| Author | Message | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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Steve, The only reason I have used the Autometer gauge as an in-dash replacement is : I don't care about originality when it is an important issue like oil pressure the Autometer gauge is a nice fit and you have to look carefully to see it I got sick of paying $500 for fitting of sender units (I went thru 5 !!!) I think it stinks when you pay top dollar only to have the thing die on you 5 times. Magneti Marelli ain't at the top of my Xmas card list. | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
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Just wanted to pass on a (US) Autometer source recommendation: http://www.rpmoutlet.com/autospt.htm I just picked up 2 Autometer 3484 Vacuum gauges for setting up my TR and the price was ~35% less than ordering thru my local Auto Parts stores. (I know we can all afford the $20 difference -- but why pay more?) (Although I'm going to ask to disagree with John M. a bit as I would only use the mechanical gauge as a tool -- not as a in-dash replacement.) | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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you know, I've never been into this serial number thing (seems a quirk of Ferrari ownership) but mine is an early Dino (Nov '74) and still has all the Dino badges which I will never swap for the horse. It's done 137,000 Kms (86,000 miles) and I've replaced the exhaust ($3K), clutch ($4.5K-racing version), radiator,oil ($750) and a few other things but it is now very reliable and I track the car A LOT!! regularly running the engine to 8,000+ in all the gears bar 5th and then putter home doing <2,000rpm, this is impressive as far as I'm concerned. I am after some 16" wheels due to heavy understeer on the track and am getting thicker anti-roll bars made up for the track as well. This is my daily driver and NEVER fails to start first time everytime. I'm pulling her off the road next year to rebuild the engine and sort out the wiring, A/C, switches, etc. I'm sure I'll be asking for some help even though I've spent the better part of my life rebuilding cars (you never know it all) I'm getting a car hoist and was wondering if people have a preference for either 2 or 4 post lifts ? I'd love for there to be more GT4s on track day so I could compare mine to others but I'm mostly up against 355s and 360s with the odd V12 (I don't do too bad sometimes in lap times) The other 308s aren't as quick (well, there is one that goes well)but I think it is because I'm just that more suicidal  I'm getting most of my parts from Superformance next year, anyone had good experiences with them ? I've spoken to Mike and he seems a nice guy and probably thinks I'm a tyre kicker but I really want the parts guys!! Ciao | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
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John, yes, GT4's rule! What year & S/N is yours? | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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just one other quick thing about this gauge, you might want to go for the 2623 version as this is black dial and bezel and would be a bit harder to notice in a Ferrari dash. Probably only costs $20 in your part of the woods as it is made in the USA. BTW if any of you guys are ever headed this way be sure to drop in, always room for a Ferrari nut in my house | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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Oh, did I say you pull the old unit out and slot the new one in...after you attach the LONGER tubing!! and as for the porsche-huggers...:^P the guys here on the Gold Coast won't even look at you if you roll up in a Porsche as they KNOW their electrics are a joke - just my bias showing for the Fcars | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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Bo, I must be on drugs, the manufacturer was www.AutoMeter.com and the model was a 3323 0-150psi kit. You can get these from any auto shop for about $75USD ($129 here in OZ)and you will need to take the securing nut for the nylon tubing and the adapter nut that screws into the flange underneath the oil filter to someone who can silver solder the connector to the adapter nut. The gauge just slots straight in but the kit comes with only 6' of nylon tubing so you need to find a tubing store that sells this stuff (it's a fairly common tubing so it shouldn't be any trouble to find and the people I found actually did the soldering for me - the tubing and soldering cost me $10 so in total it cost me under $150AUS after I had spent over $1,000 and it is now totally reliable AND trustworthy) | ||
| Bo Knez (Bo328)
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Hey Guys,thanks for all the info. I think I'm going to go to the mech. gauge,but first I'll try the sending unit "once". When I was a Porsche owner I remember many guys telling me that Ferrari gauges were there just for looks,and that the electronics where almost comical. John if you could track down the model# and where I can order the gauge from. Also John did this mech. gauge replace the dash gauge or do you use it as a bolt on under the dash. | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
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John I would say that your pressure is set too high. Warm pressures are correct but you risk blowing out a filter when cold. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
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as I mentioned I am not an expert but if you are using 5w-50 syn oil I would think that the oil is much more fluid at low temps and thus leads to lower pressure. If you are using straigh 40w or 50w syn oil then I agree you would have higher pressure at lower temps | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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Tom, The readings I listed are exactly what I expected with synthetic oil due to the high viscosity of this type of oil. You always get a high pressure reading when cold and drop off when hot. What really surprised me was the original gauge never changed it's readings from hot to cold and were never accurate. The Autotech gauges are very inexpensive ($90AUS=$45USD)but make sure you get the one that reads to 150psi as you will be very surprised by the real oil pressure you get (mine was checked by the dealer with the "expensive" gauge and read the same)and this is the most important gauge other than the tacho for the track. The sender units are very poor and I went thru 5 units before I gave up and bought the mechanical type(there is a quality control issue with the sender units that the manufacturer,not Ferrari, will not admit to but I still got stung for $500 before I gave up!!). Seriously the best option is for mechanical in this regard due to the importance of the pressure. If you want the model number for the gauge I'll track it down. GT4s rule!! | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
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Bo -- It's usually easiest to try replacing the oil pressure sending unit first -- it's just a few $, and since it's near the oil filter it's not that hard to replace. If the electric gauge still reads low after replacing the sending unit then you need to go to the next level of $/hassle that Edward/John mentioned and temporarily install some more reliable (mechanical) instrumentation to determine if the electric gauge itself is wacky or if the oil pressure is truly low. Personally, I'd never make an adjustment to the oil pump pressure relief valve just based on the stock electrical stuff. JMHOs. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
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John I am not an expert in this but it surprised me you have such variability in pressure from cold to warm, expecially with synthetic oil?? | ||
| John Moretti (Moretti)
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if you are really worried about the pressure you can pull the old gauge out and install a mechanical gauge from Autotech which slots straight in and gives the best indication of exactly what your oil pump is up to. Mine reads 115 when cold at anything above 4000 and drops to 65 at the lights, pre-launch. When hot the pressure drops to 75-80 psi normal running and 35-40 psi at the lights. I only use Shell Helix synthetic oil | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
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First step is to determine exactly how much pressure your engine actually has. This can only be accurately done by using a known accurate mechanical oil pressure gauge and removing the oil pressure light switch to tap the gauge into and then running the engine to compare the mechanical to the electrical dash gauge to determine if there is actually a problem. In most cases the dash gauge is in error. The maximum pressure can be adjusted by adding or subtracting shims from the spring loaded oil pressure relief valve located in the timing cover behind the big nut next to the crankshaft pulley. | ||
| Bo Knez (Bo328)
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OK guys, I was out today enjoying one of the last nice fall days before winter sets in. I was giving my 328 a real run for it since it will be resting for the next 3 months. I happened to look a the oil pressure gauge and it read a little low about 20 to 30 p.s.i. I read the manual and it said I sould be between 71 to 85 p.s.i.at 6000 r.p.m. so I went out and got it to 6000 r.p.m and still no movement in my gauge. A friend stopped by who also has a 328 and he said his oil pressure never goes above 40 -45. what gives? what is the correct psi?....... Also in the manual they talk about adjusting your oil p.s.i. via a valve located on the crankcase front cover (pg. 58) has anyone done this? where exactly is this valve? |