second port just to the left and above the oil pressure switch, you can use that if you can get the plug out, or you can use a T and connect it to the oil pressure port.

If you're using mechanical gauges (ie not electric) toss the nylon line that comes with the gauge and get yourself some 1/8 copper - mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line between the T and the engine to allow for engine movement & vibration.

[brendan]

fordem wrote:

For oil pressure - on a 1.3 there should be a second port just to the left and above the oil pressure switch, you can use that if you can get the plug out, or you can use a T and connect it to the oil pressure port.
[u]
If you're using mechanical gauges (ie not electric) toss the nylon line that comes with rhe gauge and get yourself some 1/8 copper - mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line between the T and the engine to allow for engine movement & vibration.

NEVER do this! it puts way to much leverage on the nipple going into the block. how do i know? been there done that twise!
first time was brass it broke off. 2nd time i used a steel nipple and that broke. i fixed this problem by getting a hose made up and mounted the sensoros on the body. never had a problem.

temp, mine would run at 85c all day everyday, on the beach in summer 85c, driving on a winters night 85c.

i would only use autometer gauges, after all you will fine them in 99% of race cars ect

only pic i could find



ideas for mounting

[PJ.zook]

I have used a T piece setup for oil pressure for a couple of years now, works fine.

[brendan]

well it didnt work for me, and i would rather not take that risk again

[fordem]

brendan wrote:

fordem wrote:

For oil pressure - on a 1.3 there should be a second port just to the left and above the oil pressure switch, you can use that if you can get the plug out, or you can use a T and connect it to the oil pressure port.
[u]
If you're using mechanical gauges (ie not electric) toss the nylon line that comes with rhe gauge and get yourself some 1/8 copper - mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line between the T and the engine to allow for engine movement & vibration.

NEVER do this! it puts way to much leverage on the nipple going into the block. how do i know? been there done that twise!
first time was brass it broke off. 2nd time i used a steel nipple and that broke. i fixed this problem by getting a hose made up and mounted the sensoros on the body. never had a problem.

Read the damn post will ya - doesn't it say to mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line to allow for engine movement?

Now - be honest - did you do THAT? Or did you just bung a nipple into the block and screw the T onto the nipple?

If you mount a brass T directly to the block and then hang a honking great sender on the end, the chances of the brass nipple (between the T and the block) fatiguing & breaking because of the vibration are pretty good - as you already found out.

Feel free to use a hose, but if you do either use braided stainless steel or run a ground wire between the T and the chassis or the oil pressure light won't work.

[brendan]

fordem wrote:

brendan wrote:

fordem wrote:

For oil pressure - on a 1.3 there should be a second port just to the left and above the oil pressure switch, you can use that if you can get the plug out, or you can use a T and connect it to the oil pressure port.
[u]
If you're using mechanical gauges (ie not electric) toss the nylon line that comes with rhe gauge and get yourself some 1/8 copper - mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line between the T and the engine to allow for engine movement & vibration.

NEVER do this! it puts way to much leverage on the nipple going into the block. how do i know? been there done that twise!
first time was brass it broke off. 2nd time i used a steel nipple and that broke. i fixed this problem by getting a hose made up and mounted the sensoros on the body. never had a problem.

Read the damn post will ya - doesn't it say to mount the T somewhere secure and wind a couple of loops in the copper line to allow for engine movement?

Now - be honest - did you do THAT? Or did you just bung a nipple into the block and screw the T onto the nipple?

If you mount a brass T directly to the block and then hang a honking great sender on the end, the chances of the brass nipple (between the T and the block) fatiguing & breaking because of the vibration are pretty good - as you already found out.

Feel free to use a hose, but if you do either use braided stainless steel or run a ground wire between the T and the chassis or the oil pressure light won't work.

your post wasnt very clear hence i added my opinion

[trity]

sorry for the thread dig but just want some info on which water temp gauges to buy? Mechanical or Electrical and also how do you install them?

I want to install a water temp and oil temp in my sierra 1.3 but never done it before?

Any help will be much appreciated?

[SierraDan]

Electrical.

Wire it to come on with the ignition and you will need a temp sender hooked up somewhere in the system before the radiator.

[bakerboy]

some flashy digital gauges, although our location wouldnt suit most road cars as it uses the air vents

[TheOtherLeft]

How do the Calibre gauges go, are they accurate? I'm very wary of SuperCrapAuto branded products.

[SierraDan]

I have the same gauges in my zook. Haven't had an issue and they've been through some solid wheeling in the past 6months. Would buy them again.

[bakerboy]

TheOtherLeft wrote:

How do the Calibre gauges go, are they accurate? I'm very wary of SuperCrapAuto branded products.

quality has improved leaps and bounds, for example the tools are sourced from the same mob as stanley

[SierraDan]

Calibre is a decent brand.
SCA us what you dont want.

[bakerboy]

brendan wrote:

i would only use autometer gauges, after all you will fine them in 99% of race cars ect

bit like the 5" tacho?

[Fatzook]

bakerboy wrote:

TheOtherLeft wrote:

How do the Calibre gauges go, are they accurate? I'm very wary of SuperCrapAuto branded products.

quality has improved leaps and bounds, for example the tools are sourced from the same mob as stanley

That may be so, but from my experience with alot of stanley products ( hand tools mainly) their quality has dropped significantly in the past 5 or 6 years.

[bakerboy]

for the average guy they are fine, they have a lifetime warranty

if i was buying work tools though id spend the coin on the better brands

[Fatzook]

bakerboy wrote:

for the average guy they are fine, they have a lifetime warranty

if i was buying work tools though id spend the coin on the better brands

Life time warranty doesn't mean shit to me. When the crappy casting of your cheap tools costs you weeks off work becuase it snapped applying moderate tension to a bolt, resulting in the fractured tool imbedding itself into your hand you'll learn very quickly that cheap tools with a life time warranty REALLY aren't worth it.

Just my 2 cents.

Anywho, I've never used the calibre guages, but they look a little too cheap/ rice for my liking. Same as the 'Drift' brand from Autobarn.

Autometer still make the best guages IMO.