Low oil pressure reading

[JP]

^^^^^ as above first number cold start viscosity 2nd number hot viscosity.

2nd point carplan = death sentence to performance / turbo engine. The oil can't take high temperatures of the turbo properly and breaks down into watery pi55 causing a drop in oil pressure. Run the platinum stuff from the main dealer much better suited to turbo use.

Now when you are checking oil pressure it is checked at 2000rpm. If it exceeds 2bar at this point there is no issue. If it is below 2bar you need to use a mechanical gauge and verify. The figure at idle will fluctuate depending what tomorrow the engine is idling at and how hot the temperature is. With air cooled oil coolers the oil is automatically going to get hotter in warmer weather. Subsequently lower oil pressure.

As a PRJ mentioned the pressure is a measure of resistance. In a performance engine ease of flow to a certain degree is better than high pressure as you want the oil to pass over the bearings quickly to take the heat away from them. Thicker oil will not cool the rotating assembly as quick and is more susceptible to cavitation at low oil temps.

W40 = 100c continuous 110-115 peak
w50 = 110c continuous 120-125 peak
etc....

Hth

[JP]

And yes sender unscrews with a spanner

[andyg plym]

now thats the sort of help i need,thankyou indeed.I will check that for a start on the 2k revs and see whats what then go from there

[JP]

As a reference mine runs 0.85bar on a mechanical gauge at 900rpm idle from my extra large clearances to allow oil flow at high rpm. Get to 2000rpm and it's 2.2bar.

On the othet end of the scale I used to have an old 10v with mechanical lifters which had completely destroyed its mains bearings because the previous owner fixed a headgasket without unblocking the oil pick up pipe. At idle it read 0psi at redline 7psi (0.5bar) if I was lucky. As id allready build a new engine for it I decided to use it as a test bed to tune the 6th injector setup on the kjet and cranked the boost upto 23psi. Ran it like that for almost 3000miles driving it like it was meant to be. Gave up trying to destroy the engine in the end and pulled it still as a running item despite the mains journals being so bad you could cut your finger on it.

[TimE-J]

Slightly off topic but would you say that fuchs Titan Race 10w50 would be a good enough in our motors?

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1145-silkolene-pro-s-10w-50-ester-synthetic-oil-for-high-performance-engines.aspx

[andyg plym]

so just to clarify i will get it to normal temp,jold the revs to 2k and check the gauge?I will be changing the oil and putting decent stuff in there also i may borrow the oil pressure sender off the spare engine i have.
Obviously need to get it checked on a proper gauge,thanks for the help guys

[driftin jo]

Well it's simple if the radiator and plastic are out, and a pain in the **** if they are not,
it's actually easer to get the little one out (pressure switch) as you can get a 24mm spanner on it.
The thread is m10x1. Apparently some engines had a m16x1 in this position but not on an ABY, well not on the ones I've had anyway.

[JP]

Fuchs 5w40 yes 10w50 not unless you are always running 110c oil temps.

Andy yes, factory spec is 2bar at 2000rpm at full operating temp so 90c oil temp and water temp give or take a bit.

[TimE-J]

Cheers for the info!

[andyg plym]

^^^^^ as above first number cold start viscosity 2nd number hot viscosity.

2nd point carplan = death sentence to performance / turbo engine. The oil can't take high temperatures of the turbo properly and breaks down into watery pi55 causing a drop in oil pressure. Run the platinum stuff from the main dealer much better suited to turbo use.

Now when you are checking oil pressure it is checked at 2000rpm. If it exceeds 2bar at this point there is no issue. If it is below 2bar you need to use a mechanical gauge and verify. The figure at idle will fluctuate depending what tomorrow the engine is idling at and how hot the temperature is. With air cooled oil coolers the oil is automatically going to get hotter in warmer weather. Subsequently lower oil pressure.

As a PRJ mentioned the pressure is a measure of resistance. In a performance engine ease of flow to a certain degree is better than high pressure as you want the oil to pass over the bearings quickly to take the heat away from them. Thicker oil will not cool the rotating assembly as quick and is more susceptible to cavitation at low oil temps.

W40 = 100c continuous 110-115 peak
w50 = 110c continuous 120-125 peak
etc....

Hth

right well took the car out for a spin,didnt thrash it as i dont and came back and let it idle - get to just over 90 on the water temp gauge,oil gauge reads 1.2 bar.I rev it and hold it at 2k 3 times and get a reading on the gauge of 3.8-4.1 bar.

[K Simmonds]

right well took the car out for a spin,didnt thrash it as i dont and came back and let it idle - get to just over 90 on the water temp gauge,oil gauge reads 1.2 bar.I rev it and hold it at 2k 3 times and get a reading on the gauge of 3.8-4.1 bar.

That sounds pretty healthy, get some decent oil and a new filter in there though. Look at it as you've used the cheap stuff as a flush after dropping the Four year old stuff out. Oil degrade's over time as well as use, at Four year's the old stuff would have been way past it's best regardless of mileage.

[andyg plym]

thats what i was thinking too ref the flush,time now for some decent oil.

I would like to know why the gauge reads so low now,hmm maybe its down to the 5hit oil

[s2_bo]

Opie oils have an "offer" on fuchs atm so maybe get some of that.

[Error404]

Andy this is what I would do:
Change the oil for a quality 5w40 as suggested
Buy an m10x1mm hose tail and a mechanical 5 bar pressure gauge for about £10 off ebay, remove the low pressure switch and test the pressure properly for peace of mind. The aux oil pressure gauge is not very accurate!
If its still low (I doubt it personally), take off the front subframe, remove the sump check the pick-up screen and you could also check the bearing condition / clearances while you're in there.
HTH mate

[europeanme]

right well took the car out for a spin,didnt thrash it as i dont and came back and let it idle - get to just over 90 on the water temp gauge,oil gauge reads 1.2 bar.I rev it and hold it at 2k 3 times and get a reading on the gauge of 3.8-4.1 bar.

tbh this is how mine was a few years back....I changed to Mobil 1 and it went to 0.9 bar on idle!!!....I dropped £50 of oil straight away and put 10w40 back in and it worked a treat but it does appear it is fluctuacting a little, time for a change me thinks...but 3.8-4.1 sounds sound spot on...I'd be well happy at that....3.4 at the mo