RESOLVIWOLF Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 My oil pressure reading has been 2bar for some time whether hot/cold/idle or driven keenly. It did used to go to 4 bar when i first got the car but doesn't do that anymore for some reason. Anyway, come back holiday from and take the car for a short run. Coming to a halt in traffic I notice that the needle is going crazy at around the 2 mark, flickering/oscillating erratically mostly toward the red ??? I think i noticed it doing the same when travelling as well although it was most obvious when at a standstill. I immediately stopped and checked the oil level which seemed fine (had a complete oil change ~500 miles ago) but topped up in any case. Anyway, the flickering stopped but then after parking the car up again for a few hours then going out again the erratic guage started all over again ??? I have a few questions here: 1. firstly, can anyone confirm that, short of a rabbit or a mistlethrush being let loose inside the engine, there is no way that that erratic reading is a proper indication of oil pressure. I would imagine that actual oil pressure simply cannot fluctuate like that at such a frequency ??? i.e. the implication being that this is either a faulty sender or guage ? 2. should i be ignoring this oil pressure guage most of the time ? Is the caterham faternity somewhat oil pressure paranoid ? The VHPD is an unstressed and proven unit and providing one doesn't get bad surge on long bends on the circuit then surely there should be no reason to ever even consider what the oil pressure is (providing the oil level is good). The vhpd is used in hundreds of exiges/340rs/190elises and these cars run no oil pressure gauge at all. The owners seem to enjoy teh privelidge of just getting the car serviced on time, topping up occasionally and just enjoying the car and/or trackday rather than looking at a gauge in complete terror all the time. I understand that the longtitudinal arrangement changes things slightly but surely not that much. Searching through the archives it seems that people experience a huge range of pressure readings with many factors causing deviations (oil grade, appollo tank, sender position, running in proceedure etc..) but often with no explanation to account for any specific oddities (like 8 bar !!!). It makes me wonder if the gauge serves more to confuse that to provide the driver with any useful information. Has anyone ever used a reading to their advantage.... if the oil level is good and the pump is working then the engine should be fine (or are there a multitude of other hazards to be paranoid about ?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buda Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Probably the sender unit. Also check earthing points, if the speedo moves when you rev it in neutral then could be earthing points. I've just had the sender replaced and this has cured the no oil pressure problem but it 'flickers' around 2 bar at idle. According to Caterham Midlands they have never seen an oil pressure problem on a K series although they have replaced at least two senders (mav and me). Just put tape over the gauge and be happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Had a similar problem with the oil pressure guage on my Zetec. At the same time as the oil pressure was leaping about, the water temperature was doing the same. Cleaned all the earthing points up, and any other contacts I could reach, and all appears OK. I have found that the majority of electrical type problems are down to bad/dirty/corroded conections. Dave H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RESOLVIWOLF Posted June 24, 2002 Author Share Posted June 24, 2002 can anyone confirm that there is no way that that erratic reading is a proper indication of oil pressure ? Has anyone ever used a reading to their advantage.... if the oil level is good and the pump is working then the engine should be fine (or are there a multitude of other hazards to be paranoid about ?) anyone ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buda Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I'm not sure that this is a definitive confirmation.. Mine was doing something similar i.e. wavering between 1 and 2 bar on idle (shortly before it decided that 0 and 1 was a better option), obviously concerned had it checked out by Caterham and a pressure gauge put on it, oil pressure was fine, gauge was lying. Surely you'd hear a roaring noise if it was problematic? - mind you all I can hear is the exhaust on mine. If your not happy get someone to put a pressure gauge on it and have it checked (local garage stuff can't believe its that expensive?) its the only way to get any confidence. Buda - ex member of the paranoid oil pressure club of Great Britain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldridgen Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I had exactly this problem recently and a new oil pressure sender solved the problem. Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwhiley Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 Same here - drove down to Caterham South, and Simon Lambert sorted me out with a new sender there and then. Good, quick turnaround, and I've not had any problems since. Definitely worth getting it sorted out so you can get back to worrying about that funny rattle that you think you heard a couple of days ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allegro Posted June 26, 2002 Share Posted June 26, 2002 Yep Sounds familiar. Changed the sendor at the next oil change. Fixed. Andy Mac teeth.gif Team Langoustine. Hard Core Prawn teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RESOLVIWOLF Posted June 27, 2002 Author Share Posted June 27, 2002 guys thanx fopr all the advice i revved it in neutral and the speedo was all over the place... oil pressure back to 3.5 bar as well !? so must be the earthing thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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