Ford coupe
Senior Member
s there an easy way to instaLL A MECHANICAL OIL PRESSURE GUAGE ON MY 272 VICKY ENGINE AND KEEP THE DUMMY LIFHT AS I DONEALLY TRUST THE ORIGINAL AND DONT REALLY KNOW MY OIL PRESSURE /
oil pressure guage
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paul2748
Well-known member
Yes - in line with the current sender there are 3 or 4 more ports on the block that you can connect a mechanical gauge to. Or you get get some fittings and have the stock sender and the tube for the mechanical gauge at the one spot Also could rig up an electrical oil pressure gauge the same way.
dmsfrr
Well-known member
Yes
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I had the same concern with my '56 Thunderbird and came up with this hokey mess (see image below).
I made this up from my stash of brass fittings, but I'm sure there is a more efficient way to do it. Just haven't been able to find the right fittings in local auto parts stores.
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mercman from oz
Well-known member
There are 3 or 4 more ports on the block that you can connect a mechanical gauge to. ...dmsfrr
37 Coupe
Well-known member
There are 3 or 4 more ports on the block that you can connect a mechanical gauge to. ...dmsfrr
On the picture is this where the electric sender is usually installed or as factory installed? On my '55 T Bird 292 the tapped hole above coolant petcock is where mine is and where I installed "T" for original sender and mechanical oil pressure gauge. I think mine is correct because that was where the Casco sender wire fit but no farther.
dmsfrr
Well-known member
37 Coupe, I believe that's correct. The fitting next to the coolant drain valve is the original location for the '55/'57 T-Bird oil pressure switch... see photos below.
The previous photo of the pressure switch on an upside down engine was not the original engine for the car, a '55 T-Bird. That photo was meant only as an example of the locations of the oil galley fittings.
I placed the pressure switch in that location because that's where it was on the engine that was removed, also not original to the car.
The next two photos show before and after on what was an original, but now rebuilt, T-Bird engine
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Attached is an image of how I solved this problem, much like another responder who talked about using a "T" for both the manual and electric pressure sending units. Tried as I did, I could absolutely not budge the other port plug. Use a torch and everything else I knew to use, but in the end, this was the simplest solution.
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Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
The NPT port that dmsfrr shows just below the coolant drain petcock is the location for the oil sending unit on all 1955/56 Ford Y-blocks in full-sized cars.
It can be used as a combo for a mechanical pressure line with the original sending unit as shown above or similar, or you can use separate oil ports that are in line with the original sender (if you can get the pipe plugs out).
By doubling up on the original port, you may have to lengthen the white/red oil sender wire to get it to stretch to the sender unit terminal. Originally, that wire was routed through the space between the engine block and the motor mount as a means of supporting the wire. Any modifications to wire length or routing should take into account how the modified wire lays in relation to super hot surfaces (particularly the back of the exhaust manifold).
A little bit better and more efficient assortment of brass fittings can be found at most big hardware stores.
It can be used as a combo for a mechanical pressure line with the original sending unit as shown above or similar, or you can use separate oil ports that are in line with the original sender (if you can get the pipe plugs out).
By doubling up on the original port, you may have to lengthen the white/red oil sender wire to get it to stretch to the sender unit terminal. Originally, that wire was routed through the space between the engine block and the motor mount as a means of supporting the wire. Any modifications to wire length or routing should take into account how the modified wire lays in relation to super hot surfaces (particularly the back of the exhaust manifold).
A little bit better and more efficient assortment of brass fittings can be found at most big hardware stores.
37 Coupe
Well-known member
Same here but the line I used looks like copper but is copper plated 1/8"
steel tubing which was what Stewart Warner provided in fifties.
Here is a picture of the heat-resistant tubing I mentioned the other day.
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Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
Heat problems for the plastic oil tubing can be avoided by routing the tubing up to the wire-harness on the drivers side fender apron. Fomoco provided a couple of spare "ports" in the rubber bushing where the wire-harness goes through the firewall. I just took my bushing out, drilled a 1/8" hole in one of those spare ports and poked the plastic tubing through it to my oil pressure guage under the dashboard. You can use a couple of little nylon wire ties to bundle the plastic tubing along the wire harness. Never had any trouble with it.
miker98038
Well-known member
Gene, those can be a problem, both to remove and for access. What did you try, and where did it fail?
Gene F
Well-known member
Hit it several days before hand with Kroil. Snaked a extension through the frame, and the fenderwell with a 1/4" allen socket on it. It was snug going in, but I got it seated before I started. Then started at 50 LBS of air on my impact gun. Added 10LBS at a time and bumped it a time or two. That plug appears to be aluminum, but who knows. It finally stripped the female head out.