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Gauge Reading Really High


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#1 james.c94

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 10:40 AM

I've just put in a pair of autometer gauges I got for Christmas and my oil pressure gauge is reading really high. When I start the car up the needle goes straight past 100 psi, after I've let it warm up a bit it will read 95 ish psi, why is it doing this? That sort of pressure can't be right surely.

Also my temp gauge sits roughly at 85 to 90 degrees after a good run, is that alright or running too cold?

Cheers in advance
James

#2 blacktulip

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 10:53 AM

temp sounds right.

my smiths oil gauge goes to around 3/4 on start up, then just over 1/4 when warm at idle and rises to 1/2 when the engine is on the move.

i have a spare oil pressure gauge you can borrow if you want to try it? only in braintree.

Edited by blacktulip, 29 December 2012 - 10:55 AM.


#3 dklawson

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 02:02 PM

As above, the temperature sounds right. Is the AutoMeter oil pressure gauge mechanical or electric?

The next question is NOT meant to sound insulting so please accept it as just a question.

If the AutoMeter oil pressure gauge is electric, did you use the dedicated sending unit supplied with it OR did you use the switch that was already in the engine block? If you used the existing switch in the block, that is your problem. The Mini use an oil pressure switch, not an analog sending unit. For your new gauge to read correctly you MUST use the sending unit that was supplied with it.

#4 james.c94

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 07:26 PM

I think I'll have to try another gauge on it first. The lowest I can get it at idle is 90 psi when it's all warmed up and been thrashed a bit. Could it be my release valve? I've got a ball bearing and spring so I doubt it would be getting stuck. My gauge is a mechanical one so there's not much the mess up when fitting it really. Any other ideas as to why I'm getting such a high pressure?

James

#5 tiger99

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 08:22 PM

It is ratherf high. It does suggest that your relief valve spring is too strong, but even so it would be unusual to get really high pressure at idle. You need very good bearings and pump to get a stupidly high pressure at idle, even if the relief valve is jammed. But, if you possibly can, try another gauge before doing anything too drastic.

#6 james.c94

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 08:36 PM

Yeah I think I'll try another gauge on it tomorrow and see what happens, I might try swapping the relief valve back to a standard one to see if it makes any difference too

Cheers guys

#7 dklawson

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 12:09 AM

You said that you installed the ball bearing relief valve conversion. Did you use the spring "full length" or did you shorten it?

From memory, you don't use the spring without shortening it. I also remember that the method was to start with a new Cooper-S relief valve spring and shorten it by cutting off a couple of loops, then trying it to see what the pressure is. If the pressure remains high with a couple of loops cut off the spring, take an additional 1/2 a coil off and repeat your test until you get the pressure somewhere between 50-60 PSI at cold idle.

#8 james.c94

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 12:21 AM

Yeah I brought the ball relief valve but I didn't even think of that, i brought it at a show and it was in the same tub as the spring so I assumed it was the correct length. I'll take it out and have a look at it tomorrow, if its the same length as standard I'll cut it up :)

James

#9 mike.

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 01:08 AM

I had to cut about 3 coils off mine to get around 65psi at idle. In the end I went back to the standard valve with an adjustable nut on the outside of the block.

#10 dklawson

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 03:38 PM

You can also use the adjustable nut with the ball bearing conversion.

If you take the spring out and find that both ends are still "square" and ground flat like a new factory-made spring it probably has not been shortened.

#11 james.c94

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 04:43 PM

Cut a few coils off the spring and it is now at 75 psi when cold.
Cheers mate :)




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