Oil Pressure Sending Unit 1972 Series 3

[Pete56]

Hello,

I have a bad oil pressure sending unit (the one that works the oil pressure gauge) is there a more affordable option than the stock sender? The Smith gauge is working fine I just need a new sending unit.

This is on a 1972 Series 3 with 2.25 gas motor.

Thanks,
Pete

[SafeAirOne]

Any oil pressure sender with the correct ohm range (and direction) and the correct thread size and pitch should work, I would think. The trick is finding these tidbits of information. It's out there if you're a proficient and patient googler.

Bear in mind that senders like that aren't very cheap in general, compared to the idiot light pressure switches.

[pitchrollyaw]

I believe the original oil pressure setup for the SIII requires that odd big can of a sender. The circuit uses a voltage stabilizer and I think the gauge and sender are matched and won't work w/ either a modern gauge or sender...at least that's what I read when I dealt w/ mine a few years ago. I wound up springing for a new sender, solid state stabilizer and have been happy since.

Here is a decent write up of the arcane setup (article may have a slight error as the stabilizer delivers a steady 10v through the gauge to the sender): http://www.lrfaq.org/Series/FAQ.S.GuagesOilPressure.html

Pangolin has the OE senders at a somewhat reasonable price.

Good luck...

[o2batsea]

I got all my smiths stuff from Gaugeguys.com: http://gaugeguys.com/Smiths/accessories.htm

To my mind they are way more on the ball than the "other" guys...Nisonger.

There are two types of smiths oil gauge. The mechanical with a tube, and the electrical with the sender.

[pitchrollyaw]

my error...and bad memory. the SIII d/n feed the oil pressure gauge from the stabilizer, but I am still not sure that the original gauge is compatible w/ a modern sender.

here is the G&R thread from my adventure w/ this: http://siteground237.com/~gunsandr/showthread.php?3341-72-Series-3-oil-pressure-gauge-circuit&highlight=pressure+gauge