The only gauge on my dash that doesn't work is the oil temperature. When running, it goes all the way to the right. First of all, I'm assuming that this means a fualty sender. Any other opinions? Second, I've had a look on the lower end of the engine looking for a likely looking sender and can't find one. Anyone kow where this sensor is located?

 

Its on intake just to the left of the distributor.

 

Right above the oil filter, single wire going to it. My assembly manual show Part Number 25036222. There are three wires that attach to the back of the gage. Hope this helps.

YBnormal...drive a vette

 

The one just behind the intake to the left of the distributor is the oil pressure sending unit.

YBnormal...drive a vette

 

Found it! Thanks. At least now I can fiddle with the output to see if the sensor is faulty. Here goes another can of brake cleaner!

 

If it's the gage let me know I have an extra somewhere that I am not planning on using. jim

 

I've just been talking to Gator81 about this (mine is pissing oil out which has run down the back of the block & burnt itself onto my hand crafted & polished st/st exhaust system. What a mess, that's the last time I ever polish a car exhaust ). The temp sender is screwed into the block just above the oil filter mount. Before replacing it I'd check that the wire to the gauge isn't shorted to +12v or 0v. Or it could be a problem with the printed circuit behind the gauges (can't remember if any of it is used for the oil temp gauge, but for your sake I hope it isn't, it's a real pita working on that thing).

 

Sorry to hear that Paul. There is something majical about the ability of polished metal to attract (or perhaps cause?) the worst kind of oil and grease.

This is my hope as well, or perhaps the sensor is faulty. After i put the turkey on the barby, I'll be pulling the connector off and seeing what effect this has on the reading. i'll try grounding it to the block as well. My hope is that the sensor is dead. The next best would be a shorted wire. Your possibility is one that I choose not to think about yet.

 

thanks Jim. I'll keep this in mind. I appreciate the offer.

Not interested in the mystery of the temperature of the oil?

 

thanks Jim. I'll keep this in mind. I appreciate the offer.
Not interested in the mystery of the temperature of the oil?

Going with non original gages because I am interested in the real temperature of the oil!!!!! lol jim

 

That sensor is very hard to find. GM doesn't list it anymore and none of the aftermarket seem to carry it.

 

Just a tit-bit of information about the oil temp. gage for anyone that is interested. Apparently GM did a mod at some time before my 81 rolled down the line. The flex-board on the back of the center cluster was originally designed to control all the gages (or maybe a clock instead of an oil temp gage) in the center cluster. They apparently went with a mod that taped over the holes (connections) where the oil temp gage is and just bent it up out of the way and went with a 3 wire hard connection straight to the back oil temp gage When I had my center cluster out I started checking to see why some of the bulbs would not work and found that under the tape on the flex-board (tape over the connections behind the oil temp gage) had trapped moisture and corroded completely through the copper paths for some of the light bulbs traces for the cluster lights. Fix was to peel the flex-board apart in this area and solder a small wire across where the traces had corroded into, then glue the flex-board back together and all the center cluster gage lights work again.

YBnormal...drive a vette

 

yb,
You've jogged my memory (no mean feat!!!). That's exactly the same as mine, a piece of tape & the "board" bent back. Like yours, mine also had a broken track which I fixed exactly as you described. There were also another couple of tracks broken and (here's my tip) I found it much easier to fix them when I brought the board into work & soldered jumper wires across the tracks using low melting point solder (the stuff used for surface mount componants) & a soldering iron with a small low temp tip. Also, cleaning the tracks with some 1200 wet-or-dry & a SMALL amount of Isopropanol made the solder "take" immediately on contact. Cleaning up the tracks with the 1200 & using LMP solder vastly reduces the risk of melting through the "board" that you get when using a normal soldering iron & solder (go on, ask me how many holes I put through the "board" when fixing the 1st broken track! ).
Fitting the pcb back into the car when there's a bunch of repair wires on it is an exercise in patience (beer is mandatory for this job - do not rush it, take your time, stay calm & be very careful when pushing the large plugs back into it - this is a job you'll only want to do once ).

edit: completely O/T, is "tit-bit" the correct expression? It is here, but I keep seeing "tid-bit" on this forum. Is that a polite term, or just a way to avoid any possible censoring? After getting into trouble after talking about smoking a ***, I'm trying to avoid any future misunderstandings

 

Hey Paul

Had to chuckle about that. You have to be careful, don't you. I smoke about 20 **** a day, which could easily be misinterpreted here



.......I'll resist the urge to start talking about fannies (actually that's a fairly good idea over here too, depending on who's listening)

 

whoaaa!! You're on really thin ice with that one
Hi, long time no speak. How's the Vette coming on? Parked mine up after the local meet in september & then the road tax expired. Being skint (tight!) I haven't taxed it as I won't be driving it during the winter, so it's just sat in a garage since then. Looking at somebodies sig pic yesterday I was thinking "Wow, that's a nice looking Vette" & suddenly remembered that I've got one of my own that looks exactly the same How did I forget that? I must be working to hard! I need to get over to where I keep it, "bum a *** off a mate" & sit looking at it, just to remind myself that I actually own one The hard part will be resisting the urge to take large parts of it to pieces as I've done for the last 3 winters

 

he he he
Oh the vette, the vette
Bloody job that is. I've been slowly getting through all the jobs I wanted to do to it while the gearbox job is on the go. Trouble is those jobs are getting in the way of the 'box!
I've got the t/a's stripped down, bought new rear wheel bearings and s/s handbrake bits, made the bearing removal press and the setup tool, (just need to make the reinstallation tool - bit trickier as it requires a 3/4 20tpi internal thread, which we don't have taps for - so I'm going to have a pop at my first bit of internal thread cutting on the lathe, gulp)

I've found a good source of POR-15 over here (Frosts restoration, up North) so the t/a bits are all being treated to that.

Then I've got to paint the chassis and fuel tank, fix a rusted mount reinforcement, rebuild the halfshafts, new seals in the diff - THEN it's on to the gearbox.
Still not ruled out building myself, but given the fact that time is of the essence, I'm getting keener and keener on going for a Bowtie 200 4r like your good self.
Then we're getting somewhere hope to have it on the road in time for the nationals, but even that might be a bit ambitious.
In the meantime, one of my colleagues is picking up a black 80 from surrey this sat, so I'm going to become chief "80 consultant"
Can't wait til we can both rock up at work in the vettes (oh my god, how cheesy!)
Make for an interesting car-park, amongst all those mondeos and astra's - it was fun enough sitting on the balcony watching people stoppong for a look at mine, let alone with two to gawk at! (That's if he hasn't sold it before mines roadworthy again!)


Cheers

 

I used zinc based gas tank paint on the tank (2 large spray cans). It's good stuff & is excellent at showing up any fuel leaks as it melts & drips all over everything below it (lovingly prepared & painted or powdercoated) before setting hard again. I'd recommend emptying the tank & then coating the inside with a good sealer (Kreem or something from a marine suppliers that FEDX has found - I'll dig out his email if you need its name). It's worth doing as finding a leak on a warm evening when you just want to drive it is a real bummer. No, it's well beyond a real bummer, it's a total **** off. Especially if you've got a full tank of fuel DO NOT smoke any **** if you find yourself in this situation!
My good self? Huh? Ah-ha, you've not met me yet The BTO stuff makes installation a breeze. Having done mine I reckon that I could do another one in a day, especially if I had the luxury of a hoist. If you do get one send me an email & I'll tell you what NOT to do when installing it
Look, there's not enough C3's around here as it is, without you northerners coming down & carrying them all off Hope it's the one I saw a couple of weeks ago as it sounded really healthy & the paint looked immaculate.
Or he hasn't worn it out by the time you finish the total nut & bolt restoration that you're heading towards
What's this about a balcony at work?!!! Sounds a bit exotic, are dancing girls involved at all?

 

First of all, I want to thank you gentlemen for this insight. This is the kind of thing that one can spend many hours chasing. I probably won't bother right now as there are SO MANY other things that need doing on this sick puppy yet.

I think that the term is "tid-bit" meaning small bit. It's possible that I like your version better though.

Also at the risk of getting smacked, I remember a Brit friend of mine when I was working in a factory some twenty years ago. As was the style, I had my smokes folded into the sleeve of my shirt. He came up to me and said "hey, gives us a ***" to which I responded "hey man, I'm not into that." The perplexed look on his face is something that I'll cherish forever.

 

Here's the setup. That's the GM number for the sensor.

 

Thanks. I'm pretty sure the expression here is "tit-bit". It's what I say, but I do get the odd look now and then
Was that from the film The Wild One, or was it Rebel Without A Cause? It could have been worse. In the 60's the term was "Can I scrounge a ...." but that was a bit posh sounding (like in the old WWII movies) so in the 70's various other terms were used, the main ones being "Ponce" & "Bum". "Can I bum a ***?" was an innocent question in the pubs up & down the land, but it's not something you'd want to say in the US!