Garth Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Surprised to notice my oil pressure gauge wondering about on the way home from Caterham F1 visit today. Stopped and discovered that there was no oil registering on the dip stick! Topped up and pressure good again! How much oil should I be expecting to use? Did not use any oil before my upgrade! Oil temp been running to low (am in process of addressing this) could that be a reason for it burning off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 If the upgrade was done by others ....... did you check the oil level afterwards ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I hope you haven't harmed the engine. Oil consumption on my 2007 23K miles 125 sigma is negligible. Are you still running the standard wet sump? Any blue smoke in the exhaust? Do you have a catch tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 If you have had an upgrade that means you use higher revs than before, you will use more oil. My Sigma 125 uses hardly any oil on the road, but needs topping up when used at sustained high revs on track. Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 have standard wet sump with baffle plate. No blue smoke from exhaust noticed, but will look more closely now! plugs are a healthy colour! I have a catch tank, but no oil in it - have had a few puffs of smoke out of the tank though? now revs to 7800 so quite a bit more than before! Hope no damage done - pressure did not drop completely - needle just started wavering between 40 to 50 psi rather than sitting at a steady 65 ish so very much hope no damage done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 My sigma with Caterham 150 upgrade doesn't use hardly any oil, on our recent road trip of over 1800 miles the oil was still on max mark when we got home, the car was often taken to 7500 revs.I do get a small amount in the catch tank but that's only oily water. How long since you checked the level ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 I only checked it when I got it back from the upgrade works and level was fine - had not used any oil before then so was not in the habit of checking it regularly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative nickhi Posted July 20, 2013 Area Representative Share Posted July 20, 2013 Garth, can I ask what your Sigma oil pressure was like before the upgrade. I have a new Sigma 125, done 400 miles so far. Oil pressure, when cold stays around 4bar. When warmed up at idle it seems to drop to below 2bar, almost just above the Red. Whilst driving though the pressure returns to around 4 bar again. Been told this is normal for a Sigma but seems strange to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 All quite normal for any engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 Hi Nick. My oil pressure does just as yours does (gauge now in psi not bar). did it before the work and still does it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 Just spoken to HWR and they recon that I could be using about 1 litre of oil every 1000 miles with the pistons and rings they put in my car!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Is that just while the rings bed in ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 did not ask! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted July 20, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted July 20, 2013 Quoting Garth: Just spoken to HWR and they recon that I could be using about 1 litre of oil every 1000 miles with the pistons and rings they put in my car!?? My 1900K used a not dissimilar amount of oil prior to me rebuilding it, but following the rebuild I did the "rag it from new" method of running it in and oil use is now negligible ...... you need to get the rings bedded in fully. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Quoting nickhi: Garth, can I ask what your Sigma oil pressure was like before the upgrade. I have a new Sigma 125, done 400 miles so far. Oil pressure, when cold stays around 4bar. When warmed up at idle it seems to drop to below 2bar, almost just above the Red. Whilst driving though the pressure returns to around 4 bar again. Been told this is normal for a Sigma but seems strange to me. same as mine. Don't forget 5w30 oil is about the same viscosity as water when fully hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 I am recommended 10W-40 - so not quite as thin as water!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristopheC Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Some input, even if the topic is quite old, it can be useful for others : Caterham Sigma Academy from 2007On the road : Oil use is less than a half liter per 1000 mileOn a track : 1 liter per trackdayOil : Titan Race Pro 5w30. Maybe I should use a thicker oil for trackdays but I only do one or two trackdays per year, so I don't bother. I know that I have to check the oil level during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorset7 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 You should be looking at around 1 Bar @ 800RPM (80 degrees C) and 2.5 Bar @ 2000RPM (80 Degrees C)The pressure relief valve operates at 5 Bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 Recently had a Laminova fitted and refilled with 5W30 instead of the 10W40 recommended by the engine buiilder. Seems to have used more oil than normal over the summer so am going to keep a closer eye on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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