Xflow oil pressure (dry sump)

[Taran Las]

On a newly built crossflow the tick over (1000 revs) oil pressure (when hot) drops to 2.5 bar (Happy with this), however at 2500 revs it shows nearly 8 bar(Not happy with this!) Sometimes the tick over pressure (again when hot) stays at 4 bar and at 4000 revs shows 6 bar. It can't make up its mind what it wants to be at! Anyone had a problem like this - engine appears to run fine.

 

Oil suggestions gratefully received (sorry!)

 

Phil Owen.

[Buda]

Christ - its running!! teeth.gif

 

On a serious note - see freds topic previous and the one on at present (1.6K), I assume the xflow gauge has a sender and if so have you checked the connection?

 

Just an idea, but for once I may prove to be almost right.

[Simos]

And check the earth on the guage(s) (left side under dash)

 

And check the sender, electric senders are notorius. Take down the local garage where they can put a pressure guage directly on the sender takeoff and physically measure the pressure.

[Paul Turner]

Phil

 

Where is the sender? when I first dry sumped my x-flow I followed "expert" advice and relocated it into the remote filter housing as the standard VDO one would no longer fit alonside the pump, the gauge told more lies than the average politition. I fitted a mechanical gauge with the sender in block and normality was returned. Dry sump pumps normally have an adjustable pressure relief valve but I would not suggest adjusting this until you have a reliable reading. As an example my dry sumped x-flows ran happily for 12 years with a hot idle pressure between 15 and 20 psi (1 to 1.25 bar) and a normal hot running pressure at 4000 rpm of about 65 psi (4.5 bar) on 10 - 40 oil.

 

Paul

[Taran Las]

Thanks for your replies guys - my first step must be to determine what the actual pressure is. Anyone know of a company that sells accurate mechanical oil gauges ?

 

Phil

[Taran Las]

Perhaps I should qualify that last remark - does anyone know who sells universal oil pressure gauges (not dash mounted ones).

 

Thanks

 

Phil

[puremalt]

My 13 year old, rebuilt x flow has a pressure gauge that sticks on 40 psi from cold the after 5 miles drops to operating 38-40 psi under way, and 15-20 psi at tickover. I'm assuming this to be the sender as the temp gauge does weird stuff too from cold. Yes there is oil and water in the car.

 

Dave Robertson

[SteveP]

puremalt,

 

my xflow does exactly the same, not sure if it is a problem though - although I don't get any funny things happening with the temp gauge

 

car runs OK

 

SteveP

 

Edited by - SteveP on 16 Apr 2002 23:07:24

[Graham Perry]

Make sure the wire isn't loose on the sender. There is a lot more vibration on a steel engine than an ordinary one and on mine the wire regularly comes loose, and gives very high readings when it does. Loctite or a bigger nut don't seem to help.

Another thing make sure you have a sender thats rated up to 10 bar like the guage, as not all are. I seem to think that when I upgraded my engine to steel I replaced this with a higher pressure sender than standard.

[rgrigsby]

My dry sumped xflow idles around 15psi once warm and goes up to 55-60psi at max revs, 6 bar sounds very high.

 

Cheers

 

Rob G

www.SpeedySeven.com

[Graham Perry]

Forgot to mention, mines about 5 to 5.5 bar at 8000 and about 2 bar at tickover, warm. the gauge is accurate as I compared it with a calibrated/certified pressure gauge used on aircraft fuel system.