Oil Pressure Sender

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
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Guys, can I adapt a 280ZX sender to work my 240Z gauge?

The 280ZX has two contacts is one for the gauge and one for fuel pressure cut-off (done a little research)?

Could I adapt the fuel pressure lead to work a low pressure warning light?

Is the gauge scale the same as the 240 i.e. 0-90psi?

I have just ordered a T-piece from Speedflow to give me a take-off for a switch or aftermarket gauge but I might fit a 280ZX sender if poss.

Cheers.
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
I don't have a clue Rob, but would be interested to know too.
It should be easy enough to test it and find out assuming you've still got your 240z sensor - put the 240z one and the 280zx one either side of the tee piece and see if they report the same pressure on your gauge.
For the low pressure detection, I imagine that other wire is going to be on/off and so wouldn't help with detecting low pressure - it'll only tell you pressure vs no pressure.
To Detect low pressure you could start an Arduino project to read the voltage of the main gauge feed and turn a light on below a certain value.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
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Thanks Jon, if I was to put a pressure switch on what would be appropriate 15psi?

These cars run low pressure at times and tbh I wouldn't mind if it was on at tickover just as a warning.
 

Huw

Club Member
Hi Rob. Don't know if they will fit. But can give you a clue on the electrical connections. The two connections on the sender are for the oil lamp, which also feeds the fuel relay to cut the signal to the pump if the engine stalls and the other is to the oil pressure gauge. Pins are in a 'T' shape on the sender. The top of the 'T' pin is for the gauge, the other for the lamp and fuel relay take off.

Hope that helps.

Huw
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
I know my gauge reports about 45 psi (half way) at idle when cold and then a few needle widths above zero when hot. It looks like it might be even less than 10psi, but as you know they're famously inaccurate. I guess what I'd do is read what the voltage signal is at 'normal' idle and set the low pressure detection a little below that.
having said that, this might be an easy answer in your tee piece.
https://www.asap-supplies.com/gauge...itches/low-oil-pressure-warning-switch-710490
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Hi Rob. Don't know if they will fit. But can give you a clue on the electrical connections. The two connections on the sender are for the oil lamp, which also feeds the fuel relay to cut the signal to the pump if the engine stalls and the other is to the oil pressure gauge. Pins are in a 'T' shape on the sender. The top of the 'T' pin is for the gauge, the other for the lamp and fuel relay take off.

Hope that helps.

Huw

Just what I wanted - thanks. :thumbs:
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Well I'm going to try a 280ZX sender (new) and report back. I want an accurate reading and a warning light.

If that fails I'll use my 'T' piece and one of my Dad's old gauges. ;)
 

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Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Well I'm going to try a 280ZX sender (new) and report back. I want an accurate reading and a warning light............

:thumbs:

The gauge works fine with my new 280ZX sender (£29) and yes I have a 'no oil pressure' light as a bonus!

Think my new 'T' piece will be surplus to requirements.
 

Sam_C

Club Member
:thumbs:

The gauge works fine with my new 280ZX sender (£29) and yes I have a 'no oil pressure' light as a bonus!

Think my new 'T' piece will be surplus to requirements.

Mmmm...I'm thinking that all that a "no oil pressure" light is saying is your engine has just expired, not much of a bonus! Now, if you had a "low oil pressure" light, I'd be more impressed......
 

Russell

Club Member
Interested in this!

My 1JZ engine has an oil pressure switch which goes to the ECU and I also wanted to add a 260Z one in so my existing pressure gauge will work.

This may be an option to fit to the 1JZ and negate the need for 2 separate sensors?
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Mmmm...I'm thinking that all that a "no oil pressure" light is saying is your engine has just expired, not much of a bonus! Now, if you had a "low oil pressure" light, I'd be more impressed......

I understand fully what you are saying but I'd rather know when the oil pressure fails by a warning light than a knocking noise a little later and then a glance at the gauge. I didn't have this facility before, so a bonus imo.

I may yet fit a low pressure light.
 

Sam_C

Club Member
How about a low pressure warning buzzer/alarm? 12v ignition live to positive connector of buzzer, other side to earth via pressure sender. No need to even look at your gauge, perfect for those of us in the autumn of our days :)
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
I'm not paranoid about my engine but whilst I was changing my sender I thought I'd try a 280ZX one. Not interested in Buzzers etc.

You could have one tuned to your hearing-aid. :devil:
 

Sam_C

Club Member
I'm not paranoid about my engine but whilst I was changing my sender I thought I'd try a 280ZX one. Not interested in Buzzers etc.

You could have one tuned to your hearing-aid. :devil:

Ooooh....blue tooth low pressure sender, I like it! If you want to take it to the max, the US Air Force trialled critical warnings on their high tech aircraft using recorded voices of the pilot's children e.g. "Daddy, daddy, low oil pressure engine 2!" The idea was that even under intense mental workload that fathering instinct or whatever it was would pick that warning out of all the background noise and data the pilot was constantly being bombarded with.
 
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