My 1953 Chev 1/2 ton has an aftermarket 80 psi oil pressure gauge dangling under the dash (I know, I need to properly secure the darn thing). The gauge is connected to the engine with a 1/8 plastic pressure line and I simply hate this setup.
The dash still has the factory gauge to 30 psi. Is it possible to use 1/8" flexible copper tubing to connect the aftermarket and perhaps 'Y' the old gauge in with it? Or would the higher pressure damage the factory gauge?
Yes, you can replace the pressure line with copper and a T to run both gauges at the same time. But then you'd have to deal with Segal's Law.
What pressure does the add-on gauge show at highway speeds?
Does your '53 still have a spash-oiled 216 engine or a full pressure 235? Big difference.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
If the original gauge works (which it probably does), I'd put the aftermarket one under the hood or in some hidden place, or just remove it altogether.
I just took this picture of hour or so ago (idling in the driveway, by the way). The temperature gauge and the oil pressure gauge have both been checked against modern instruments and they are both perfectly accurate. And have never been rebuilt.
Last edited by Otto Skorzeny; 10/19/20266:16 PM.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Joerg - Is it possible that the original gauge wasn't working, which required the add-on gauge so you could keep track of oil pressure? My Grandpa's truck had something similar, where he left the old non-working gauge in the dash assembly and just added another to do the job. It was done back in the early 70's IIRC, when he replaced the original 216 with a 235 car engine. He didn't care about it looking original, just functional.
Bill Hanlon asked a good question on what engine you're running as that may affect what gauge you use. Can you let us know what engine you have and if you know why the add on gauge is there???
Once we know a bit more on these details folks can offer more/better suggestions.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
