Help - Strange Oil Pressure Gauge Behavior Options

[Tom1394racing]

I am working towards first start on the 3.2 Short Stroke installed in my -6 GT project.

While cranking the engine over with the fuel pumps and MSD disconnected and the spark plugs out, I am getting no oil pressure reading on the dashboard gauge. To verify if I do really have oil pressure, I connected a mechanical gauge in place of the sending unit and cracked open the cam oil line. I got 30 psi on the gauge and plenty of oil leaking from the cam line.



The gauge registered around 30 psi, I just did not capture it in a photo.



So, it seems like the engine is making good pressure while cranking. The problem must be in the sender or in the gauge. To check these, I connected the sender to a variable air pressure source and checked the gauge.



The gauge showed the following readings

Key off, no pressure applied to the sender:



Key on, no pressure applied to the sender:



Key on, 50 psi applied to the sender:



Note the engine was not cranking for this test. All looked good for both the sender and the gauge.

Stay tuned.

[troth]

Have you tried jumping the starter with the key in the run position? I'll defer to the experts but don't think all accessories are powered with the key in the start position. This might include your gauges. Doesn't seem like it's powered at all in the start position since both the brake warning and gen lights are off.

You could also pull the gauge and put a test light on the power wire with the key in the start position.