Adding mechanical oil pr and temp

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Larry M

Larry M

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I thinking about adding a mechanical temperature and pressure gauge in the engine room for our single FL SP135. I do not want to add an additional set of alarms just gauges that I can look at when I'm working on the engine and independent of any electrical gremlins. Anyone ever do this or have any suggestions? Here's a temp gauge, similar to what I'm thinking about.
 

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I have oil pressure gauges that are fed by oil capillary tubes. Old school technology that I expect to fail, but they just keep on working...and apparently have for 40 years. I have matching Stewart Warner electric spares with sending units sitting in a cabinet waiting to be installed.

Maybe someday...
 
I really liked the full set of mechanical gauges we had in the ERs of our old Hatteras" engine oil pressure, drive oil pressure, engine temperature. Very accurate and handy when doing ER checks and other maintenance work.
 
We had mechanical temp and oil pressure gauges in the ER of the dive boat. Both were connected to a 12 volt fire bell to wake up whomever was driving the boat before things got really bad. Worked real well. Had a hose come off and the bell went off before the engine alarm started.

You can never have too many alarms.
 
:facepalm: Am I the only one here without any engine alarms or idiot lights? All I have a Tach, Oil Ps, and Eng Temp gauges at each helm.
 
FlyWright said:
:facepalm: Am I the only one here without any engine alarms or idiot lights? All I have a Tach, Oil Ps, and Eng Temp gauges at each helm.
Click to expand...

Me too - starting to feel a bit inadequate.................hang on- I also have a volt meter per engine - -sorry FlyWright does this mean I`m techo too AND ............ and an hour meter - I guess technology is my friend:socool:
 
FlyWright said:
:facepalm: Am I the only one here without any engine alarms or idiot lights? All I have a Tach, Oil Ps, and Eng Temp gauges at each helm.
Click to expand...

Are you the ONLY person who ever drives? Do you check the gauges EVERY 30 sec without fail?

Then you don't need alarms.
 
Brisyboy said:
Me too - starting to feel a bit inadequate.................hang on- I also have a volt meter per engine - -sorry FlyWright does this mean I`m techo too AND ............ and an hour meter - I guess technology is my friend:socool:
Click to expand...

I've got those, too, but didn't list them as 'engine gauges'.

wwestman said:
Are you the ONLY person who ever drives? Do you check the gauges EVERY 30 sec without fail?

Then you don't need alarms.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm almost always the operator and I try to monitor them regularly, as I did on airplanes, but necessarily every 30 seconds. Oh well, they've only lasted 40 years as is. I hope they last another 40.
 
"Are you the ONLY person who ever drives? Do you check the gauges EVERY 30 sec without fail? Then you don't need alarms."

The hassle with un setable alarms is they only go off in extreme conditions.

With 5psi of oil pressure or 220F water temp, its a bit late .
 
I installed the gauges today. The install took a couple of hours and more than that trying to get 1/8" hydraulic hose with an 1/8" male and female fittings. If I had to do it again, I would have ordered the hose when I ordered the gauges. Total cost for parts was $108. The two gauges were ~$56 delivered, the mounting bracket ~$11, the hose and fittings ~$41. The gauges I sourced at a tractor supply dealer, the mounting bracket on Amazon and hose/fittings were all local.

I used an 1/8" tee at the block to share the port with one of the oil pressure switches. For the temperature probe, I removed a plug on the side of the header tank. It took a cheater bar to break it loose but it came out ok.
 

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It looked hard to find an oil temp gauge. For what I saw usually temp gauge are labelled water temp and I found few labelled oil temp and with high range.

L
 
Lou_tribal said:
It looked hard to find an oil temp gauge. For what I saw usually temp gauge are labelled water temp and I found few labelled oil temp and with high range. L
Click to expand...

It took awhile to find gauges in the range and the display (simple/basic) that I wanted; oil 0-80 psi and temperature 100-220 degrees F. Farm tractor type companies usually had a good selection. Steiner Tractor Parts is who I ordered the gauges from.

https://www.steinertractor.com/
 
Hi Larry,

After a failing alternator fried the $380 circuit board that controls my electric gauges at the helm, I decided to install a mechanical temperature gauge (also at the helm) as a backup. Engine temp is just too important to take chances with. The gauge is on its way to us. In terms of checking temps while working in the ER, wouldn't a pyrometer be cheaper and easier? Cheers.

David
 
David: I know nothing about pyrometers for temperature monitoring on a Lehman. Any info would be appreciated.

The temperature gauge complete though was only $27.25 plus shipping.

I do have a mechanical temperature alarm on the exhaust elbow if we loose water flow and I have a non contact infrared thermometer that I use for checking individual engine areas.
 
A few tidbits:

Be careful using capillary tubes for oil pressure gauges. Have seen the tubes break and also seen gauges fail internally, both cause leaks that drained the sump over time.

Also be careful putting a tee and nipple into block to connect both the sender and tap for mechanical gauge. That cantilevered mass and the vibes in the block can fatigue the brass nipples at the thread roots. Breaks off and oil goes spraying across engine room. Use steel fittings or hyd hose and mount the tee remotely.

And you do need alarms. Many engines saved by these. You may say you look at gauges every 30sec, but I'm sure there are situations (bad weather, someone taking over the helm, etc) where the gauges do not get watched. A good alarm system is worth it.
 
Ski in NC said:
A few tidbits:

Use steel fittings or hyd hose and mount the tee remotely.
Click to expand...


Clever idea, I would never have thought of using hydraulic hose to mount my oil pressure sensor remote in a more convenient space.
I will add this to my list :)

L
 
Oops. Larry - I just reread your post. It seems you already have one. What I call a pyrometer you call a non-contact thermometer. :facepalm: Sorry about that! LOL

David
 
Thanks Ski! Good stuff.

Ski in NC said:
A few tidbits:

Be careful using capillary tubes for oil pressure gauges. Have seen the tubes break and also seen gauges fail internally, both cause leaks that drained the sump over time.

I had a hydraulic shop make up the hose with fittings. It’s rated to 6800 psi. A bit of over kill but I didn’t want to use clamps or copper tubing with compression fittings plus that was the only hose we could find in 1/8”.

I didn’t know the gauge itself maybe a week link. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Also be careful putting a tee and nipple into block to connect both the sender and tap for mechanical gauge. That cantilevered mass and the vibes in the block can fatigue the brass nipples at the thread roots. Breaks off and oil goes spraying across engine room. Use steel fittings or hyd hose and mount the tee remotely.

That is my concern. I didn’t even think of using steel fittings and mounting the tee remotely. A great idea.

And you do need alarms. Many engines saved by these. You may say you look at gauges every 30sec, but I'm sure there are situations (bad weather, someone taking over the helm, etc) where the gauges do not get watched. A good alarm system is worth it.

We have audible gauges. That was one of the reasons I used the tee for these gauges. The other oil port is also tee’d with brass for an alarm sensor. An easy fix to change steel.
Click to expand...
.
 
By virtue of owning a DeFever, I'm in the ER frequently when cruising. The IR gun is quite handy to read temperatures in many locations such as oil pan, transmission, shaft logs, engine spots, batteries, water lift mufflers, hydraulic system etc.

Remote IR or paste on temperature sensors are available that can be monitored via I phone. From thousands of miles away if one so chooses. Then throw in a camera or two, all wireless. So many options, good thing the Admiral cares about logs rather than systems minutiae.
 
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