Hi,

The RV8 appears to have both an oil pressure switch and oil pressure sender unit.

Can somebody tell me which is which from the following picture?


RV8 oil pressure sender

Number 2 on the picture is probably going to be in the way of my steering column, so I am wondering if it can just be removed and simply blocked off with a bolt and a copper washer?

Do I need to have both a pressure switch and a sender unit?

Cheers
Sam

Yeah just block it off and put a t-piece in hole 1 so you can reconnect the sender (that's assuming you want a gauge). Europa Specialist spares keep a collection of adaptors for just this purpose.

[Edited on 8/12/07 by Mr Whippy]

No 1 is the warning light.

No 2 look like a oil presure sender.

you can get an adapter to move the sender through 90 deg ( or stick it on a flexi ).

Personally I Like have an oil presure gauge as the old type of rover v8 oil pump is 'just about' upto the job when everything is tip top !!.

regards

agriv8

seem to remember that on the rv8 there is a saftety switch on engine that cuts ignition if oil presure drops to low, could be this (no 2).

Number 2 is the pressure gauge transducer which you need to connect to your oil pressure gauge. Effectively it is a variable resistor with one end connected to earth and the other end connected to the single wire coming off it.

Number two has three connections, one goes to the ignition supply feed, one goes to a connection on the starter motor which gets battery voltage while the starter is spinning and the other goes to the fuel pump (or FP relay if you prefer). The logic is that the fuel pump will only operate if you activate the starter or you have BOTH ignition feed AND oil pressure. Think of it as a toggle switch with the common wire connected to the fuel pump and the normally open connected to ignition feed and normally closed connected to the starter circuit. When the oil pressure is high enough the switch flicks over from normally closed to normally open and the fuel pump will keep running even if you release the starter.

I'd say that you should keep both devices and use a short hose or 90 degree adapter as required to avoid the column.

HTH,
Craig.