oil pressure bouncing

craigswardmtb

craigswardmtb

Active Member
SILVER Sponsor
Jul 2, 2013
316
Mystic, CT
Boat Info
2004 420 DB
2005 360 Fiesta Vee
Engines
Cummins 6CTA
I have Cummins 6CTA mechanicals on my 2004 420DB and this season I have had an issue where the stbd engine oil pressure gauge at the helm will bounce. Sometimes it will register normal values, other times it will go to 0 and sit there a while before starting to work again. Obviously the first time this happened I quickly headed to the engine room, and the gauge at the engine was registering just fine. I monitored it while underway and the pressure seemed perfect. So i'm thinking it must be the gauge. It's a combo gauge with oil pressure, volts, temp, fuel level (see pict, not my boat but same gauge). Curious if others have had this issue and if anyone knows if this exact gauge can still be sourced? If not are there any direct replacements out there?
 

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craigswardmtb said:
I have Cummins 6CTA mechanicals on my 2004 420DB and this season I have had an issue where the stbd engine oil pressure gauge at the helm will bounce. Sometimes it will register normal values, other times it will go to 0 and sit there a while before starting to work again. Obviously the first time this happened I quickly headed to the engine room, and the gauge at the engine was registering just fine. I monitored it while underway and the pressure seemed perfect. So i'm thinking it must be the gauge. It's a combo gauge with oil pressure, volts, temp, fuel level (see pict, not my boat but same gauge). Curious if others have had this issue and if anyone knows if this exact gauge can still be sourced? If not are there any direct replacements out there?
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I had issues with my oil pressure gauge as well. You did as I did - checked the on-engine gauge to make sure the engine was OK! Mine was, too. So check the next easy things: electrical connections. On the gauge, make sure the connections and ring terminals are clean and tightened down. Then do the same on the sending unit on the engine. My helm port pressure gauge was "unreliable" and when replacing the port impeller this year we noticed the ring terminal connected to the sending unit was just hanging there. No nut! Guess it had loosened and fell off. I'm surprised the terminal stayed on and that it registered anything at all! But we screwed a new nut on and all is good!

if the connections are good, swap the port and starboard sending units. See if the problem follows the swap to the other engine. If it does, you'll know it's that sender (buy 2, use one, keep 1 as a spare). If it does not, then it's not the sending unit and you can start looking at the gauge.
 
Same issue with my 2003 420DA. Does it on both Port and Starboard. Have check the mechanical gauges on the engines and all is well. Harnesses plug into my 4/1 gauges so no ring terminals on the back. Have taken them apart and cleaned and no difference. Have pulled the wires off of the senders, cleaned, and retorqued...no difference. New 4/1 gauges are about $275 each if I remember correctly.

Bennett
 
Good advice. Thanks. Any idea where the sending units are located on 6CTA's?
 
I just ordered the sender so I'll try that first. If not I'll ping you. Appreciate it. We are off to Block on Friday. Enjoy your weekend. It looks like another nice one.
 
craigswardmtb said:
I just ordered the sender so I'll try that first. If not I'll ping you. Appreciate it. We are off to Block on Friday. Enjoy your weekend. It looks like another nice one.
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Yup, Enjoy! Debating heading to Block as well but just got back from a week over there this past weekend. May head to Watch Hill.
 
Irie308 said:
Yup, Enjoy! Debating heading to Block as well but just got back from a week over there this past weekend. May head to Watch Hill.
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We are lucky with all the great weekend spots we have around here! Enjoy. BTW, we may be putting our boat on the market as we have our eyes set on a Hatteras 52. Securing a slip before i make a decision is half my battle right now. But lmk if you hear of anyone local that may be interested. My slip would probably open up as well if you happened to want to move. Albeit my slip can be hair raising at times given how close to the beach i am!
 
craigswardmtb said:
We are lucky with all the great weekend spots we have around here! Enjoy. BTW, we may be putting our boat on the market as we have our eyes set on a Hatteras 52. Securing a slip before i make a decision is half my battle right now. But lmk if you hear of anyone local that may be interested. My slip would probably open up as well if you happened to want to move. Albeit my slip can be hair raising at times given how close to the beach i am!
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Nice! Hope it works out. Will let you know if I know anyone looking however that boat will sell the day you list it I'm sure. Isn't your slip a 50'? They wouldn't let you put a 52 in there?
 
Irie308 said:
Nice! Hope it works out. Will let you know if I know anyone looking however that boat will sell the day you list it I'm sure. Isn't your slip a 50'? They wouldn't let you put a 52 in there?
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I hope so. Lots of new goodies that should attract most buyers. This season with a pre teen and teen, has made it abundantly clear we would be happier with a 3rd bedroom. They say our slip is a 50', but it is not. I'm 49' with the extended hydraulic platform and i stick out a good few feet. The bigger problem is beam width. I already only have about 6 inches on each side. I would be going from 14'ish to 16'ish beam.
 
craigswardmtb said:
I hope so. Lots of new goodies that should attract most buyers. This season with a pre teen and teen, has made it abundantly clear we would be happier with a 3rd bedroom. They say our slip is a 50', but it is not. I'm 49' with the extended hydraulic platform and i stick out a good few feet. The bigger problem is beam width. I already only have about 6 inches on each side. I would be going from 14'ish to 16'ish beam.
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I hear you on the need for the 3rd stateroom. We spent a month aboard this summer with 2 teens and a pre teen and it did get me thinking. Regarding the slip, you're right. I've found they are all not uniform. When we got back from our big trip someone was in our slip so I grabbed the next 50' available and I was a few feet from our neighbor. It was much tighter than our own. So I may just stop whining about the fairway and stay where we are.
 
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