Oil pressure for a few seconds then nothing.

[enkeivette]

Just put the guages back in the boat (SBC) after painting, fire it up, oil pressure maxes out, wobbles at 40 for a few seconds, then drops to nothing.

Pulled off the breather, looks like there is oil in there. No one rents or sells a handheld oil pressure checker, so what should I do? I've checked the wiring on the guage 4 times now, it checks out. Is it really possible this motor is running and not making oil pressure? I was pretty sure it had pressure when I first brought it home. Is it possible it's just a bad sensor???

 

[mrvette]

Sounds electrical, mechanical shit don't drop like a rock, like what you describing by MY reading, anyway....

stick a new mechanical gauge there, see what happens, then if same...yeh...but not to get too upset over something suspiciously electrical...

being CHEEEEEEEP....do what you can to check your electricals....IF the mechanical checks out ok, drive to Bird, and let him fix it.....:clap::clap::smash:

 

[DWncchs]

If the engine oil pressure was ok before then its "probably" fine but buying a direct readout gauge would be the safest thing to do.
You probably just have a wiring glitch since you just messed with the gauges.
You can start the engine and using your multimeter read the ohms to get an idea.
You can also do the standard test, with key on , remove wire from gauge, needle should peg 1 way ( usually high) , then ground the wire and it should peg the opposite way (usually low).

 

[enkeivette]

When I pulled out the sensor I noticed there was a little piece of metal hanging out of the tiny pin sized inlet hole. Tried to pull it out with pliers and it snapped, so I pushed the rest of it in the sensor.

Not it shows oil pressure when I rev it up but not at idle. I am unable to locate that oil pressure switch. It's not for a 67 Camaro, which is what the motor is from. I looked at a bunch in Autozone, no matches.

 

[mrvette]

Marine gauges, Mercruiser?? typically from the outdrive maker...

bend over if your parts house don't have a cross on it....

:surrender:

 

[enkeivette]

I almost bought some marine gear oil yesterday for the jet, Mercury brand? maybe. Anyways, it was $17 a quart. No thanks, went to Autozone and bought some Valvoline for $6.

The guages are Autometer.

 

[mrvette]

I almost bought some marine gear oil yesterday for the jet, Mercury brand? maybe. Anyways, it was $17 a quart. No thanks, went to Autozone and bought some Valvoline for $6.

The guages are Autometer.

I put the same 30w Mobil one in my Volvo outdrive years ago...never an issue....same as the stickshift in the '72 vette....

at some point, I tempted to put it in the diffy with GM additive...just to see WTF....bet it not only runs cooler, but gets more MPG, from everything I hear...

:beer: