1.6S K-Series oil and oil pressure?

[Tom]

Hi All!

 

I have read all the other threads on this topic and can't decided what to do.

 

My SL 1.6 oil pressure gauge reads about 4 bar when driving along, but hovers around the red line when it's at idle. Should I be worried?

 

I've checked the oil and it could use a little more, but these pressure readings are no different to those I was getting about 4 months ago when she had her 12,000 mile service.

 

Oh, and how much oil does her tank take? If the dip-stick shows about 2/3s, how much should I put in? And, more critically, what type?

 

Help would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[murph7355]

Change the sender first and see what happens then. Not a very expensive part and likely to be the problem.

 

I'm pretty sure it takes 5-6 litres as standard with a further 2 litres if you have an Apollo.

 

On a straight 1600KSS I'd suggest you use Mobil 1 0W40 (or any other reputable brand, fully synthetic oil, Mob1 being my particular preference).

 

[Allen Payne]

The standard sump only takes 4lts.

[Buda]

Mine runs (1.6K) at 4 bar around 3-4000rpm, at idle 1 - 1.5bar (just over red bit), thats with mobil one in it, it is rock solid on idle and always does shows the same range - I wouldn't be too worried, on the level, remember to check it when hot and running, my dipstick has a yellow plastic bit on the end and the oil level is to the top of the plastic. Hope this helps, Caterham told me to worry if the oil pressure changes from what it normally does, i.e. if it suddenly went lower. oh - the standard K takes 4.5litres.

 

Edited by - Buda on 15 Apr 2002 08:44:26

[Fred]

Just changed the large sender unit on the filter housing on mine it's a eu3

oil pressure now back to 7 bar on start up drops to 4 bar on tickover engine hot

i was having a very jumpy guage from i bar to 4 bar on tickover

 

 

fredid=blue> smile.gif

[Blatman]

I'd have said 7 bar was way to high on a K. I think you should be looking at 4 bar at cold idle, and around 1.5 to 2 bar hot idle. You'll have half a bar less than "standard" if you have an Apollo tank. Runing pressure hot should see around 4 bar also. Check the resistance of the new sender, and check the oil pressure relief valve (if the EU3 has one).......

[Mark Piper]

All I can say is that mine must be in the rudest of health - 4 bar plus when running and hot idle not far below that figure too - all this for an engine that's coverd 35,000 miles. I'd be worried if mine idled as low as 1.5 bar, mind you!

[Fred]

blatman i have. all is ok its actually 6bar start up cold 4 bar water hot tickover

drops down when engine oil up to temp this engine is new only 1500 miles

 

fredid=blue> smile.gifi think we can all agree the sender is the first thing to change on a k engine new or old as they are not the most reliable

 

Edited by - FRED on 15 Apr 2002 16:38:07

[Tom]

Thanks everyone for your input. Seeing as how unreliable the senders are for exact bar readings it probably is better to look at the gauge in relatve terms. As it's always read roughly the same I think I'm ok, but another litre or so of oil may be a good idea.

[dogvet]

Caterham recommend 5W-40 comma syner g for 16valve engines.

[danwhiley]

Also, don't forget that you're reading the gauge from the side, so parallax (sp?) error will probably make the pressure look lower than if you were looking head-on (something that always causes me a problem with the fuel gauge - I fill up when it's a quarter empty, as from my seat, it looks like it's well into the red!!)

 

For the record, my 1.6K at 3,000 miles sits just above the red on hot idle, and 4bar when cold idle / hot running.

 

Dan.

[Buda]

Same as mine.

[KevSull Too]

ditto for my 1.8 K

[Stuart Penney]

Mine seems to be around 4 bar at cold idle and when driving, 1.5 bar at warm idle. Seems like pretty standard behaviour to me.

[wag]

A dodgy earth connection to the wiper motor (above passenger footwell) can make gauges misbehave.