Oil Pressure 1.6 K-Series

Oil Pressure 1.6 K-Series

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Discussion

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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2004 1.6 K-Series oil pressure readings are as follows:

Cold Idle - 4.5 Bar
Hot Idle - 1.8 - 2 Bar
Hot 3000RPM - 4 Bar

Granted I'm using the standard electrical gauge and sender but will be switching to mechanical very soon.

Does this seem about right?

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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yep

Kenneth Danmark

17 posts

117 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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Exactly the same as my '96 1.6 K

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
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What's the general consensus on mechanical gauges, it would seem, on the evidence I've read, that when the switch is made to a mechanical oil pressure gauge there seems to be an increase in reading over the Caterham electrical gauge?

Your thoughts?

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
Fitted a mechanical gauge - what a difference!

I've got a constant 30PSI at hot idle and a very healthy 65PSI at around 3500RPM when hot.

Start up is around 70-75PSI, confidence restored!!

Those electrical gauges and senders really are crap!

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
Fitted a mechanical gauge - what a difference!

I've got a constant 30PSI at hot idle and a very healthy 65PSI at around 3500RPM when hot.

Start up is around 70-75PSI, confidence restored!!

Those electrical gauges and senders really are crap!

downsman

1,099 posts

155 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
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Surely the electric sender wasn't far out, 4 bar at 3000 hot would be 58psi.
I'm sure your mechanical gauge will be more reliable long term though.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
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downsman said:
Surely the electric sender wasn't far out, 4 bar at 3000 hot would be 58psi.
I'm sure your mechanical gauge will be more reliable long term though.
I agree, there doesn't seem too much difference between the two sets of readings.

IBDAET

1,655 posts

262 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
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My Stack reads 10psi under - I get 51psi onm track at high revs, which when measured with a mechanical gauge is 61psi.

The electrical senders are where the fault lies - possibly an incompatible curve to the response characteristics of the gauge - i.e on a car with normal gauges a Bosch or VDO sender but Caerbont gauge.

Murph7355

37,648 posts

255 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
Chrisp5782 said:
...
Those electrical gauges and senders really are crap!
Just use them as a relative measure. You know what they read when your car is healthy. If you get variations now on those same gauges, you know you have something to look into.

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
I wonder why so much store is put in to the accuracy of mechanical gauges?

30psi hot idle OP in a K is cloud-cuckoo land.

Bert

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
BertBert said:
I wonder why so much store is put in to the accuracy of mechanical gauges?

30psi hot idle OP in a K is cloud-cuckoo land.

Bert
How do you figure? That's the reading both on the fitted mech gauge and a remote (garage equipment) mech gauge.

You should be getting 2Bar (28PSI) as a healthy hot idle pressure and around 4Bar (58PSI) at 3000RPM.

The reason I say the electrical gauge was crap was because it was never consistent in comparison to the mech gauges.

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
quotequote all
BertBert said:
I wonder why so much store is put in to the accuracy of mechanical gauges?

30psi hot idle OP in a K is cloud-cuckoo land.

Bert
How do you figure? That's the reading both on the fitted mech gauge and a remote (garage equipment) mech gauge.

You should be getting 2Bar (28PSI) as a healthy hot idle pressure and around 4Bar (58PSI) at 3000RPM.

The reason I say the electrical gauge was crap was because it was never consistent in comparison to the mech gauges.

freebee

114 posts

133 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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my oil pressure electrical gauge 1.8 k series has always read low but I was horrified to see the needle reading under the red line at hot idle today. My logic says when I turn the ignition on engine not running the needle should be at 0 but its below zero. My gauge is 0 to 8 bar but I never see more than two bar.
so should I go to a mechanical gauge or just try a new sender, is there a mechanical gauge that matches, the dash set I have?

Gingerbread Man

9,171 posts

212 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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freebee said:
my oil pressure electrical gauge 1.8 k series has always read low but I was horrified to see the needle reading under the red line at hot idle today. My logic says when I turn the ignition on engine not running the needle should be at 0 but its below zero. My gauge is 0 to 8 bar but I never see more than two bar.
so should I go to a mechanical gauge or just try a new sender, is there a mechanical gauge that matches, the dash set I have?
A mechanical setup can be had for roughly the same price as a new electrical sender. I'm go mech.

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
quotequote all
freebee said:
my oil pressure electrical gauge 1.8 k series has always read low but I was horrified to see the needle reading under the red line at hot idle today. My logic says when I turn the ignition on engine not running the needle should be at 0 but its below zero. My gauge is 0 to 8 bar but I never see more than two bar.
so should I go to a mechanical gauge or just try a new sender, is there a mechanical gauge that matches, the dash set I have?
I'm a fan of the mech gauge, I believe they're more accurate and, just as importantly, consistent.

I bought my set up through Merlin Motorsport but it's the same as the equipment supplied by Think Automotive, £58 all in, cheap for peace of mind. Took about an hour to fit from start to finish.

The gauge is Mocal and whilst it doesn't match the CATERHAM gauges perfectly it certainly doesn't look out of place.

I've got a very new (less than 300 miles) CATERHAM sender and a couple of gauges for sale - if you're interested in them PM me.

V7SLR

456 posts

185 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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I sourced all the plumbing bits from Think Auto but used a Stack mechanical gauge .... I've been so impressed I've fitted a Stack temperature gauge (electrical) to match. The Stack gauges are extremely clear to read and the illumination at night is near perfect.
Big plus of the mechanical oil gauge is the 270 deg needle sweep compared to only 90 deg on the electrical gauge, the matching temp gauge is also 270 degs.

freebee

114 posts

133 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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I looked at the stack gauge it looks ideal, I presume I take out the electrical sender and screw in a tubing adapter, so what thread is the sender?

V7SLR

456 posts

185 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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.... I can't remember although I'm sure I have the paperwork somewhere!

If you speak to Matthew at Think Auto he should already know what's needed. Also it's better to buy 2 hoses (one only around 30cm) made up to fit a boss in the middle to take a low pressure switch. Even if you don't have one now you're making it ready to easily add a low pressure warning light in the future.

Chrisp5782

Original Poster:

630 posts

137 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
freebee said:
I looked at the stack gauge it looks ideal, I presume I take out the electrical sender and screw in a tubing adapter, so what thread is the sender?
M12 if it's a post 2002 car I believe?

Mines a 2004 and it was an M12 to 1/8 BSP adaptor I needed.