Hi all;
I'm swapping the idiot lights on my 1983 Elky 305 for real gauges. I have the gauges and believe I have resolved my dash circuit problems. I have replacement sending units from one of our on-line members.
The replacement of the temp sender doesn't appear to be a problem. Replacement of the oil pressure sender looks like something else again.
It is located to the side and somewhat under the distributor at the back of the engine by the firewall. My questions: is there a special tools for getting the sender out or do you have to remove the distributor to do it? Where it's located I cannot get a socket or end wrench on it.
Also, the replacement sender has only one spade fitting. The original has four; one tan, one blue and two that appear to be brown with a white line. I know the tan one is for the gauge hook-up and the blue is for the choke heater. What is with the other two? The wiring diagram in the GM shop manual appears to show a single brown wire (no white line indicated).
Also, again, the replacement oil pressure sender seems too long to fit under the distributor. Could there be more than one unit that goes on this engine.
I know this is a long post but the damn thing is beginning to frustrate me on an otherwise nice Sunday afternoon.
Any insights and help you can offer would be appreciated.

Dan

a..

What you are referring to behind the distributor is the oil pressure switch. It's part of the choke heater circut and idiot "oil" light. The oil pressure sending unit screws into the engine block down by the oil filter.

The original has four; one tan, one blue and two that appear to be brown with a white line.
See this schematic. (http://elcaminocentral.com/users/elcamino/schematics/indicators_cluster_2.jpg)

Thanks for the quick reply, Ernie.
From the schematic I understand the circuitry as it presently exists.
However, I'm still confused with respect to the location of the new sender. There is a female threaded opening just above the oil filter, and the new sender does fit the threads of the opening. However. since it does not appear to have a plug of any kind I don't see how the oil could get to the sender; otherwise wouldn't it have been spraying out all this time (110K miles)?
Also, re the new wiring: would I by-pass the new gauge and run a hot line to the old switch and keep it in place for the choke heater and control module functions, while at the same time run a new "tan" wire from the new sender back up to the new gauge?
Thanks, again.
Dan

I took a picture of an oil pressure sending unit on an engine in my garage. Are you sure that there isn't an NPT plug in the hole?

http://elcaminocentral.com/users/elcamino/pics/oil_pr_sender.jpg

...would I by-pass the new gauge and run a hot line to the old switch and keep it in place for the choke heater and control module functions, while at the same time run a new "tan" wire from the new sender back up to the new gauge?
I'd just cut the tan wire off of the oil pressure switch and run it to the new oil pressure sending unit. Leave the blue and brown wires intact on the oil pressure switch so the choke heater will still work.

See this schematic. (http://elcaminocentral.com/users/elcamino/schematics/gauges_cluster_2.jpg)

Thanks for helping me with this Ernie. The picture of the sending unit on your engine confirms we're talking about the same thing. However, I don't have the hex head thing coming out of the block for the sender to screw into; just the threaded opening.
I've sent some additional comments and a picture to you via mail@malibunirvana.com. I wasn't sure how to get them on this site but I do know how to attach them to email. I'm really quite new at all this, including crawling under the Elky with a digital camera. Not the best locale for a clear picture, but the threaded opening is just visable above the oil filter.
Dan

Here is the picture you sent me:
http://elcaminocentral.com/users/elcamino/pics/block.jpg
What you think is the threaded hole is not really the right hole.

I went back out to the garage and took a picture of another engine. This one is a 74 block. The previous picture was an 87 block.
http://elcaminocentral.com/users/elcamino/pics/oil_pr_sender2.jpg
The circle shows where the hole should be. The interesting thing about this picture is that the hole isn't drilled in the block. So, you may not have it drilled on your block either. If that's the case, you'll have to rig up a tee fitting behind the distributor where the oil pressure switch is.

Hmmm, Interesting indeed. Jon

Thanks a million, Ernie. The second pic you sent made all the difference. You were right. There was a plugged hole above the oil filter. It was invisible from underneath lying on the garage floor with relatively low light. I located it by feel.
Knowing it was there I was then able to spot it from the side by turning the front wheels all the way to the right. That also allowed me to get on the plug from the side with a 1/2" ratchet and two extensions. After 21 years it was in there pretty tight.
Now I'll finish the wiring, cross my fingers, start it up and hope for the best.
Thanks again; you were a life saver.

Dan

Thanks a million, Ernie.
You're very welcome Dan. That's why we're all here at ECC, to help other Elky enthusiasts. By the way, where on the block did you install the temperature sensor?

[/quote]
By the way, where on the block did you install the temperature sensor?[/quote]

That's next. It's on the front of the block low down between the #1 and #3 cylinders. I went after the hard job first; the temp is more readily accessible. Other than lowering the coolant in the block below the level of the opening I don't anticipate any difficulties; but then again, I never do and have been surprised many times.
Dan

I replaced my temp. sensor recetly and if you're quick and have
the new one ready you should be able to put it in quickly and
loose very little coolant.
You probably already know this, but there are different sensors for
the idiot light and the gauge. I didn't :(

I replaced my temp. sensor recetly and if you're quick and have
the new one ready you should be able to put it in quickly and
loose very little coolant.
You probably already know this, but there are different sensors for
the idiot light and the gauge. I didn't :(

Yeah, I thought I would try the "quick swap" first. I thought maybe the sealed system would help form enough of a vacuum to hold it from being a gusher.
Yes, I knew about the sensors. I told Robert Adams on one of the other Elky sites what I was doing and he provided both the temp and oil pressure sensors.
Dan

Hi all:
A couple of weeks ago I had a lot of messages going on about swapping in a set of Elky gauges to replace the idiot light that came with my Elky.
I had to drop the project for a while for a number of reasons, but finally got it done over the week-end. (BTW, driving with no gauges OR idiot lights for two weeks is kind of a strange feeling too.)
Things worked out well and I now have the Elky gauges I wanted and have them "hard-wired" in rather than going thru the PCBs in the dash.
A number of you offered advice and help, but particularly I wanted to thank Ernie G and Steve H for their help. Believe me, the pictures they provided of how things needed to look was really great.

Dan

Hi all:
A couple of weeks ago I had a lot of messages going on about swapping in a set of Elky gauges to replace the idiot light that came with my Elky.
I had to drop the project for a while for a number of reasons, but finally got it done over the week-end. (BTW, driving with no gauges OR idiot lights for two weeks is kind of a strange feeling too.)
Things worked out well and I now have the Elky gauges I wanted and have them "hard-wired" in rather than going thru the PCBs in the dash.
A number of you offered advice and help, but particularly I wanted to thank Ernie G and Steve H for their help. Believe me, the pictures they provided of how things needed to look was really great.

Dan

Glad to hear that the gauge swap was a success. So, you took pictures of all the steps so others can benifit from your experience.........right?

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this found the thread on Google. my temp gauge recently stopped working i replaced the gauge with another used gauge and the sending unit is replaced (new) and i checked the wire and there is a slightly melted part from where it appears to have touched the exhaust but it didn't melt threw just kind of charred the casing all other gauges are working as well as lights so i dint think it is a ground any suggestions?

ground the wire your gauge should peg if not check the gauge and printed circuit

i tried grounding it in a few different places and nothing happened so basically i need to run a new line?