Oil pressure gauge readings

[pocolow]

Hi all, just fitted an aftermarket oil pressure gauge to my 1.6 td camper and was wondering what would be a healthy pressure reading. The picture shows the pressure after 5 mins at idle and the engine not a normal temp yet..Cheers

Mark

[axeman]

i dont think that you engine is warmed up after 5 min, the water gauge may be telling you that the it is at normal opperating temp but the oil will not be up to temp after 5 min.drive for a good 15min to get the oil up to temp, on the wbx oil shopuld be 80c which is normal opperating temp and the oil preasure on mine (2.1) at that temp will be about 0.5bar, dont knoe what that relates to in psi. but it is at the lower end of the scale.

neil

[kevtherev]

it's a td axeman ..I guess there different
on my WBX

oil temp will be more than 220 deg F (104 deg C)
After a motor way trip at 60 MPH my pressure sits at 40-42 psi (mechanical)
I have a low temp stat (80 deg C) and my fans come on at 83 deg C
this keeps the engine cooler and has had some impact on increasing pressures.

But to achieve healthier pressures you have to tackle oil cooling head on.
Remote cooling is the only answer and I am shortly going to fit a system which will achieve lower temps

[syncrosimon]

Agreed.



oil temp always around 80ish.

[pocolow]

Took the van on a good run today...At 40-50 mph it was about 40-45psi, at tickover about 25-27 psi and going up hill in 3rd about 50 psi.

[marcus_asparagus]

Hey Guys,

After some seemingly low oil pressure moments went and got myself an external oil cooler fitted.
( Thats the trouble when you fit gauges..............you can know too much! )

What a difference it has made, oil temp is now only 85'Cish on fast motorway work, where it was up at over 110'C.
(This is when I was getting low oil pressure at idle!) no wonder as oil turns to p**s then!

Oil pressure now at idle holds up at 1bar and thrapping down motorway holds at 3bar, well happy with pressures!
Best thing that can be done to protect the old girl.

Some pictures of install on my 1.9 wbx.




A little insurance me thinks in anticipation of the Dellortos to be fitted soon.

Regards Mark.

[kevtherev]

Excellent.. this is almost the same as the setup I am hoping to fit.
I agree with the gauge comments.. so true

did you use a thermostatic sandwich plate?

[marcus_asparagus]

Hey Kev,

Yep, thermostatic, opens at 80'C. Otherwise I don't think the oil would ever get warm! It really does work that well.

Its made by Mocal and looks quality gear, glad I fitted it now and very simple to install.

Hows your setup going to look Kev?

Good luck with it.

[kevtherev]

quite similar to yours and I'll be using Mocal too
very happy to read that your temps are cut right down.

I thought the thermostatic plate was best too, as you want the oil to get warm quick then stay cooler.

I may well be asking a few questions.
like what size cooler have you settled on, was it 23 row ?

[jed the spread]

you really need to get that rad up the front of the van. A localish chappy does the whole lot inc sandwich plate, 26 row mocal rad, pipes etc for about £170. I put one on my Westy Syncro AAZ and the oil temperature went down 30 degrees

jed

[kevtherev]

you really need to get that rad up the front of the van.

why Jed? there's a healthy draught of air down that intake, you could even fit a fan if it were nesessary as there's plenty of room.
keeps the pipes shorter which helps flow.
19 row rads are enough, overkill even , as that would be good for 200BHP! according to race car sites

my samba chum tencent has fitted one the same as Marcus asparagus.