Stage 1 V8

Hi,does anyone know the thread size on the oil pressure transmitter DRC2479.i wondered if there’s an alternative to a genuine one as I think mines packed up

RIMMER list an aftermarket replacement.

Can't remember exactly where I got mine from but it was one of the usual suspects using a rover part number, not a generic Smiths aftermarket one.

There seems to be more than one type of these gauges so you've got to get the right bits paired together and they do seem to be different to the standard Smiths accessory one too (which seem to go to 7 bar rather than 4 bar). I've tried using a sender from an early RRC in the past which didn't work, they are also different to the parts used in 4 cyl models. This means you might have to experiment a bit to find what works with your clock (start with a stage 1 part but it might have been changed in the past).

Every wiring diagram I can find for a Smiths oil pressure gauge states that though all the other guages should be wired from a regulated supply, oil pressure gauges should run direct off battery supply (I've read somewhere this is because some senders work in a very simular way to the regulator so efectively perform this function themselfs, I wonder if its also because they tend to be much faster acting than the very heavily damped temprature gauges) - HOWEVER, my stage 1 gauge doesn't like running direct off the battery - it just pegs at max, running through the stabaliser though (same one that does the fuel and temp) it reads about what I'd expect (they aren't very precise) thought whilst its fine at idle and driving it seems to have a dead patch where it reads 0 instead of about 1.5 bar and it flicks around a lot. I'm contemplating replacing it with something that works better but then I'd loose the factory look and it'd also not match the oil temp and vacuum gauges next to it which I'd have trouble accepting.

Thanks for the reply. I bought a smiths one and fitted it tonight. The gauge just goes to the max so guess I’ll have to look at the wiring

Checked the wiring last night. I don’t think the sender and gauge are compatible. The sender is giving the gauge an earth so when a live feed is put to the gauge it just goes to max.Tried a feed from the voltage stabiliser and it’s the same.checked the gauge with resistance and it works. I’m thinking the sender shouldn’t provide an earth until the engine is running ?

The sender provides a variable reading. As they're a single wire system they can only supply earth via the block to the gauge. As per the oil temp sender next to it. With volt or ohm metre connected you should be able to see the reading change through start up and increasing rpm. Permanent 12 v out the terminal should mean the sender's died or you have the wrong one.

Thanks. I’ll try another sender