1.8 K series; what should the oil pressure be?

[cab260175]

Hello gents

I have just picked up my Superlight. What sort of oil pressure are you getting from your K series engines?

Thanks

CAB

[Mikeww]

Anything from 0 to 4 bar!. The senders are notoriously unreliable so if it looks low don't panic.Expect around 2 bar hot if the senders working. Mine reads about 1 bar hot on full revs at the moment and when I get round to spending ANOTHER £30 on a sender I'll gain about 3 bar!

[cab260175]

Hello Mikeww

Thanks for the reply. Mine starts cold between 3 and 4 bar and drops to just over 2 bar when hot. It seems a bit low for a modern engine, my old crossflow was higher than that.

Thanks

CAB

[apothecary]

My SL runs at c2Bar at tickover unless oil is hot in which case between 1 - 2 at tic over. When cold oil pressure is usually 4 Bar.

As stated the senders are unreliable (electric) as they sit at the front of the oil filter housing on a K series and are prone to knocking. Many fit a mechanical gauge as will I when the next sender fails. THINK auto do the kits at about £90 IIRC

[cab260175]

Hello

When I collected the car the pressure was 4 bar (ish) cold dropping to just below 2 bar on idle and was just over 2 bar hot under load. I pulled the connector off the sender and cleaned the tab with wet and dry and put it back on with some coppa slip, it now has between 3 to 4 bar hot under load. Much better than spending out £34 or whatever the senders cost now.

CAB

[thinfourth]

Bite the bullet and get a spa gauge set-up or a mechanical ones