51 Kaiser oil pressure

[Bill]

 51 Kaiser shows 20 lbs oil pressure. Actual pressure is 40 lbs. I have installed different sending units of known values including NOS as well as new current sending units. I still get 20 lbs on dash gauge. All other gauges are accurate. I Installed a NOS gauge and still get same results. Talk to me!! Cheers BT.

[54 Kaiser]

51 Kaiser shows 20 lbs oil pressure. Actual pressure is 40 lbs. I have installed different sending units of known values including NOS as well as new current sending units. I still get 20 lbs on dash gauge. All other gauges are accurate. I Installed a NOS gauge and still get same results. Talk to me!! Cheers BT.

Isn't the oil pressure gauge mechanical on the 1951?

In '54 they went to the "Idiot Light" with an on/off sensor on the engine.

[54 Kaiser]

Actually, a couple of other suggestions.

You say the "actual pressure is 40 pounds". How do you know?

If you tested the pressure with a known good gauge hooked directly up to the tubing fitting on the block, then it's a valid test. So the problem is the block fitting, the tube, or the gauge. (Which you've already replaced.)

If the original gauge is mechanical (I believe they were up to and including 1953), and you've tried an NOS gauge in the cluster with the same results, then maybe the oil tube is blocked. Try disconnecting the tube from the back of the gauge, put a rag over the end of the tube, start the engine and see if you get a stream of oil from the tube. Be careful with this. The oil will be hot if the motor is warmed up. And you don't want it spraying around the interior. The tube is thin enough that it should be a little more than a trickle flow. You should get oil flow. And not just the odd drip. If you DON'T get some flow from the tube, it's probably blocked with 50 years of crud. Internal rust is another possibility. If you DO get a drip from the end of the tube, you could try waiting with the engine running to see if the blockage will flush out of the tube. (But keep the rag on it so it doesn't end up everywhere when the blockage clears.)

Please let us know your findings?

[Bill]

The 51 Kaisers used all electric gauges. I removed the sending unit and tested it with  2 different mechanical gauges one being a new stewart warner gauge. both showed 38-41lbs from idle to 2000 rpm. Since my first  post I have discovered that the temp gauge is also reading half scale. I know the instrument voltage regulator is ok because the gas gauge is accurate. I have come to the conclusion that something in that old wiring is showing resistance. I am going to pull the dash and jump out the connections it with new wire if that works I will know what to do next. Will keep you posted as to my findings. Any other ideas please let me know. Thanks! Cheers Bill

[54 Kaiser]

38-41 on the SW sounds very good.

Have you measured the voltage on each side of the regulator? It seems odd that the fuel gauge would read correctly but not the oil pressure or temperature.

Sorry for the confusion on mechanical vs. electric.

The Kaisers were well ahead of their time compared with their ford and gm counterparts. (In many ways.)

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Based on my own experiences with 1951 and 1952 Kaisers that used the same temp and pressure systems, here are a few thoughts:

1.  The water temperature sender in the block deteriorates over time, and as it starts to go, it does not read as high as reality.  A simple but not entirely accurate comparison is to run the engine for a bit to get it warmed up and VERY VERY CAREFULLY, SLOWLY remove the radiator cap.  Insert a kitchen thermometer to check the water temperature at the top of the radiator (the hot water return from the block).  Start the engine and compare thermometer with dash reading, remembering that the mid point on the gage should be 170 or so degrees F, and the H end should be in the range of 212-220 F.  If the sender has deteriorated, it will read about half way between C and the start of normal range at around 160 F and will be close to 200 F at the halfway point.  When replacing the sender, make sure you do NOT put in a sender with the mark "240" on it.  In 1953, the sender was changed and the dash gage recalibrated for a top end of 240 F.  The temp range change in 1953 is per the shop manual.

2.  Because the electrical system is positive ground, as the oil pressure sender deterorates it will show LOWER pressure than actual in the engine;  Fords, in contrast (with positive ground) will run higher, going full deflection when the sender fails completly.  I have had a sender fail completly with no pressure (that was scary first time around).  Long-term ownership and operation of the Business Coupe suggests that senders have around a 15 year life cycle. 

3.  1951 Kaisers have a mini voltage regulator that again, wears out with time.  The best detector on this is to run the car, turn on the headlights, drive and watch the temp gage (assuming that the sender is working the way it should).   Use of the lights will affect the electrical balance of the system and you will see the temp gage quickly shoot up to full deflection (at or right by the H side, regardless of outside air temp).  Turn off the headlights and the gage should drop to "normal" in a short period of time.  If this happens, replace the regulator, the small metal thing with wire connectors on the back side of the instrument cluster:  Nash automobiles of the period have a similar set up and can be checked in a similar manner.

Jack Mueller