Low oil pressure on K series???????

[Rob Board]

Hello everyone. My 2 month old 1.8 140 bhp X-Power (Re-badged K series), is displaying what I beleive to be low oil pressure at tick over when hot.Checking the oil today the fan cut in, so obviously v-hot, and oil pressure was about 1-1.5 psi, ie just touching/off the red. As soon as you blip the throttle, it shoots up to 4 or 5 psi. When the car is underway there are never any snags, and pressure is always good, especially at cold idle. However being of an engineering mind I feel the current v-hot tick over pressure is TOO low. Any ideas. I am currently running with factory fill Comma 0w-40w, but was thinking of upgrading to Comma 5w-50 for "performance/track driving" as specified in my handbook. Will ring caterham tommorrow, but any thoughts greatly received.Do I need an oil cooler??. Cheers Rob.

[TomB]

My dry sumped 1.4 k runs at about 2.5 (dead on centre) at road speed dropping to 1 - 1.5 at hot idle. It rises quickly to pressure when the engine speeds up. It also dropped half a car when I changed to halford fully synth (Comma oil).

 

Caterham said my gauge or sender may be slightly under reading, but they wernt concerned as the pressure rose when the engine sped up. I aint worried about it. If it dropped suddenly I would be.

 

I believe a oil cooler lowers the pressure slightly.

 

Any way thats my 1.4 so it may be different for a 1.8. Suggest you speak to the tech department - they may well reassure you.

 

Edited by - TomB on 2 Dec 2002 22:45:21

[Fred]

rob get caterham to send you a sender unit under warranty they are not very reliable .

i also don't think you need the 0/40 unless you park outside and we have a bad winter go for the 5/40 i had the same prob with my last caterham, and changing the sender solved the prob.

 

 

[mav]

Are you sure its 0w-40 and not 5w-40 already. If you have not had the 500 service, It may still have a lower grade oil in it. My 1.6SS with apollo ticks over hot at approx 2bar & 4 bar at 2K +rpm when hot.

 

The gauges / senders are known to vary a little.

 

 

 

Edited by - mav on 2 Dec 2002 22:56:25

[scooby dooby doo]

Those numbers are better than mine... I get about 1 bar at hot idle and 3.5 at revs.

 

The oil will get MUCH hotter on track as well - I get up to about 120 degrees (but will fit an oil water interchanger this winter).

 

HOOPY 500 kg R706KGU

[caterhamnut]

Hi Rob,

Ours does exactly the same (which does not mean its right of course) and we have had no problems. I just blip the throttle every now and again whilst stuck in London jams, or hold it at 1000 rpm which is enough to raise the pressure at standstill. We fitted an apollo tank a few months ago, and this has seen the pressure at hot standstill lower slightly, but when running it sits nicely at TDC on the gauge - about 4psi. Since fitting said apollo tank neither the oil pressure or temp gauge has moved whilst on track days or road, so we are happy.

 

😬30,000 miles in 15 months!

angus@tinyworld.co.uk

Caterham pics

here

[New Barbie]

The numbers sound about right to me. I wouldn't worry too much if the pressure is fine when using the engine in anger.

 

I run 15w50 in my K-series which is over the top and not fun until warmed up, it's too thick and the pressure too high when cold. It is very good once warmed up though.

 

The laminova cooler is a good solution for cooling and quick warming of the oil as well.

 

[Andy. N]

Rob

 

I get exactly the same readings as you on my 1.8K(standard 120bhp). I mentioned it when the car was at the factory recently and got the same response as other posters have suggested - ie, the sender/gauge doesn't necessarily show actual pressure, the readings are not unusual, and all is OK as long as the needle rises when the engine is under load (and doesn't drop when you wouldn't expect it to).

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Nicholls

C7 AJN

[Roger King]

These figures are fine just so long as you mean 1 - 1.5 BAR and not PSI. If you really do mean a PSI reading, you've got problems.

[CHRIS CLARK]

My modified 1800 'K' gives me 8+ bar at start up, 6 bar at hot running, and 2.5 bar hot idle.

 

Actually, I have fitted a sender designed for 0-5 bar on the old VDO 0-10 bar gauge. Reason?

Well, I found that with a hot running of 3 bar and an idle of about 1.5 bar the needle moved very little. Didn't trust myself to see any major differences, but with a double reading needle the swing is much more pronounced. I know 'in-my-head' to halve the readings, but the visual impact is a lot better.

 

Clamshell Club Founder Member and stationary engine enthusiast.

[boughtoneatlast]

I also had problems with my oil pressure readings, I have a 1.6k SS and having installed an apollo and a new sender am now getting much more accurate readings in line with the mech. guage used to test it.

 

I am getting 1.5 to 2 on idle and 4-6 bar dependant on thrust !! and temp.........

 

It is much more relaxing seeing the right numbers, I have also got a light on the dash set at 25psi, so if I have a problem on a track day I will see it and not have to keep checking the guage........

 

 

 

Gary

[Graham Perry]

the guages are not very good at low oil pressures. I checked mine against a calibrated professional guage that I plugged into the system at the sender and found at 3-5 bar it was spot on, but when it was showing 1 bar the actual pressure was 1.5. Admittedly this was on a 1990 VDO guage so thingsmay have changed.

[AndrewE]

I am getting similar with a 1.6 SS K series.

About 6-7 bar at start up and until after engine is warmed up, then after about 8-10 minutes driving it drops to 4.5 bar and only after a longer drive does it go to 2 bar at idle, reverting to 4 bar in use

I have a remote mounted sender (new) 

Should i check anything out?

 

[Hanns Per]

I had the same in our 1.6K series S3 , from 2001, it was the broken baffle foam which blocked the lines. Once cleaned presusre was back again.

Hanns Per

[TomB]

Wow, I first replied to this thread in December 2002 - and here I am again. Should I be worried?

[Hanns Per]

interesting indeed  :-)

 

[The_ASH]

It should also be remembered that the sender units for the oil pressure gauge wear with time (sometimes read low from new) and it might be that the lower reading is coming from that. I'm sure someone will be along to suggest fitting a mechanical gauge any moment but a new sender might do the trick.