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MG MGB Technical - Substitute for oil pressure gauge

I want to retrofit the dual oil pressure/water temp gauge into my '73 'BGT. I prefer the temp in degrees and always thought that gauge to me more useful and accurate.

That liberates the litle square oil pressure gauge. I'd like to put something useful in the space. I know Smith makes a clock that size. Does anyone have one or a source? I'd be thrilled to put a voltmeter in there, but I can't think how hat wouold be done with keeping in the style of the other instruments.

Any suggestions?

Steve Lipofsky
Steve Lipofsky

Steve,
Here is the official Smiths Website and unfortunately they don't offer any square gauges like the MGB oil pressure gauge, in fact I've never seen another square Smiths gauge quite like it, but they could exist. Mario

http://www.caigauge.com/

and a US supplier:
http://www.gaugeguys.com/smiths/catalog.htm

Mario Funk

A bit unorthodox, but you could switch to the 77-80 style dashboard. It's all round holes, and you would get the gauge selection that you won't get now.

FWIW,
Justin
Justin

Steve,

I recently changed to a compound oil pressure/temp gauge and after exhausive research could not come up with a substitute for the rectangular guage...as the engine is out, I think that I may just hook both of them up (of course, this may double the change of a leak)

BTW, the dual gauge is great, as the temp gauge is completely mechanical, it works when the car is off.

rn
RN Lipow

I may be missing something, but I believe a stack of warning lights, one above the other, fills that hole in some models.
Dan

I think that I've got the answer.

I pulled an electric square oil pressure gauge from my spares. I hope to find the proper resister so make the gauge read like a proper voltmeter, calibrate it and make a new face in Photoshop.

By the way, is the oil line fitting to the dual gauge identical to the one for the square gauge?

Also, I have seen Smith clocks just the size of our square oil pressure gauges.

Steve Lipofsky

When I went to the dual gage I also switched to the larger diameter Mk-I tach and speedo and eliminated the square hole entirely. Of course, that meant recovering the dash but black leather is much nicer than vinyl.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

Steve,

it's the same size oil pipe. just make sure that you use a new leather washer.

rn
RN Lipow

The sender for the Temp gauge is a bit large. Is there an existing hole in the firewall of my '73 'BGT that I can use to pass it through? I wonder if I can withdraw the speedo cable, put the sender through and replace the speedo cable?

Do I assume correctly that I can't withdraw the sender from the gauge?
Steve Lipofsky

You can't.

rn
RN Lipow

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2003 and 30/06/2003

MG MGB Technical index

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