Now That I Have Gauges...

[thewelsho]

What should I be looking for in terms of levels?

I have three gauges:

1) Oil Temperature: Once I get going under normal driving conditions, this goes to about 100 degrees. Is this about right? The red values start at 120 degrees and I am thinking that I could easily dip into that on the track. So what is a normal and safe reading and what does a "too-high" temperature indicate?

2) Boost gauge: This is straight forward enough. When I floor it, it hits peak boost around 1.3 - 1.4 bar. I'm pretty sure this is about right for my turbo (VF34).

3) Oil Pressure Gauge: This has a max level of 7 bar and when I first start the car and drive off, it sits at the max for a while before slowly coming down to about 3 bar. The needle goes up and down as I give it more gas. Why is oil pressure important and what sort of readings under what conditions show that there is a problem?

Thanks!

[RS Grant]

1) Oil Temperature: When driving, my car sits around 85-90deg... the highest recorded I've had was 100deg and that was some serious back road driving followed by an extended cooldown.

2) Boost gauge: Sounds about right, might want to double check with Andy what boost he mapped your car to but if its 1.4bar then its all good.

3) Oil Pressure Gauge: When started from cold, I'm hitting just over 7.5bar here, once warm and idling it sits happily at 2.8-3.0bar constantly. Blip the throttle/drive normally it'll read about 6.8-7.0bar. If you are giving the car stick, it should be constantly hitting the high pressure..... if you are driving the car on boost and that dips, then let off and stop immediately as it shouldnt be doing that. At least thats what I've read and always gone by.

Cheers,

Grant

Edited February 28, 2008 by RS Grant

[thewelsho]

1) Oil Temperature: When driving, my car sits around 85-90deg... the highest recorded I've had was 100deg and that was some serious back road driving followed by an extended cooldown.

2) Boost gauge: Sounds about right, might want to double check with Andy what boost he mapped your car to but if its 1.4bar then its all good.

3) Oil Pressure Gauge: When started from cold, I'm hitting just over 7.5bar here, once warm and idling it sits happily at 2.8-3.0bar constantly. Blip the throttle/drive normally it'll read about 6.8-7.0bar. If you are giving the car stick, it should be constantly hitting the high pressure..... if you are driving the car on boost and that dips, then let off and stop immediately as it shouldnt be doing that. At least thats what I've read and always gone by.

Cheers,

Grant

Thanks man.

I'm a bit worried by the temperature though. 100 degrees is my normal running temperature, which, going by what you said seems a bit too high

[iainc]

Thanks man.

I'm a bit worried by the temperature though. 100 degrees is my normal running temperature, which, going by what you said seems a bit too high

I reckon that most of the cars I've had have all ran about 90 degrees when at operating temp. Can't think why yours would be running higher? Not sure if the extra 10 degrees would make a huge difference or not? Guess someone with a more mechanical background will be able to advise you better on that.

[RS Grant]

To be honest mate, I'm not sure why that would be either... unless the STi has an oil cooler over the WRX, or a bigger capacity cooler if they both have them fitted. Like Iain said, I'm sure someone with a more mechanical knowledge will help out here. I'm running 15w50 in my car too, again, not sure if that makes a great deal of difference.

Cheers,

Grant

[fai17]

Is the gauges accurate?

[fai17]

even my defi boost gauge over reads but my temps are fine.

100 does sound a bit hot for normal running but you need to check if it needs a top up and see how accorate the gauge is.

Peter

[frazer_gallagher]

What should I be looking for in terms of levels?

I have three gauges:

1) Oil Temperature: Once I get going under normal driving conditions, this goes to about 100 degrees. Is this about right? The red values start at 120 degrees and I am thinking that I could easily dip into that on the track. So what is a normal and safe reading and what does a "too-high" temperature indicate?

2) Boost gauge: This is straight forward enough. When I floor it, it hits peak boost around 1.3 - 1.4 bar. I'm pretty sure this is about right for my turbo (VF34).

3) Oil Pressure Gauge: This has a max level of 7 bar and when I first start the car and drive off, it sits at the max for a while before slowly coming down to about 3 bar. The needle goes up and down as I give it more gas. Why is oil pressure important and what sort of readings under what conditions show that there is a problem?

Thanks!

my gauges read as follows

1 oil press 7 bar when cold when driving 6 bar when warmed up 2 bar when ticking over when hot 7bar =100p.s.i!

2 boost gauge same as you but goes to 1.5 bar sometimes

3 oil temp 90 -100 degrees normal driving on all roads 110degrees my warning buzzer starts 120 degrees and above you need a bigger oil cooler possibly front mount as well

[colin_ross]

There are norms when it comes to what your gauges read but ever car/gauge will be slightly different. As long as they fall withing the normal range the most important thing is to look for any changes outwith that norm as that could indicate a problem.

Oil Temp - Can depend on many things. Do you have an oil cooler, what weight of oil do you run, do you have a lower temp water stat, do you have a closed deck block. All of these things can effect what your reading is and what is acceptable.

Boost - Speak to your mapper to see what it should be showing.

Oil Pressure - Again it's dependant on if you have oil squirters, an uprated pump and what weight of oil you run. Oil pressure is important as low oil pressure would indicate a mechanical or wear related problem problem. If it's not a faulty gauge then a rebuild is on the cards.

[thewelsho]

There are norms when it comes to what your gauges read but ever car/gauge will be slightly different. As long as they fall withing the normal range the most important thing is to look for any changes outwith that norm as that could indicate a problem.

Oil Temp - Can depend on many things. Do you have an oil cooler, what weight of oil do you run, do you have a lower temp water stat, do you have a closed deck block. All of these things can effect what your reading is and what is acceptable.

Boost - Speak to your mapper to see what it should be showing.

Oil Pressure - Again it's dependant on if you have oil squirters, an uprated pump and what weight of oil you run. Oil pressure is important as low oil pressure would indicate a mechanical or wear related problem problem. If it's not a faulty gauge then a rebuild is on the cards.

Thanks for that.

I run 15/50 and do have an uprated oil pump. I was perhaps misreadingthe gauge as I it is more accurate to say it is around 95 drgrees. I also have a STi V8 Intercooler as well and the water temps are as normal. I now have a CEL, but I am going to post about this on another thread! One day it will all just work without all these stupid issues.

[colin_ross]

Thanks for that.

I run 15/50 and do have an uprated oil pump. I was perhaps misreadingthe gauge as I it is more accurate to say it is around 95 drgrees. I also have a STi V8 Intercooler as well and the water temps are as normal. I now have a CEL, but I am going to post about this on another thread! One day it will all just work without all these stupid issues.

15/50 will allow you to run a little hotter than standard oil but you should still keep an eye on it. How is your pump uprated, is it a relief valve upgrade or has it been shimmed for more pressure?

The uprated intercooler shouldn't affect the boost at all, well not enough for you to notice.

When you say the water temp is normal, how are you monitoring it? Not the dash temp gauge I take it? Those things only move off of the centre if the coolant is well over the norm.

[thewelsho]

15/50 will allow you to run a little hotter than standard oil but you should still keep an eye on it. How is your pump uprated, is it a relief valve upgrade or has it been shimmed for more pressure?

The uprated intercooler shouldn't affect the boost at all, well not enough for you to notice.

When you say the water temp is normal, how are you monitoring it? Not the dash temp gauge I take it? Those things only move off of the centre if the coolant is well over the norm.

Colin

No idea about the pump, it was fitted by Hypertech when I got my rebuild done. Yes, just using the water temp guage on the dash. It is the same all the time and has never moved since I got the car.

John

[colin_ross]

Colin

No idea about the pump, it was fitted by Hypertech when I got my rebuild done. Yes, just using the water temp guage on the dash. It is the same all the time and has never moved since I got the car.

John

I would assume it would be a relief valve mod them John but you could ask then if you wanted. One is to prevent a know problem where the relief valve bleeds off all the oil pressure in error, a shimmed one it to provide higher pressure.

Forget using the oe water temp gauge mate. A 20 deg difference wont't make it move in either direction.

[thewelsho]

I would assume it would be a relief valve mod them John but you could ask then if you wanted. One is to prevent a know problem where the relief valve bleeds off all the oil pressure in error, a shimmed one it to provide higher pressure.

Forget using the oe water temp gauge mate. A 20 deg difference wont't make it move in either direction.

Ok thanks mate. NExt time I talk to Duncan I'll ask him what went in.

Cheers!

[scoobymark]

I have an oil cooler and my usual oil temp is 75 deg

with spirited driving this goes up to 85 / 90, always stays well under 100

not sure if a great benifit

[thewelsho]

I have an oil cooler and my usual oil temp is 75 deg

with spirited driving this goes up to 85 / 90, always stays well under 100

not sure if a great benifit

AndyF said I should fit one of these... hmmm I wonder.

Edited February 28, 2008 by TheWelsho

[ed-209]

AndyF said I should fit one of these... hmmm I wonder.

The oil temp used to read approx 95 on mine but all gauges can be out by up to 5% and still be classed as accurate. so you can assume it's out by a couple of deg's. If it hits the red, then worry.

The oil pressure should be high when oil is cold (oil thick) or engine under load and drop as the viscosity lowers (oil thin and hot) if it drops to less than 2bar that would tell you, you have low/no oil and should stop asap.

[Ian Coulter]

I have Defis on a standard newage STi.

Oil temp shows about 90 with moderate/town use, 100 with hard/fast driving and 110 at Knockhill.

Oil pressure just above 6 under power and about 2 at idle.

Ian

[zeolite]

Water temp should not run as high as 100 deg on any car. However is the guage calibrated correctly? Is the water actually boiling?

I am no expert on Scoob engines but deffo 100 deg is not right. Is your fan working all the time?

Is that hard running or all the time?

[thewelsho]

Water temp should not run as high as 100 deg on any car. However is the guage calibrated correctly? Is the water actually boiling?

I am no expert on Scoob engines but deffo 100 deg is not right. Is your fan working all the time?

Is that hard running or all the time?

Its the oil temps that's reading near 100 mate. Its actually about 95 as I wasn't reading the gauge properly!

[zeolite]

Its the oil temps that's reading near 100 mate. Its actually about 95 as I wasn't reading the gauge properly!

D'oh

[thewelsho]

D'oh