Continental Engine oil sending unit

[checker]

Reposted from Continental Motor forum:

I have a 1958 L-head 226 CID inline 6 Continental Engine. My oil pressure gauge doesn't work and never has. I've verified the sending unit and gauge work fine which led me to look at the port on the block. I built the motor 5 years ago and at that time stuck the sender where it seemed logical. Perhaps not. I have found three 1/8" pipe thread size oil ports on the block but a pressure check with a mechanical gauge, with the engine running, shows nothing. I know I have oil pressure since the car has been driven often.

The locations for the three ports I've tried are:

1: just front of the fuel pump

2: rear passenger side about an inch in front of bell housing

3: Drivers side, right below starter.

Could someone with an F226 L-head tell me where your oil sending unit is located?

[msmazcol]

Is this the same motor as the Willys trucks used. My Fire engine has the Hurricane 226 Continental, 1958 in it. I'll look under the hood on Wednesday because I can't remember.

[checker]

Yes it is the same as the Willys Super Hurricane and Kaiser-Frazer Supersonic. Thanks for looking.

[msmazcol]

Here is the answer to your question. Sorry the photo is poor the truck is tight to a wall. The OP sending unit is mounted passenger side, lower rear of the block just forward of the bell housing. The temp sender is drivers side rear of the head. If you are in any of the oil ports on the drivers side they are most likely for an external oil filter canister which is what my truck is equipped with. I have no idea what kind of pressure if any they are under. They do use smaller ID rubber hoses though.

Hope this helps. By the way these motors carry very little pressure at idle and hot so don't get excited.

Edited March 2, 2011 by msmazcol (see edit history)

[checker]

MSMAZCOL, thanks for all the info. No need to apologize for photo quality. It was very clear. I do have that exact port on my block. Currently my external oil filter is plumbed into it. I will need to address that. Regardless I now know where to put the oil sender. Thanks again.

[msmazcol]

No problem, I'm not telling you yours is wrong. Just that this is how my truck was set up and the gauge works. It is in my fire engine and had about 20,000 un-touched miles on it when I restored the truck.

Good luck.

[msmazcol]

Sorry you went to the back burner for a bit. Here are some more photos of the oil line routing for my canister filter.

The line leaving the bottom of the canister goes to the fitting at the edge of the block near where the fill tube goes in on the drivers side.

The upper line leaves the side of the canister and enters the side of the block just forward of the starter case.

You can use good fresh rubber lines or if you are up for an adventure bend some steel tubing. The rubber lines are OK but do keep an eye on them as a blown line can transfer into a blown motor quickly.

Best of luck.

ps. photo #2 should be rotated to the right.

[checker]

Thanks for the photos. It's now my turn to apologize for the delay in getting back. It's not quite Spring here yet, I move slowly in the cold. Your photos do confirm that although I have the block castings where your oil lines connect, mine are not drilled and tapped. If I was rebuilding the block I might consider drilling and tapping but this motor has low miles on it since last rebuild so I'm not about to pull it apart. Bottom line I will go without a oil filter. Sales literature shows the oil filter was an $8.80 option. I guess someone didn't see the need to spend the big bucks. Thanks again for your replies.