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problem with oil pressure gauge (digital dash)

2K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  mgnut 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone, I recently installed an electronic dashboard, I had a regular one with 3 arrows, on the new cluster, the oil pressure was only just as "yes / no" with control lamp
in order for the dashboard to show pressure, I bought the oil pressure sensor sw2220 motorcraft, but by connecting the sensor to the dashboard, it shows some kind of nonsense.
when the engine is turned off - it regularly shows that the pressure is at zero, but a second after starting the engine, two upper segments and two lower ones light up.

(a similar thing was with a temperature indicator when I closed the wire from the temperature sensor to ground) but in the case of pressure, a short to ground is excluded, since I threw a new separate wire from the sensor to the dashboard.
Maybe there is some resistor needed?
 
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#2 ·
The resistor should be integrated into the circuit on instrument cluster itself, unless there was a variation of that cluster that used a real sending unit(which I’m 99.9% certain isn’t the case). Short of it being a problem with the cluster or being the wrong pressure switch, I have found that wire length has a profound effect on the gauge reading, the resistance of the wire running the length of the engine, to the passenger side of the firewall and through the dash is enough to cause the gauge to read lower, where a shorter wire run more direct causes it to read high.
 
#3 ·
Some cars had the resistor in the wire, near the sender.
 
#4 ·
I'll try different resistors. I know that the pressure is "OK" I measured it with the mechanical tool. Bit i want to see it on the dash, so ill try to find nominal of resistor that would show the middle lamp on the pressure oil unit
 
#5 ·
I have a better idea - put a actual sending unit on it, and let it indicate proportionate to the actual pressure.

RwP
 
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