Another @!%$# Switch

Just wanted to give an update on my oil pressure switch issue.I installed the new one today and cut the old one open to take a look at how it was made.I found that the clear plastic material that acts as a diaphragm which pushes against a disk that closes the points was distorted.My guess is that as discussed above the oil pressure when the engine is cold was too much for the switch to handle causing the diaphragm to be damaged .I also found that the male spade terminals that come through the top of the switch housing are formed as part of the contact points and only staked into position. This setup allows them to move easily when the connector is manipulated and while checking the switch with an ohm meter I found that I could cause it to go open.It would appear that the switch is just very poorly made and nothing like the old style Delco ones that it is supposed to replace. Why am I not surprised!

 

Thanks for the update moose.
Send it to AC delco, they won't know they are marketing bad units unless we tell them.

 

Is there a way you can wire a toggle switch in parallel with the contacts so that, if you should lose the pressure switch again, you could simply turn the toggle switch on so you can drive normally until the pressure switch can be changed?

 

Yeah that would be easy to do and maybe I will.The new switch is a different design so for now I think I'll just see what happens.I got my good old jumper ready if it craps out.

 

I'm using the Holley pressure switch plus I have a toggle switch that I can flip for startup or in the event of a pressure switch malfunction. Both trigger the relay, so very little current thru either switch.
So far, works OK.

 

Moose
I am guessing that this is some sort of saftey switch? I just use a heavy toggle switch and no relay. I try to buy pumps that donot pull mega maps, a mallory 110 only pulls about 3 maps and the holley blue or red only pull about the same.

 

Yeah.. I'm using it as a safety cutoff switch. It's a Holley blue pump mounted in the rear and the battery is also in the rear. I used the relay so that I can use a short run of wire going to the pump from the battery junction that is also mounted in the rear .That way the switch only has to control the relay and I get minimal drop.