GraemeF

Guys,

I'm looking at fitting an oil pressure , oil temp and fuel pressure guages and I was wondering what types most people use?

I have heard from some rallying friends that they don't particulary trust electical ones, as one of my friends has had 3 failures previously..

on the other hand, what is the possibility of the mechnaical ones leaking / exploding in the cockpit?

Main reason for asking this is that Racetech do a nice combined oil temp/presure gauge that I believe is mechanical and that will save me a gauge..

also, what are the typical temps for
oil, water and pressures for oil/fuel?

Many thanks!

chiark

Graeme, I can't remember if I've pointed you in this direction before -

Adam M

Nick did you mean to write electrical?

Mike Tuckwood

Yes he did.

Davvers

I have the racetech guage - its mechanical, combined pressure and temperture.
I'm having fun fitting it, see threads below!
Hopefully now I know the sizes I can get to fit it this weekend - think automotive have been helpful in providing adaptors etc

I have a full electric Stack set up on the track car - but don't like the digital display nor the fact that I can change the oil pressure by putting the lights on etc - had 2 new senders recently - so basically don't trust it. I will put a mechanical opressure guage on the wind deflector in the line of sight as well as wire in a big F~ck off warning light.

Otherwise racetech guage is cheap cheap and hopefully will work well

GraemeF

ok thanks so far.. but does anyone know the common temps ranges that they all function in?

I want to get the correct range of gauges and seeing as some vary quite a bit I want to be sure that I will be in the correct temp / pressure range on the gauge!

NITO

Hi Graeme,

I've used electrical gauges for years now. They are very reliable, at least all of the japanese gauges i've tried are.

WIth regards to temp ranges, for oil temp you want between 50-150 degrees. Basically oil will start protecting the engine when its upto to temp about 70 degrees. Depending on the car and setup they will run at different temps. A standard car will peak at about 92 deg and will maintain 70-80 degrees on normal running. if you fit an fmic then temps will go upto about 110 on fast road use. These are temps in the sump. If you go for the temp taken from the hottest point in the block above no.3 you will see about 10-15 degrees above these temps. This is where I record my temps now.

Oil pressure you want between 0-10bar really. On cold fire up the car will probably peak between 7-8 bar and settle to an idle of around 1.5bar on a std car and around 4-5bar on throttle.

With boost you want upto around 1.5bar will probably be enough unless you want to go seriously into tuning where you may want upto 2bar.

hth

Nito
ps..haven't a clue what these translate to in psi and fahrenheit etc.

GraemeF

NITO,, excellent!

Davvers - I'd be interested in any comments when you fit your racetech gauge and bits!! ooer...

ta

Karlos

I can't recommend Chiark's guide enough. It's very good. Make sure you check it out before attempting installation. Such a pity more people don't take the initiative and put there experience on the web for others...

Karlos

chiark

I did mean electrical cheers for correcting that Mike. We're having connectivity problems around here.

Thanks for the kind words, Karlos. Most appreciated. I was tempted to put up a "how to fit clear indicators" guide, but that really is tooooo simple

Autometer uses imperial units. I have 0-100 PSI for oil pressure (electrical), -30mmHG to 30 PSI mechanical boost, and oil temp is 100-250 degrees farenheit.

They also do a speedo in furlongs per fortnight

spender

Just connected up the oil pressure part of my Racetech combined oil pressure/temp gauge this morning.Pretty easy to do as long as you get the right connectors/tee-pieces (thanks

Davvers

hi spender
Got the same guage as you, too busy with the other car to fit it yet, but think automotive do a 20mm to 3/8BSP adaptor - its bore is a little too narrow for the brass tube to go through but you can drill it out - waiting for the oil to need chnaging before attempting to change it

GraemeF

Hi Spender / Davvers,

right then...

Where is the best place to have the oil temp sender unit fitted to? in the sump or in the block above n3 piston which is know to let go more on sti5's.. and may give me more advanced insight...?

When you bought your racetech gauges what length of pipe work did u buy as they do 7,9 &12 ft lengths?

There are also 2 different temp gauge adaptors:

PART NO 3/8 BSP X 3/8 BSP 3/8 BSP X 5/8 UNF PRICE
GA6B4 £3.68
GA6BB £1.99

and Pressure sender adaptors:

PART NO END FEMALE THREAD SIZE MALE THREAD SIZE SIDE FEMALE THREAD SIZE PRICE
RTA600 14X1.5 10X1 10X1 £4.20
RTA601 10X1 10X1 10X1 £4.68


I see that Raceparts-direct.com seem to be the cheapest for the racetech gauges BUT I don't know which ones I need for my sti5 as the options listed are as follows:

PART NO PRESSURE CONNECTION TEMP_ CONNECTION PRICE
PT1612B7 1/8 BSP 7' £50.68
PT1612B9 1/8 BSP 9' £50.68
PT1612BA7 -3 AEROQUIP 7' £50.68
PT1612BA9 -3 AEROQUIP 9' £50.68
PT1612BAL12 -3 AEROQUIP 12' £56.35
PT1612BAL9 -3 AEROQUIP 9' £53.59
PT1612BL12 1/8 BSP 12' £56.35
PT1612BL7 1/8 BSP 7' £53.59
PT1612BL9 1/8 BSP 9' £53.59


sorry for the big post, but I want to get everything right from the beginning and all this is new to me...

cheers,
Graeme

Davvers

I'm fitting it this weekend so will post sizes and everything then when I'm sure it all fits -

GraemeF

Thanks Davvers, I egerly await your post

spender

Graeme,

My oil presure/temp gauge came with 9ft capiliary tubing for the temp part, which although not hooked up yet looks like it'll get down to the sump plug ok. (Think Automotive sending 20mm male to 3/8 bsp male adaptor any time now so it'll be working at the weekend hopefully.)

The pressure hose I got from Raceparts was 7ft long and is the right length to reach the oil presure switch under the alternator.

I used the short T piece part no MO 010L from Raceparts, description 1/8 npt x1/8th npt x 1/8th npt (rover) and an 1/8th npt male to 1/8bsp male adaptor to go into the T piece and then connect to the hose.

I'm not sure where the best place to site the sender unit is, but the easiest looks like into the sump plug hole - let you know later.................

The differences in all those gauge part numbers is the length of pipe and the presentation of the connection. The temperature part of the gauge comes already assembled with the pipe plumbed into the gauge. The length is obvious which just leaves the thread type at the engine end.

If you use the adaptors I've list earlier then you need gauge ending BLx where x is the pipe length

Speak to Phil at Raceparts he sorted me out no bother (no connection, just a satisfied customer)

Davvers

OK Racetech oil pressure/temp guage finally fitted.

Oil Pressure fitment:

2 metre pipe just sufficent (maybe a bit longer will give you more leway to fitting)
engine end - 1/8 NPT male fitting
guage end - 1/8 BSP female

Removed oil pressure sender from under alternator - despite Chiarks helpful site it is not necessary to remove the alternator - a set of cut off spanners and small hands are useful though as is a magnet on a stick.


Oil temp fitting

20mm to 3/8 BSP adaptor from Think Automotive
The internal diametre is just too tight for the brass temp tube so a little work is needed with a drill.

I routed the cable through the rubber grommet just under and to the nearside of the clutch mastercylinder.

It is possible to do this a not change all the oil ( I changed mine 2 weeks ago!) I lost around 250mls into a drip tray in the process though.


Lighting - I took power feed of the internal illumination from the fog light switch - you will need to earth the guage

any questions feel free
No leaks (fingers crossed)

RM Distributing

We recommend the Greddy Gauges,