Oil pressure senders - whats the latest ?
Discussion
All,
What's the latest on the senders? Electrical connection to mine has disintegrated so needs a new one.
Are people still replacing with the OEM, such as :
http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/n0126-tvr-car-part...
or has someone clever found a better alternative. Seem to remember there were threads discussing better / more accurate alternatives a while back.
What's the latest on the senders? Electrical connection to mine has disintegrated so needs a new one.
Are people still replacing with the OEM, such as :
http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/n0126-tvr-car-part...
or has someone clever found a better alternative. Seem to remember there were threads discussing better / more accurate alternatives a while back.
I tried a couple of types from ebay sellers. They were both better matches to the gauge, giving readings close to my mechanical gauge but both lasted only a few miles before failing. I'm back on the OEM and I have decided that the low reading will have to remain.
It's difficult to discover the range of the OEM senders but I extrapolate that they are probably 0-150psi. My gauge is 0-90psi so when the OEM sender sees 50psi actual pressure it sends a 33% signal that reads 30psi on my gauge.
It's difficult to discover the range of the OEM senders but I extrapolate that they are probably 0-150psi. My gauge is 0-90psi so when the OEM sender sees 50psi actual pressure it sends a 33% signal that reads 30psi on my gauge.
6 of one and half a dozen of the other it often seems.
I've given up trying to work out an alternative that works and stays accurate.
I used a mech oil pressure gauge to confirm the real pressures at various revs including driving the car and getting the oil really hot. That confirmed that indeed at 900 revs my gauge was accurate and yes it shows around 12 psi at those revs often as low as 10 psi when oils hot, this is actually quite normal on many of these engines apparently and again using the mechanical gauge it reaches 45-50 psi when above around 2000-2250 revs.
After doing this test I'm happy to use my gauge as a reasonable guide now because that's all it is whatever you seem to use.
I've seen cars that as soon as the car fires the pressure on the gauge jumps to 50 psi but it is not accurate, it stays at 50 psi no matter what revs, that's not accurate at all in my cars case. I used to watch my gauge drop to almost 5 psi on occasion at tickover but going by the mech gauge it's not far off what is actually happening.
My car ain't blown up yet and valve train never makes noises so I'm happy that the flow of oil is enough regardless of the pressure it's exhibiting.
Haven't got a link but others may have, be interesting to hear what others achieved!
I've given up trying to work out an alternative that works and stays accurate.
I used a mech oil pressure gauge to confirm the real pressures at various revs including driving the car and getting the oil really hot. That confirmed that indeed at 900 revs my gauge was accurate and yes it shows around 12 psi at those revs often as low as 10 psi when oils hot, this is actually quite normal on many of these engines apparently and again using the mechanical gauge it reaches 45-50 psi when above around 2000-2250 revs.
After doing this test I'm happy to use my gauge as a reasonable guide now because that's all it is whatever you seem to use.
I've seen cars that as soon as the car fires the pressure on the gauge jumps to 50 psi but it is not accurate, it stays at 50 psi no matter what revs, that's not accurate at all in my cars case. I used to watch my gauge drop to almost 5 psi on occasion at tickover but going by the mech gauge it's not far off what is actually happening.
My car ain't blown up yet and valve train never makes noises so I'm happy that the flow of oil is enough regardless of the pressure it's exhibiting.
Haven't got a link but others may have, be interesting to hear what others achieved!
My cheapy Chinese made Ebay one lasted five years, actually it was still working perfectly when I replaced it recently, I only changed it because it was leaking, well more of a weep than a leak.
Replaced it with an Ispro brand American made one which I must admit feels much more robust. Suffice to say it works as perfectly as did the my cheapy Chinese made Ebay one, and so far no leaks.
The Ispro part number for the one you want is R8917-03, unlike the original it has two terminals, one is for the gauge so simply connect the existing TVR wire, the second terminal is for a separate dedicated earth which is far more reliable than earthing through the block as per the original.
I made up a little earth wire about a foot long running it from the sender to the earthing stud on the chassis outrigger, this has worked perfectly since I fitted the cheapy Chinese on 5 years ago which was also a double terminal type. "N" is earth and "G" is gauge by the way in case you mistakenly and understandably assume "G" is ground.
The Ispro R8917-03 is quite a bit more expensive than the cheapy Chinese ones but still a lot cheaper than the ones sold by the TVR parts specialists. It's also quite a bit longer, I had to jack my engine slightly to get it started on the thread, once started it screwed in perfectly and there were no clearance issues whatsoever when I took the engine weight off the jack.
Isspro ISS-R8917-03 Product Specifications:
You can buy this sender in the UK from Technisol Limited in Hardwick, Cambridge for about £40 delivered.
https://technisolltd.co.uk/
Technisol have an EBay shop but aren't showing R8917-03 at the moment as I think I had the last one, I'd call them on 01954 212918 though as they probably hold stock and simply haven't re-listed this model yet.
I can't tell you if the Ispro R8917-03 is better or will hold out longer than the five years I got from my cheapy Chinese sender but it does feel better made, only time will tell if it lasts
My personal opinion is all these senders are flawed by design, they work by hot engine oil acting on a rubber diaphragm which in turn acts on a variable resistor. Hot acidic engine oil acting on a rubber diaphragm isn't exactly recipe for longevity so you could argue the cheapy Chinese ones are a better bet because they only cost about £12 a time.
You pays your money and all that
Replaced it with an Ispro brand American made one which I must admit feels much more robust. Suffice to say it works as perfectly as did the my cheapy Chinese made Ebay one, and so far no leaks.
The Ispro part number for the one you want is R8917-03, unlike the original it has two terminals, one is for the gauge so simply connect the existing TVR wire, the second terminal is for a separate dedicated earth which is far more reliable than earthing through the block as per the original.
I made up a little earth wire about a foot long running it from the sender to the earthing stud on the chassis outrigger, this has worked perfectly since I fitted the cheapy Chinese on 5 years ago which was also a double terminal type. "N" is earth and "G" is gauge by the way in case you mistakenly and understandably assume "G" is ground.
The Ispro R8917-03 is quite a bit more expensive than the cheapy Chinese ones but still a lot cheaper than the ones sold by the TVR parts specialists. It's also quite a bit longer, I had to jack my engine slightly to get it started on the thread, once started it screwed in perfectly and there were no clearance issues whatsoever when I took the engine weight off the jack.
Isspro ISS-R8917-03 Product Specifications:
- 0-100psi
- Threading: 1/8" NPTF
- Terminal: 2 Stud, Ground Stud
- Sender Type: PB
You can buy this sender in the UK from Technisol Limited in Hardwick, Cambridge for about £40 delivered.
https://technisolltd.co.uk/
Technisol have an EBay shop but aren't showing R8917-03 at the moment as I think I had the last one, I'd call them on 01954 212918 though as they probably hold stock and simply haven't re-listed this model yet.
I can't tell you if the Ispro R8917-03 is better or will hold out longer than the five years I got from my cheapy Chinese sender but it does feel better made, only time will tell if it lasts
My personal opinion is all these senders are flawed by design, they work by hot engine oil acting on a rubber diaphragm which in turn acts on a variable resistor. Hot acidic engine oil acting on a rubber diaphragm isn't exactly recipe for longevity so you could argue the cheapy Chinese ones are a better bet because they only cost about £12 a time.
You pays your money and all that
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