Big Red Light to replace Clock in Dash
 

I need help trying to locate the right parts.
I'm looking to replace the clock in the dash with a big red light, which will get tied into the same circuit as the Oil Light.
I have seen this at many DE events on cars, but no one seems to know where to get or what the parts are. :confused:

The closest I have gotten was on a PCA Race Car.
The light and rubber gasket was from GROTE. I got a picture, which I will post later, but no parts numbers.

This should be no more than $10 worth of parts, light and mounting rubber for a trailer. Several Race shops have offered a solution ranging from $80 to $150 for the light.


Once I do this the clock will be For Sale, if anyone needs one.

TIA
Mark

There was a shop selling these oil lights for $80.00 in excellence.... That is a joke. You probably will not find the rubber gasket but this is what I did.
I had a broken clock (or a broken fuel gauge will work to) so I removed the internals. I then went to an auto parts store and found a round trailer light that fit inside the clock shell. I added length to the wires and connected them to the oil pressure light wires.... Very easy to do and looks great. It only cost $5.00.
Here is a picture when I was installing everything again in the race car. Looks and works great.
They also offer that RS clock plug now... You may be able to rig something up to that.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1068567961.jpg

If you want to stay "Porsche", use a 356A rear light, in a repro clock plug.

I thought that big light was used as an upshift indicator light... what's the purpose of having it connected to the oil light? What type of "warnings" are you getting when it lights up?

No, upshift-indicator lights are small and aimed at you, like on the glareshield. The big red light is intended to unmistakably say, "You just lost all your oil pressure, bozo."

Stephan

Oil pressure is the life of the motor.... Red light=turn off motor.... FAST! When racing alot of things can happen, you can loose and oil line, a fitting can come loose. In the heat of the moment you will never notice the stock small light if the oil pressure drops. With the big light you will never miss it.

Yes, that is why I want to do this. I attend a number of DE events during the year and generally you don't spend more than a few seconds on the front straight checking gauges. Big light will definitely be an attention getter.

The other change that has been recommeded it to put an adjustable oil pressure switch in place of the stock unit, Then it should be adusted so that the Light should flicker when the motor is hot at idle.

So, it was a whole light assembly, or just the lens? If it was just the lens, what did you use for the light and reflector backing?

Why don't you just hook the oil light up to a kill switch that automatically shuts the engine off?

Chili-
When I bought the light at Kragen auto parts it was complete with backing. Nothing else needed. I just screwed it into the clock housing and the fit was good. You probably could use double sided tape also.
Chad

Because there will be times, on the track, when suddenly and unexpectedly having the engine killed might be worse than other courses of action that one might take in response to a no-oil-pressure light, for one thing. You always want to be in control, literally and figuratively.

Stephan

I used a trailer light cut to fit in an old dead clock.

The great thing about the low oil pressure light is that it serves as an instant accelerometer. You know you are braking at close to 1g when the light comes on!

Every time I watch my racing videos my light is blinking on and off in the braking zones. Makes me cringe! This winter-- baffled oil tank!

Here is a picture of a dash with a GROTE light.
This is what I'm looking for.

http://www.msailer.com/dash.jpg

Why would a baffled oil tank help? The only oil-pump pickup point is in the sump.

Stephan

John, I had the same problem. A later model oil tank solved the problem.

Engine kill switch connected to the oil warning light might make it kinda hard to start the car.

Go to a "Big Rig" truck parts store. We use those same style lights on 75% of our fire engines.

Something like these:
http://www.grote.com/cgi-bin/product.cgi?familyid=B0001
http://www.grote.com/cgi-bin/product.cgi?familyid=J0024

The have other goodies on their website to choose from as well:
http://www.grote.com/

Hope this is what you're looking for.

Dan: I was waiting for someone to remark on the kill switch for the oil pressure. SmileWavy

It's always the little details isn't it

If an adjustable switch is fitted, I'd suggest adjusting it so that it comes on when pressure falls below something like 10-20 psi or so. Oil pressure idiot lights are usually designed to come on when oil pressure is, like, 4 psi or 0 psi or something. At this pressure, it's actually a "Your engine has just been destroyed" light.

Unless you're driving my Datsun pickup. I add oil when the oil pressure gauge starts falling to zero.

Hmmm. Now I wonder why I've never seen that light turn on on my car at all. Guess I've got more than a missing oil temp sensor.

How does the oil pressure light work? Is it tied to the oil pressure sender? My pressure gauge works, but I have never seen a warning light come on, even at idle or while starting.

The oil pressure idiot light sending unit (switch) is a different critter. Mine is located on the oval plate at the rear center of the engine near the firewall. It's about as big around as a nickel.

That's exactly what I was looking for. Got close last night, but never stumbled upon the right numbers.

Now to find someone who sells GROTE, in particular these parts. Seems very few places sell GROTE.

Big REd Light
 

Here is one I did with parts from Autozone.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1068499859.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1068499632.jpg


Mine comes on at 15lbs..... Works great. I actually had a oil line come off at an event. the light came on right away. Shut motor off, no harm no foul, no problem. Motor was fine.

I've used these guys for lights: http://www.thelighthouseinc.com/asp/default.asp
Also, these guys have some great deals on LED lights for trucks, and many are the same sizes: http://www.partssystems.com/home.html

Tom

That light looks like something out of a Mel Brooks movie!

Any NAPA or Big Truck supply will have that lens and rubber grommet. They are standard size used on commercial trucks and all brands are interchangable.

Mark,
What do you have to do to "set" the particular pressure to trigger the light?

The dual pole sending unit (one pole for Oil pressure and a pole for oil light) that I bought had the option of different activation pressures. Screw it in, attach the leads, and bingo. It is set.

I think this is a standard part you can order from most high performance parts stores.

Mark,

There is a Porsche part oil pressure switch that has a 917.xxx.xxx.xx part number that was used on 935s and many others. It switches at about 45 psi and is adjustable over a fairly wide range of pressure. I keep mine at about 40 psi. When the engine is hot and only below about 4500 RPM does the light come on. I use a large trailer tail light above the dash.
Believe it or not, I can turn the light on under extreme braking at 8000+ RPM.

There is another important switch.
I didn’t use an alternator, just a shaft in place of the alternator. That meant there was no indication if the fan belt was not working. Porsche has a little air pressure switch with part number 908.xxx.xxx.xx that can run another warning light.

I’ll see if I can find you the part numbers. They are regular Porsche racing parts, no mistery.

Best,
Grady

Do you have your oil tank modified? A baffle will help this dangerous situation.

Tristan

Tristan,

Yes, extensively on 911s and 914-6s. When I raced a 935K3 I could turn the light on in certain circumstances of breaking regardless of how much oil was in the tank.

I think this is the reason why the GT3-RSR (and earlier) has the relocated oil sump tank in place of the engine cooler.

Best,
Grady

The pressure circuit to the bearings comes from the tank. Oil drawn from the sump just goes back to the tank.