Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods Oil Press Gauge Install

Thanks again. You are right. Exactly wheere you need it.

Trapps-
You have to assemble the oil pressure switch and adapter together fully before installing, otherwise I imagine it would be too long.

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99 Silver Frost SVT, Mod list

Ok, so this post is like a year old, but I figure since this topic came up like 80 times on search, why post an 81st? It would seem to me that an oil pressure gauge would not do much good against monitoring oil starvation during right hand cornering... sure, you might see the pressure drop with the gauge, but in a right hand corner shutting the engine down or backing off to steer straight does not seem like a viable option to get the pressure back up, so pretty much for oil starvation the only thing you could do is watch the engine being killed. The reason I have an oil pressure gauge is to monitor things like oil leaks, which would alert me before the idiot light did to a decrease in pressure which would allow me to shut the engine down in time before I threw a rod or froze the engine. Right hand cornering in our cars has been a known flaw, and the only way I see to get rid of the spun bearing problem is to upgrade the oil system so that oil is kept down around the bearings, but as I said I do not see how watching the engine starve itself helps. Just my .02 cents worth.... feedback would be appreciated..... since this is just my opinion.....
BTW, in case you are wondering why I replied so late.... its because I am prepping my car for an oil pressure gauge install and want to do it right and am wanting opinions on different install points.... all the threads I have read talk to some length about proper location but no decision has ever been reached... so if I am right on this point.... in the head it goes.... and if not, I guess an attitude adjustment is in order

IMO, with the gauge installed near the oil pump (as mentioned in other threads), you would hopefully have time to back off/lower RPMs if you saw the pressure decrease.

Unless I'm wrong, the whole reason the Duratec spins bearings is the oil doesn't return to the pan quickly enough at extended high RPM. Therefore, a gauge mounted in the head would tell you everything's fine, while in reality the bottom end could be on its way to starving.

Perhaps a pressure RISE on a head-mounted gauge might give you some warning, but that's pure speculation on my part.

1)The cylinder head location is the WORSE place to fit a sender 2)main oil gallery is the best 3)An electrical sender in the head can restrict the oil feed 4)Not proven that oil starvation is the INITIAL cause of spun bearing (the internals of the 2.5 Mondeo engine, now only used and built in Europe, is the same as our existing engines EXCEPT for haveing a DMD as std)....what do you think causes crank whip and bearing failure ...oil or crank whip causing the bearings to peel and block oil holes which can be usd as an oil/lube problem.....what do you think is the 'root cause'..!!!!

Terry - So it's possible DMDs are installed in Euro Duratecs to address crank whip?

And with such a small portion of the sender protruding into the head, I'm surprised it could affect oil delivery... but I never thought of that.

Believe me guys... I would love nothing more than to mount my gauge in the most accurate place possible... after all, the whole point of having a gauge is to monitor overall engine conditions for more attentive driving, but the Duratecs sure dont seem to have a spot that the sender readily would fit into on the main oil gallery without other modification. I took a mirror and found the oil pressure switch and while I can get to it, it wouldnt make sense to hassle myself unless I got some significant drawback. Terry, I appreciate your feedback on this subject. You have really helped all of us out and your knowledge is greatly appreciated. How much restriction is present in the system after an install in the head, and would any modification to the adapter help this situation, such as shortening the adapter? Thank you for all your help guys.

If you have the Zetec and use the mech guage you'll need to remove the stock sender at the oil filter and install it there. You'll have to get a T fitting from Home Depot/Lowes. If you need help ask myself or SQPlus. I suggest the mech guage over the electric, I've had both in my car.

HTH
John
jcaimhigher@ixpres.com

Good topic to bring back from the dead.
I just bought a pod, and I'm deciding whether to go elec or mech. I'll keep checking back here to see which is better, and where to tap. I appreciate the input Terry, John, etc.

Most of the electric senders are too big to mount in the main oil gallery on a Duratec,can be mounted on a remote oil filter head if you want electric...