Twin guage????

[boughtoneatlast]

I am looking for some experience!!!..... I have had alot of probs with the notorius oil sender/guage from Caterham......!!!!!!!

 

I am now looking to replace both and fit a twin oil guage, pressure/temp.. temp coming off Apollo....

 

The question, who does one that is an easy fit, and that works... I have had enough of guessing oil pressure whilst using my right pedal with a heavy foot!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks in advance, I can't be alone in this

 

Gary Wheal - 170bhp K Series

[Robin C]

Gary,

 

A popular option which I myself am about to fit is a SPA dual oil temp and pressure gauge. The temp sender is a direct replacement for the Caterham one supplied with the Apollo. As for the pressure I'm advised by knowledgeable folk that a length of aeroquip with a banjo bolt at one end and tee piece at the other is required. The banjo bolt replaces the existing rover sender on the side of the filter housing and then the SPA sender fits into one side of the tee piece and a low pressure warning switch fits into the other side. The low pressure switch then connects to a BIG yellow warning light mounted on the dash (much easier to see when using right foot!!!). The bits are all available from Think Automotive (www.thinkauto.co.uk). if the pressure switch is calibrated for about 2 bar it may flicker at tickover (proving it works) but will be off under load until a problem occurs.

 

V7 SLR is in the process of fitting a similar set-up but he is dry sumped and tells me the SPA gauge has a switching facility within it so with some clever wiring you can do away with the tee piece and use the gauge to drive a low pressure light.

 

Hope this helps.

[16vastra]

SPA gauges any good? about the £150 mark

http://www.wallaceperformance.co.uk/gauges/spadg101.gif

 

Edited by - 16vastra on 17 Oct 2002 17:41:33

[Nick M]

Check out the Racetech - www.raceparts.co.uk - dual analogue guages. They're cheaper than the SPA ones but check to see if they're back-lit.

 

Mocal also do some I think. Try Think Automotive - www.thinkauto.co.uk or .com - for those ones.

[Peter T]

£100+ for a reliable guage, is good money in ny view, a damn sight cheaper than a complete engine build! I have SPA unit and it can drive an aux warning light, the guage reads pressure via an electronic unit , as opposed to a capillary action.

 

C7 PWT X-Flow all Steel

 

[V7 SLR]

Here's the low-down.

 

As Robin says, I have replaced both my water temp and oil press gauges with Spa dual digital oil temp/oil press and water temp/volts. With regards to the oil press/temp gauge, the temp sender fits in both the Apollo "hole" as well as the same hole as the Caterham dry sump temp sender, so that was useful.

 

Unfortunately, the press sender is of a different thread to the standard press sender so, as Robin says, you will need to remotely connect it using a piece of aeroquip with (probably) a banjo connector at each end. There are advantages to this though; the vibration from the engine and the low mounting point (road debris) already lead to the standard press sender failing. Remote mounting the new sender will take it out of harm's way.

 

Caterham do supply a remote fixing kit, but this is intended to remotely mount the standard press sender and a low press switch. As the Spa gauges can be programmed to drive an external LED (or light through a relay), you do not need a low press switch, so I would question whether the Caterham kit is worth the money in this incidence.

 

The Spa gauges are wondefully made, and although they are not analogue instruments, you quickly learn to appreciate them. The fact that they can drive external warning lights means it is less important that you are able to view them at a glance (some people believe analogue instruments are easier to view at a glance, but I have now become used to the digital info).

 

The racetech instruments are good value for money. They are accurate too, and are backlit (I think this is a legal requirement) but they are connected to the engine by capilliary tubes which are not as easy to route as electrical cabling.

 

Worcs L7 club joint AO.//Membership No. 4379//Azure Blue SLR No. 0077//Se7ens List Tours