brucksch

Just got the 81 back from the shop. Was having a great day with it when I noticed my Oil temperature gauge bouncing all over the place with each bump. Dumb question time ... can I just replace the gauge with a clock instead? Or am I missing the importance of knowing the oil temp?

0Willcox Corvette

The bouncing is probably due to a bad connection on the sender. Go look at the sender and see if the wire connection is loose. The actual gauge works in a similar fashion to that of a temp gauge. It only requires power, ground and a signal and bounce is usually a loose wire.

If the connection is good at the engine then you should pull the center cluster and check the condition of the printed circuit. Look at the fingers where the connector plugs in and see if one has de-laminated from the board. One may be touching another one and grounding out the gauge.

To answer your clock question, yes.. you can install a clock on the car but you will need to purchase a clock and a printed circuit board.. (or run a hotwire to the clock).

Willcox

0Willcox Corvette

You might check the connector on the back of the a gauge too... I forgot this one plugged in separate.

brucksch

Thanks, I'll check the wires now.

brucksch

So my shop manual does not show me where the Oil Temperature Sensor is on the engine. It shows me all the sensors down the driver's side of the engine (coolant temp, oil pressure and O2) but no where else. I do know it should be a dark green and white wire.
So where can I find this sensor?

0Willcox Corvette

brucksch

That's odd. My shop manual shows that as the "Oil Pressure Sender". I'll check the color on the wire tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for the help!!

Tim81

The oil pressure sending unit is located to the rear of the intake manifold and screws into the top of the block on the rear rail or china wall. It looks like a round can with a wire connected to the middle of it.

Hope this helps Tim

brucksch

IT WORKS AGAIN.
Thanks so much for the help.
The diagram above is correct and the GM 1981 Chevrolet Corvette Shop Manual is incorrect on figure 8A-44. The sending unit was just above the oil filter. As soon as I got under the car I could see that something had hit it from under. The plastic fell apart in my hand but the electrical plug was still good.
Thanks again.

Now on to the next problem of the spare tire for the 81. It's a Goodyear "Temporary Use Only" P195/80D15 Polyspare. Where do I find a replacement? This one is dry rotted.

LannyL81

Also needed if replacing the oil temp gauge with a clock is a new gauge bezel. The clock and the oil temp gauge are different with the clock requiring a larger hole, plus a really small hole for the adjustment **** to come through.

0Willcox Corvette

Good Deal Bruckch...

pippo350

You are going to do my opposite think:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ought-but.html