Oil gauge installation?

[Greg liekweg]

Plan on installing a oil gauge. The fitting that is installed in the block is it the one that hold the dist. in place? And if so my oil pump doesn't have the spring on the bottom of the oil pump that help hold it up.

[AL in NY]

Greg, not sure what you're talking about. The nut/screw that holds the distributor in place is in the head. That's not where you want to put the oil pressure gauge fitting. That should go in the plugged hole at the bottom of the block near the pan rail. It's directly under the distributor nut/screw. you say you don't have a spring on the oil pump, then you are probably using this plug hole to hold up the oil pump. If that's the case, and you definitely want to install the oil pressure gauge, then you are going to have to remove the oil pan and replace the spring on the bottom of the pump.

[goodoldvic]

The fitting is the pipe plug just above the oil pan carb side of the engine.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by Greg liekweg

Plan on installing a oil gauge. The fitting that is installed in the block is it the one that hold the dist. in place? And if so my oil pump doesn't have the spring on the bottom of the oil pump that help hold it up.

There is no way the distributor hold down can be used to access the oil system or the pump. The connection you want to use is the plug just above the pan rail on the passenger side.

[Mike V. Florida]

You do know that the oil pressure in an A is near zero when running?

[James Rogers]

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Pressure in an A motor is probably only 1 or 2 pounds at a high idle and might make 5 pounds running down the road but an oil pressure gauge will tell you the pump is working but not much else. The pump is so efficient, it may be disconcerting to watch it when running at speed. I have had mine to pump the oil so low in the pan that it would drop to 0 quite often. In a modern, this would be reason for concern but in an A it is good since it means, the oil is in the valve chamber where it needs to be.

[Greg liekweg]

Sorry ment , oil pump in place.

[Terry, NJ]

Why scare yourself? When you see what the oil really is. You'll think you have a bad engine, on it's last legs and why isn't it making more noise? My 1952 8N tractor was 40lbs at idle and 3-5 lbs when warm. It scared the heck out of me until I learned that this was normal. I thought it was a terrible oversight on Henry Ford's part to exclude the gauge on the mod A till I heard it really wasn't necessary. The was almost nothing to measure.
Terry

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

You do know that the oil pressure in an A is near zero when running?

Dog here,
Then why not run a plastic tube out under the back uf the hood & hook it to a RED BALLOON? "MAYBE" it would outsell RAIN-X ???
Buster T.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

Why scare yourself? When you see what the oil really is. You'll think you have a bad engine, on it's last legs and why isn't it making more noise? My 1952 8N tractor was 40lbs at idle and 3-5 lbs when warm. It scared the heck out of me until I learned that this was normal. I thought it was a terrible oversight on Henry Ford's part to exclude the gauge on the mod A till I heard it really wasn't necessary. The was almost nothing to measure.
Terry

AND, Henry knew that if the oil pump, or it's drive broke, the car would just DIE suddenly!
Bill W.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by Greg liekweg

Sorry ment , oil pump in place.

That plug DOES NOT hold the pump in place. If you use something to hold the pump in place there you may damage the pump or block and could cause pump failure and bearing damage.

[Greg liekweg]

OK, Sorry for the confusion, I was half asleep. Now at some point in it's life. Someone took off the spring on the bottom of the oil pump and ground a flat spot on the side of the oil pump housing and used a bolt with a jam nut through the hole where you put the fitting for an oil gauge. I've taken off the oil pan, Have another oil pump WITH the spring that is good. I have 3 Model A's. Two of them have oil gauges and this one doesn't, So I do know how the oil can read O at idle when Hot. I was a little confused when I seen that their was a bolt where their should have been a plug.

[Willie Krash]

I realize where you wished to hook up an oil gauge was a mistake but it is worth mentioning that dist bolt that holds it in place has another important function.
If it is loose or missing you can develop a driveability problem. It is the secure path to ground for the dist.

[Greg liekweg]

Mentioning the Dist. bolt was my accident. I am very sorry for the confusion.

[Willie Krash]

Originally Posted by Greg liekweg

Mentioning the Dist. bolt was my accident. I am very sorry for the confusion.

I do understand this Greg,
I was taking an opportunity to point out that the dist hold down bolt can affect driveability. It is something one does not want to over-tighten yet when loose can cause problems.
Thanks,