DIY Oil/Fuel Presure transducer?

[Blazer406]

.....For datalogging......

Has anyone tried a stock sending unit for a car with oil pressure guage.... like my '89 S10 Blazer I had.......

See pic below:

The connector and pigtail could come from the pull-a-part.....

I think the stock gauge goes to 80 psi.....

Anybody know of a stock car with a 100 psi oil pressure gauge?

This should work for Fuel Pressure and Oil Pressure shouldn't it?


BTW, the sending unit is around $25 or so ea....

Anybody try this yet?

 

[unix_punk]

Do you know the input voltage and output voltage range? This may work if the output voltage scales from 0 to 5. This is how the autometer transducer (for the elec fuel pressure gauge) works and I've been logging that for a while now. You would also want to be sure this one could handle fuel and not just oil, seals/material-wise. Razor, TurboBob and/or John from Caspers would be the guys to chime in on this IMHO.

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

I don't trust oil pressure senders/transducers for fuel use. The reason is the materials used.

In an oil pressure unit materials such as silicone and neoprene are OK.

Where fuel will dissolve silicone and deteriorate neoprene.

Look for pressure transducers where the exposed material is stainless steel. And no silicone seals. They typically go for $80 to $100.

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[Razor]

I don't trust oil pressure senders/transducers for fuel use. The reason is the materials used.

In an oil pressure unit materials such as silicone and neoprene are OK.

Where fuel will dissolve silicone and deteriorate neoprene.

Look for pressure transducers where the exposed material is stainless steel. And no silicone seals. They typically go for $80 to $100.

RemoveBeforeFlight

Correct.

Ebay usually have sensors pop up pretty cheap.

And.. accuracy, the one pictured is fine for a guage. Oil. Not fuel.

 

[Blazer406]

Correct.

Ebay usually have sensors pop up pretty cheap.

And.. accuracy, the one pictured is fine for a guage. Oil. Not fuel.

Razor.... you had one that appeared like the one I posted above in BG a few years back on the TTA I thought.... maybe later we discussed that you didn't get it to work right....?? My memory is a little fuzzy.....

What did you try?

What were the details?

 

[Blazer406]

I don't trust oil pressure senders/transducers for fuel use. The reason is the materials used.

In an oil pressure unit materials such as silicone and neoprene are OK.

Where fuel will dissolve silicone and deteriorate neoprene.

Look for pressure transducers where the exposed material is stainless steel. And no silicone seals. They typically go for $80 to $100.

RemoveBeforeFlight

I respectfully disagree.

Gas is made from oil. I have a hard time wrapping my head around it being compatible with oil..... yet not compatible with gas.

Just playing devils advocate here......

Did some more digging... seems there are multiple cars that have actual gauges and require sending units that might work..... one car is the 05 Nissan 350Z. It has a real gauge....and has the needed 5 volt output sending unit.

I am curious to see what Razor tried and what the results were....

 

[Razor]

Autometer had a sending unit on their older electric Fuel Pressure Gauges.. it was an oil transducer.. it would eventually come apart and leak. Especially with most fuels now days having "ethanol" blended it.. it can be a potential fire issue. There is a current recall on all those older style guages becuase of this. All of their newer gauges have the stainless steel type sending unit with the 1/8 npt threads.

Blazer.. been there done that.. save the trouble and get the matched sensors. Its easier to calibrate and you'll have no reliability issues. One thing is when your hooked up to a gauge.. another is when your datalogging and get a hiccup thinking its engine. Response time is also affected.

Not saying there arent any OEM transducers that may work.. the fuel one is where it gets tricky. End of the deal.. time spent vs benefit isnt there. And I doubt any OEM sensor used in a fuel system that is accurate is any cheaper.

I still have a couple of those Oil pressure senders on the shelf.. I couldnt get them to work right.

 

[that national]

I respectfully disagree.

Gas is made from oil. I have a hard time wrapping my head around it being compatible with oil..... yet not compatible with gas.

Just playing devils advocate here......

Did some more digging... seems there are multiple cars that have actual gauges and require sending units that might work..... one car is the 05 Nissan 350Z. It has a real gauge....and has the needed 5 volt output sending unit.

I am curious to see what Razor tried and what the results were....

just because gas is made from oil doesnt mean it has the same properties. you can also make fuel from corn and i wouldnt want to drink it.