nickdodo Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I have an ammeter fitted to my car that does not seem to be working. I have a number of options: 1) Leave it in the car not working – fills up a hole in the dash. 2) Remove it and leave a nasty hole in the dash. 3) Replace it with another ammeter. 4) Replace it with an oil temp gauge. 5) Replace it with an ammeter and replace the water temp gauge with an oil and water temp gauge. Has anyone any view on which option is most useful: ammeter, oil temp or neither? Of course I could put a clock in.... Nick Nick in the (1987) 1700 X Flow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Support Team Shaun_E Posted October 25, 2005 Support Team Share Posted October 25, 2005 I would go for oil temperature. Its surprising how much longer than water oil takes to get up to temp so very useful. Also useful on trackdays as oil temp can reach critical values. What does an ammeter give you? Yellow SL #32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdodo Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 Shaun_E, Do you know if you can you get an oil temp gauge with an electric sender - like a water temp gauge? Nick in the (1987) 1700 X Flow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Ammeters are useless. I had an alty give up and the ammeter told me nowt until the lights were going yellow and the ignition was coughing. Fecken useless thing. Ever tried to push a Volvo half a mile down a country lane, alone, in the dark, while looking for a place to get it off the road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 The ammeter will show rate of charge a voltmeter will show voltage of charging circuit. I would go for the oil temp gauge for 2 reasons. 1) see when the oil is above 50-60 degrees so you know when it's OK to use the full revs. 2) If on the track will show you when the oil is getting very hot. I've know oil temps in non-dry sumped cars go above 140c. Not sure what you do but at least you know the oil is very hot. 2 may not be relavent if you don't use the car on track. I've got a dry sump, an oil cooler plumbed in with an oil-stat and rarely get the oil to 80c on the road. On the track it goes straight to 80 (from 50/60 normal road temp). The oil-stat allows oil through the oil cooler at 80c so at least I know the cooler is doing it's job. ed to say that I agree with BOSS. I have a Voltmeter and it never warned me when my new Brize alternator wasn't working because I hadn't earthed it until it was too late. The Elan has an ammeter and it reads +30 as soon as anything electrical is switched on. Normal (no lights/wipers or anything other than ignition) sees it hovereing around +10 or +15 Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here Edited by - nverona on 25 Oct 2005 17:58:22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Nick If you use an identical sender for the oil as you use for water temp, you can then use your water temp gauge to read water and oil by means of a simple single-pole, double-throw switch. That gives you the option of replacing the old ammeter with a new one. The ammeter is useful in showing charge rate in general and, in particular, initial charge after starting which gives confidence (or not) that the alternator is functioning OK. I drilled and tapped my sump bolt to take an oil temperature sender and it has worked perfectly without a leak for nearly 3 years. It seems a shame to throw away some useful information when you already have a hole in the dash. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Support Team Shaun_E Posted October 25, 2005 Support Team Share Posted October 25, 2005 As Chris says you can use the same sort of sender for oil as you have for water. I think that they are about a tenner from Caterham. Yellow SL #32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 ...and hopelessly unreliable... By SPA - you know it makes sense... Project Scope-Creep is live... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beelzebub Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Another for SPA dual gauge here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdodo Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 I think the switch for water/oil temp sounds good - either that or replace a gauge with a dual pressure/temp gauge. (dual oil temp/water temp?) The ammeter may be ok - checking it out I think a previous owner (I've only had the car a month) has done some bodge wiring ☹️. I've removed some wires that don't go anywhere - fixed some bitsthat didn't work, but I need to remove some rubbish that has been put in and replace it - slightly longer job than I anticipated. If I don't do it I expect I'll be calling AA relay before to long. Some of the bodge is related to the wiring between alternator and BAttery... thats why the ammeter does not work - even though it is connected to the correct wires. So when I get a spare weekend I'll be crimping away - thanks for the help. What I cant find is a dual water temp/oil temp - any ideas? Nick Nick in the (1987) 1700 X Flow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Nick, I had the changover switch for reading oil & water. I didn't suggest it as I thought you wanted a gauge to fill a hole. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Nick The standard water gauge will cover the temperature needed for both water and oil. Providing you use the identical type sender, the gauge will read correctly (within its tolerances!) for both liquids. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdodo Posted October 27, 2005 Author Share Posted October 27, 2005 Thanks guys - so I now plan for oil/water switched , fix the wiring and get the ammeter working and of course lots of driving 😬 to check it all out. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMorris Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 IIRC I have a couple of spare temp senders (though there are a number of different types depending upon cars age etc. If you e-mail me your type (and possibly resistance at room temp [15 degC]) I'll see if I have a match, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 room temp [15 degC Brrrrr! I'll see if I have a match Light it! Light it! Project Scope-Creep is live... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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