pressure gauge advantages.

tim-m

Member
What are the disadvantage of using a oil pressure gauge to check fuel pressure ? I do know the advantages are that a oil pressure gauge is a lot cheaper. Thanks everone. Tim
 

Well, an oil pressure gauge typically is labeled as oil pressure. You should add a label to prevent confusion if it measures some thing else.

More to the function side, fuel pressure usually runs less than 10 psi where as oil pressure runs 20 psi and above. A 0 to 50 psi oil pressure gauge will not allow for accurate readings in low presure range as compared to a fuel pressure gage. I checked a oil pressure gauge I purchased recently, the range between 0 and 10 psi is approximately 1/4" of needle movement with no number markings.
 
Thanks for the reply Ken, consider this, if I had a 50 fuel pressure gauge and a 50 lb oil pressure gauge , other than the ID what would the differents be ???
 

The oil pressure gauges I am familiar with have a needle movement limited to approximately 60 degrees. Conversely, fuel pressure gauges I have seen have a needle movement more like 270 degrees. If both gauges read from 0 to 50 psi, the 270 degrees of needle movement will provide for 5 times the needle movement for each psi. This makes the gauge easier to read an actual pressure value.

Typically the limited movement gauges are less accurate which probably accounts for the cost difference you noted. If you are only interested in a pressure indication then either gauge will do that.

I am not knowledgeable about specific material selections, design parameters, dampening, safety features etc. which may exist between the two gauge types. Therefore, I did not comment relative to those items in my first post.

However, since it sounds like you may be running a significant level of fuel pressure I will add a comment about safety: Some (probably not all) oil pressure gauges have a snubber installed in the inlet fitting. This is simply a small hole which serves to steady the needle movement. This can be a small set screw with a hole drilled through it - similiar to a carburetor jet. This jet can also limit the leakage in the event the gauge fails. For use with fuel I would suggest snubber in the 0.010" to 0.020" diameter range to limit leakage.
 

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