I want to have a real oil pressure gauge on my Mk2 - currently it’s an oil/no oil indicator.
Does anyone know if I can source a sender unit from an early Mk1 (where it was a proper gauge) and just swap the sender units over and also install an early gauge, as they read in Bar. I had every intention of doing this but then started reading round and this article on miata.net offers a far far more complicated solution, which makes me question why you carry out such mods if you could just swap the sender units. (http://www.miata.net/garage/opg_mod/index.html) Therefore I’m now wondering if you can actually just swap the sender units?
So, does anyone know the answer?
ps. I am aware of the Trackdog Sender units available at Moss, I was looking for something alot cheaper.
You can just swap the sender units but you when you try to swap the gauge you will find a mk1 gauge will not fit in the mk2 housing so there is the problem. I went for a new sender that has a switch for a warning light in it so I will have a gauge and warning light as well. A light is more obvious when there is a sudden drop in oil pressure. Just my opinion.
You can make the gauge fit or “clean” out the dampening grease on the mk2 gauge. Both routes have been used as you have probably found.
I have gone the route of fitting a “proper” sender on my mk2.5 but I have yet to fit the mk1 gauge as I believe it be even harder and I keep forgetting that is a job I have to do.
Cheers. Sounds like it might just be simpler just to get a VDO sender unit and VDO Gauge seperately mounted. I’m inserterting a gauge pod anyway as I’m also inserting a Wideband and Oil Temp gauge.
I’m just trying to get everything in order and understand what I’m doing before you I hit you with the full list of work !! I’ll give you a call, as there’s a couple of other things I’m struggling to get to grips with as well.
I must admit that’s what I’m trying to avoid - they’re £125 in the UK. I can get a Mk1 sender and gauge for £30 or a brand new VDO sender and gauge for £80. I know it sounds like I’m being tight but there’s alot of work that’s going to be done to the car in the coming 6 months and I’m just trying to keep costs to a minimum.
Wayne, that is the sender I got but you still have to overcome the dampened gauge, just changing the sender works but the gauge takes an age to respond. That is how my car is at the moment and it drives me made, infact so much so that this thread has got me thinking I’m going to sort this tomorrow.
Sorry to hijack a old thread, I have a NB and so far on the previous 5s
always fitted a real oil guage and sender, you say “You can make the gauge fit or “clean” out the dampening grease on the mk2 gauge”
As far as I’ve read, not that I’ve done it myself, it’s a (not so) simple matter of disassembling the mk2 gauge and using some squirty cleaner to empty out the grease that damps the needle so it can respond to the sender.
This so called damping grease???there is a lot more to it than remove this grease??? which is about how the electrics work on the gauge to dampen it…not grease.
You have a couple of options, either fettle a Mk 1 gauge from the early Mx/roadster and the sender unit to match, …working gauge
Fit a after market sender unit like a track dog sender unit and you will get a working gauage with the MK 2 gauge still being used, although it will not work as good as the Mk 1 set up…, but will work.
Fit a after market gauge and sender unit and mount it on the piller,in a vent under the head unit and so on…working gauge
What i will say is, if this is for a Mk 1.8? forget the gauge, and just keep an eye on the dip stick as they do use oil.
Damper grease,i have heard everything now, don’t you just love the interweb??? better get some in for the suspension units?
