Oil pressure. Optional or necessary?

[MidwestRefugee]

As a former automech I will say not necessary but I sure would want to have one.

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You know I think it is very common for a sailboat to have no other instrumentation other than a tachometer, my 4JHE has a low oil pressure and I assume high temperature alarm, no gauges.
When you first turn on the key, you should get an alarm, this alarm should go off very soon after the engine starts, that is the low oil pressure alarm, I think what you are mistaking for a transducer is actually a switch that operates the low oil pressure alarm.
I will likely one day add a gauge, but the alarm is the one I consider the most important, unless your watching the gauge very often

I have the 4JHE also. I like gauges, always owned high end sports cars, Jags, etc that come with full instrument package so I'm used to watching gauges.
On my boat I added oil and temp gauges at the helm years ago. I often take a dock cruise and the gauges are useful to know how long to run the engine, usually between 20 and 60 minutes at 1800rpm and jockey between fwd and reverse to give it a load.

[moseriw]

Plesse rethink your question. In fact you do not need a single gauge. BUT... It is gold to know when your oil pressure drops to zero an your buzzer moans. Safed my engines life...

[ottewj]

I usually do not contribute on the forum but this subject is dear to my heart.
I went for years relying on an audible alarm on my Perkin prima 60. I finally installed a 4 inch stainless pressure gage in the cockpit I ran a ss braided ptfe hose from the pressure switch to the cockpit bulkhead.
A month later a hole opened up on the oil line on the side of the engine and the oil was gone in a matter of seconds. I think if I had relied on the alarm I may have hesitated to shut down the engine. I believe the gage saved the engine.

[bsurvey]

get a gauge, by the time the alarm goes off its too late

[zeehag]

i would ditch the fuel gauge. they never work.
i would make sure i have oil pressure and i would love oil temp. water temp is important and i have been living without tach, but enjoy them when i have em..

[Elie]

Gauges are very usefull to let warn you, very early,, well before a problem becomes too big to deal with. Probems may be low oil level, wrong oil type, or filter, cooling problem. Many problems develop slowly, and can be corrected much sooner. I would'nt no go without a good set of gauges.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Gauges are good tools to show pending engine problems, but alarms are probably better for people that don't view their gauges often. I have both.

Yes. This.