KD oil pressure tester

[signcrafter]

Anyone have experience with one of these, http://www.gearwrench.com/gearwrench-3289-oil-pressure-check-kit.html. I've been looking at oil pressure testers for a bit now and have been looking at the standard ones with a gauge and hose and a few fittings or adapters to hook into the oil pressure sensor spot to read PSI. Came across this thing the other day and it looks interesting.

Do you just take the oil filter off and then screw on the right little adapter to the ****** on the engine that the filter normally screws onto? Then screw the tester cap onto the little adapter and hook up your gauge? Does the oil go through the slots on the little adapters and still go through the engine?

Would this be better or quicker then a "normal" oil pressure tester? Or are there some vehicles that a normal oil pressure tester won't work on and you have to use this filter adapter setup to get oil pressure?

 

[sberry]

What is it you are trying to do? Why not add a tap at the sending unit port?

 

[signcrafter]

What is it you are trying to do? Why not add a tap at the sending unit port?

I've wanted an oil pressure tester for a while now and have been keeping my eye out for a used set and will pick one up when I find a good deal. Just to have around to test oil pressure when needed. Not something I will use often but nice to have just to be sure there isn't a problem. I think in my other thread you suggested to just use a cheapo from the parts store. Which is a option but I'm still keeping my eyes open for a used tester with the gauge, hose, and adapters. And will use it on the sending unit port.

But in my searching I came across these things. They looked interesting to say the least. Was just wondering if anyone had them and how they compare to the normal oil pressure testers. I most likely won't get the KD set unless I find a smoking deal on a used set since they are pretty expensive but was just curious about them.

 

[DieselSaves]

I have a KD tester kit that's half a dozen years old. Has a four or so foot hose on it and a bunch of adapters for the oil pressure sensor. Always worked good for me. I don't see the advantage of the one listed.

 

[sberry]

That was kind of my point. This is one of those things really simple is hard to beat, if you run across a situation you actually need to do this any gage and any hose with any adapter that will work. I cant outright remember the last time I needed to check one. There used to be problems on older engines on occasion but we put a cheap gage on and left it, all over the years wouldn't add up to the cost of the set and one of these days may recover some.
Comp gage a different matter and on rare occasion a leak gage. Its not a bad thing to have, its just something I wouldn't sit on a bunch of money over waiting for a use to come along. A set never seems to actually have the one adapter I need anyway.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Seems like it entirely replaces the filter, so would miss OP problems caused by filter and some types of relief valve. I would want a normal gauge, just an aftermarket instrument gauge with adapters, to read from an actual oil gallery.

 

[Danglerb]

Seems like it entirely replaces the filter, so would miss OP problems caused by filter and some types of relief valve. I would want a normal gauge, just an aftermarket instrument gauge with adapters, to read from an actual oil gallery.

Same here, less changed, more discovered.

 

[DennisR]

Got this one of Ebay for $22 brand new. Nice cause it has the quick connects. Matco sells the same one under their brand name.

 

[signcrafter]

Got this one of Ebay for $22 brand new. Nice cause it has the quick connects. Matco sells the same one under their brand name.

That is a great deal! Wish I could find one like that.

 

[sberry]

I like it, 22$ and lots of adapters.

 

[signcrafter]

I like it, 22$ and lots of adapters.

Me to. But I've been searching ebay for a couple months and haven't seen any star oil pressure tester for that low. Must have been a lucky find.

 

[DennisR]

It had a buy it now price but I remember it was up for at least a week. Funny thing is there was another used one at the same time and it sold for more than mine did. Just enter quick change oil pressure in your saved searches so it's not brand specific and you'll get more hits.

 

[joecon]

I have the KD one it works well.On some cars you have to remove the intake
to get to the sender so this is the only way to check the oil press. GM has a
similar tool for use on some cars

 

[signcrafter]

I have the KD one it works well.On some cars you have to remove the intake
to get to the sender so this is the only way to check the oil press. GM has a
similar tool for use on some cars

So when you use these do you have to drain some of the oil out or can you take the filter off without making a mess? Then just screw the right adapter on and then screw the cap onto the adapter?

 

[GTA Matt]

I prefer to go right to the sending unit port and see what the sender is actually seeing. Especially on GM LS motors. There's no other way to tell whether you have a sending unit failure, cam bearing failure or if the DOD manifold screen is just clogged. If you take the pressure at the filter, it will tell you everything is ok.

 

[joecon]

On the chevys the filters are up and down so the oil stays in it when you
take the adp. off it is filled with oil. It makes a mess but some times it is worth
it.You can also compare the pressure at the filter to the pressure at the sending
unit.

 

[signcrafter]

I prefer to go right to the sending unit port and see what the sender is actually seeing. Especially on GM LS motors. There's no other way to tell whether you have a sending unit failure, cam bearing failure or if the DOD manifold screen is just clogged. If you take the pressure at the filter, it will tell you everything is ok.

Matt, have you run across any cars that you couldn't get to the sending unit that these might have been handy for? Seems like you do a lot of diagnostics on different cars.

 

[tdkkart]

A $30 oil pressure gauge and a handful of hardware store adapters is pretty cheap compared to $180....

 

[tdkkart]

Amazon search for "oil pressure tester" reveals alot of options:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s... pressure tester&sprefix=oil+pressure,aps,280

 

[GTA Matt]

Matt, have you run across any cars that you couldn't get to the sending unit that these might have been handy for? Seems like you do a lot of diagnostics on different cars.

Fourth gen f-bodies had the sender buried under the cowl behind the intake making it necessary to pull the intake, other then that the only one I can think of from recent is a 5.7 in a newer charger. Have to drop the ac compressor to access the sender. However, the reason I was there was to determine if the sender was bad, or if it was loosing pressure at the port. Those things do have another port I could have tapped in to, but it is always possible to have pressure at the bottom end of the motor and not up top. Spending the time to drop the compressor, remove the old sender, thread the tester in and start it still made more sense then seeing what pressure at the filter was. In this most recent case the sender was indeed bad, so everything would have had to come apart anyhow. I'm sure there might be others I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with that might be difficult, but on most cars, the sender is usually fairly accessible, with minimum teardown.

 

[signcrafter]

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get these from the start, just ran across them and they looked interesting compared to everything else I see for oil pressure testers.

Let me ask a crazy question. Would there be a way to "tap" an oil filter in order to make some homemade ones of these? Be a cheap way to build a set of these if it can be done. If you could drill and tap or epoxy a fitting onto the filter and then use a normal oil pressure gauge hooked up to that.

 

[signcrafter]

After looking at an oil filter today I think you would have to "gut" it for this to work and then drill and probably epoxy a fitting in for you to hook up a hose and pressure gauge. Any thoughts on weather this would work or not. I realize these wouldn't get used much and I would never pay the price for the KD ones but if I can make some cheap out of oil filters it might be fun and may just come in handy some time?

 

[signcrafter]

I'm guessing by the lack of responses that using an oil filter won't work like that?