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Classic/Antique Car Repair/51 Bentley Oil Pressure Gauge

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Expert: Paul Wilczynski - 3/30/2009


Question
Hi,
I have a 1951 MKVI Bentley.  I purchased the car in parts and am slowly restoring it.  My question is the metal line that runs from the oil pressure gauge on the dash to the engine.  Is the line supposed to be filled with oil or is supposed to use air pressure to obtain a reading on the gauge?
Thanks


Answer
Graham:

Congratulations on buying a lovely, beautifully-driving, and very well-built automobile. I'm sure it will bring you much pleasure once the restoration is complete.

The oil pressure gauge is exactly that--for oil pressure. The line and gauge mechanism must be filled with oil for the gauge to function properly. If the mechanism is not reading properly, it must be bled at the joint and reassembled. Compressed air will not allow the gauge to operate properly.

--Paul

Classic/Antique Car Repair

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Paul Wilczynski

Expertise

Most questions involving vintage car restoration, mechanical and body, paint and upholstery. Parts sourcing. Extensive experience in wood-bodied station wagons, British and French cars of the '40s through '70s. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, Citroen Maserati, VW Beetle, 1955-65 Chevrolet (especially Nomad station wagons), Corvair.

Experience

Wide-ranging and long-term. I owned a restoration shop in the 1970s, continue to dabble in vintage exotics. At one time, had a seven-car collection of contemporary exotics which I had restored and maintained myself. When I was 18 years old, I designed a woodie kit for the VW Beetle, which I developed into a product which was featured on television and in over 100 magazines and 25 books at last count. I still own and drive one of my creations. I owned a design and fabrication consultancy from 1982-2002, specializing in show car fabrication for manufacturers including Ford, Mazda, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, etc. Since 2003, I have been a department manager in Industrial Design, and a full-time instructor in automotive design and fabrication at the university level. My students go on to design automobiles as staff designers for major auto manufacturers worldwide.

Organizations
Western Automotive Journalists, Industrial Design Society of America.

Publications
Long list of magazines and books, including Playboy, VW Trends, VW Greats, Hot VWs, and European automotive magazines.

Education/Credentials
I teach design and fabrication at university level. My education is in Industrial Design, University of Illinois (1966-1970).

Awards and Honors
Many awards for restorations in local concours and shows.

Past/Present Clients
Mazda, Ford, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche.

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