OldIHC

So Im now working on my KB's gauges. At some point the oil pressure gauge was disconnected. The owner at the time installed a dial face mechanical gauge to the left of the glove box which was still there when I acquired the truck. I dont know why the change was made, but I took the face off the original and found it to be intact. Either there was a break in the wiring to the sending unit, or he simply wanted a more accurate gauge. Any opinions on whether I should find an original sending unit to get the original gauge working, or stick with a dial face gauge in the dash? Are the old gauges, in working condition, accurate enough to depend on, or, since the hole is already cut in the dash, should I stay with a dial face gauge? If I go back to the factory gauge, im considering added a tach to fill the hole in the dash.

Allen

If what you have is working, stay with it. A clock will be more valuable than a tachometer, if you must go OEM. Lots of luck with that.

A working sender may work. I think this restore guy is still around, this is an old post, his email and phone are on here. He use to be on ebay. Hope this helps.
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=875

Another question: Did the green diamond engines found in the KB's have a stock fitting for a mechanical oil pressure gauge as well as the electrical sender for the gauge in the cluster? In studying the wiring harness I found the wire for the oil pressure gauge and found that the sender is in place in the right side of the block, near the back. Ahead of that is a fitting and copper line that ran to the mechanical gauge installed in the dash just to the left of the glovebox. I always thought that gauge was added later to replace a faulty stock gauge, using the original sender's location. But now I found the fitting ahead of the factory sender. It looks like its tapped in to a reinforced area that is cast in the block. Based on a note scribbled on the Nebraska title its not the original block. But it looks to be the same as other 214's that Ive seen photos of.

If I recall correctly my block had a pipe plug in that location which I believe is tapped into the internal oil galley. I suspect they pulled the plug and plumbed in a mechanical gauge as you mentioned to circumvent a problem with the original gauge. I seem to remember a section in the service manual that outlines testing faulty gauges. I'll try to remember to go out to the shop and look that up if you are interested in keeping the factory gauge. I show about 5-7 psi at idle and 18-20 psi at speed on a hot engine. Accurate? Who knows. As long as the gauge reads and the tappets aren't clattering I figure I'm good. Not sure if a mechanical oil pressure gauge was a factory option.

Im gonna keep everything that was there when I bought it. Paint, mechanical oil pressure gauge, fan, (but moving it from the steering column location), road flares, and engine heater. Just really wondering why the 2nd sender is there. It looks factory because its not just tapped into the block. Its in a reinforced area that looks like its intended for a sender. If it is a stock location to test oil pressure that would make a lot of sense. Ive just never seen a sender for a 2nd gauge.

Allen

Somewhere along the way I think I was told that there are more than one type of stock senders . I had my gauges redone by Larry the gauge guy and my gauge reads high , ( I think that Larry was the one that told me about the different senders ) I need a lower calibrated sender if that makes sence . I added a mechanical gauge at the motor to keep an eye on it .

Most often those "extra" plugs are there because they were used in the mfg process of the engine. The oil rifle drilling move oil down the side of the block. the cross drilling of the block supplies oil to the main bearing saddles for lube of the crank. The cross drilled holes are then plugged at the outside end with a tapped hole an pipe plug. The raw casting is provided with "reinforced areas" where the outside end of these holes will be.
They are convenient places to add oil pressure gauges and bypass oil filter, but they would still be there if the mfg had no intents to have either of these things.

Thanks everybody! It makes sense now.

Allen

Interesting post re oil pressure gauges. All the gauges on my original 49 KB1 dash work. It seams that my oil pressure reading may be wrong but I never gave it a thought until I read this blog. Cold reading is close to 80 lbs , running warm is around 45 and warm idle is about 20.