Sparky brough up an interesting point but didn't ellaborate. Did you use a thread sealer or teflon tape on the threads of the sender? If you did, you have insulated it from grounding on the engine block. Can't do that.

Try his gauge test to check the gauge, then get out your multi meter and see if you have continuety between the sending unit case (not the wire attaching point) and the engine block! That unit MUST have a good ground to the engine block!

 

Ha ha...story of my life 30+ years as a mechanic, I have even been told that I am good at it once maybe twice ........ but, and this has been confirmed by my wife many many times, I can't explain things very well...... guess that is why I have never moved over to the instructing part of the trade and I am still spinning wrenches and getting dirty

 

Yeah, but you cued my memory on it and if that's what it takes to get the thing fixed for him - hey, whatever works!

Teamwork!

 

41A9278 .. Oil Sending Unit-6V / Obsolete

Fits: 1945/53 Passenger Cars / 1944/52 Trucks / 1953 F100 / All 1954/55 F250 and larger trucks.

If C&G doesn't have any...

ANTIQUE AUTO SUPPLY in Arlington TX has ONE = 817-275-2381.

LINCOLN OLD PARTS STORE in Clearwater FL has THREE = 727-445-1091.

 

I have a 12volts system in my 53, with a electronic oil pressure guage. I do not like it.
It works sometimes, other times it spikes to 80lbs and stays there.
I will be updating to a mechanical one like you mentioned. I look forward to try and keep it in the same place as stock.

Only concern I have is I also have a bypass oil filter, so I wonder if there will be enough oil pressure.

 

If youare interested in the mechanical conversion, see my #4 gallery. There are pictures and step by step instructions. It's pretty easy.

I also have a remote filter - the World Famous "Frantz Oil Cleaner" (which I swear by, by the way) plus a remote oil cooler. Pressure is constant across the system and if you have oil pressure, you will have an indication. Mine works perfectly.

Just do yourself a favor. When you install it, buy the Copper tube to hook it up. I think it's $10 for the repair kit. The plastic tube provided with the gauges gets brittle and breaks.

 

Thanks Julie.

Question,
I have a 53. When I bought it, the PO replaced all the gauges to 56 style (I had an idiot light for oil)

I replaced the idiot light with the electronic oil pressure gauge (it's junk)

Will your style (and faceplate) gauge in your 51 be the same style I can use in my 53?

 

Well there's a few variable's with your question. Im assuming that since you have the 56 gauges, your 53 has been converted to 12 volt.

Now, the mecahnical gauge will fit into a 56 gauge housing (with some minor cutting), but the problem lies in getting the correct face to match your other three gauges. You would have to find a 56 oil pressure gauge (I think on some models there was a gauge instead of a light) or buy one with the face on it. And if you are going to buy one with a face on it, you might as well install that one in the truck - it will come with the sending unit.

The gauges on my 51 are silver faced and two of the gauges are inverted - the oil being one of those two - so no, the 51/52 oil pressure would not work for you.

If I were you I would do one of three things: BUy a 56 oil pressure gauge (LMC has them); find a 56 oil pressure gauge face to match your current gauges (someone must have one out there) and go mechanical conversion; or buy an entire 53-55 dash cluster unit (which show up on e-bay regularly and sell for about $40 - replace ALL the gauge faces so they match, and install the 53-55 oil pressure gauge with a gauge voltage reducer to handle the 12 volts in your cluster.

What pain huh? POs!

 

My truck is 12 volt
I have the LMC 12 volt electronic gauge and its junk
Maybe I can use the face plate from this gauge, and use a mechanical gauge like the modern one you bought, and do the same thing.
I just don't remember if the LMC outer gauge parts had all the mounting brackets in it the house a mechanical gauge

 

How do i get to your #4 gallery

 

"She" is long gone and took "her" albums and gallery with "her". (Hint: she was really a he - long story)

 

maybe I missed most replys, but have you with a jumper on the sender wire to ground.
go in side turn key monumentally oil gauge will shoot up to the max. BUT it may but
may not with jumper removed. Same problem with my car. Bring wife to store oil
gauge dropping and dropping but my mechanical gauge still on 60lbs. So my son
got a couple senders in storage: same thing. So I bought a NOS in the box, gauge
with jumpers 'gauge on the fender' start up, gauge shot right up. They would call me
a liar. Removed my gauge spider webs and I am arackned fobiea. Ok how in hell did
that thing get in there. very very fine web must be a very small spider. Logic theres
no food in there for those discusthing things happened to me. and then my father
put a 50s 12vt generator/ regulator in a F6 around 1960 then, whats a gauge reducer back then nobody knew. But the temp gauge never worked ever.
Today all these years gauges work still has 6vt starter.

 

Maybe you could answer my question.
Looking to start my newly rebuilt motor (3 months ago) that is just bolted into the frame no body or wiring. Wondering what I need to hook up to get it to run and keep an eye on oil pressure and water temp?