Nova_Tek
09-03-12, 08:19 PM
Evening all,
The Cav got it's MOT yesterday and passed fine. Whilst it was at the test centre and up in the air, I realised that the oil pressure sender was still in place but the wire had snapped. So today with some free time I set about sorting it out seeing as the volt/oil gauges were already in.
At first, I realised that the oil pressure warning light wouldn't come on when ignition was switched on. I found the broken gauge wire and sorted it out then plugged it into the empty connector on the sender and checked the dash wire was ok. Ignition on and gauge was at 0 (how it should be). Started it up and the gauge jumped to 3 bar. Hmmm... Maybe because the car had been driven a fair bit today and engine was still very warm the oil pressure is sitting lower (which again is what normally happens) but a dab of throttle should see the gauge go up but in this case it would only budge 1/2 a bar at most.
So I thought maybe the wires are the wrong way round. Swapped the wires over at the sender, ignition on, dash oil light on, oil gauge off the scale! Started it up and the light dims to half and stays on. Clearly the wrong way round. Swap the wires back to how they were and it goes back to how it was - no dash light, gauge works but only shows 3 bar at all times.
I gave it a good few hours for the engine to cool right down and just started it. Gauge again jumps to 3 bar (from experience it should jump to between 4 - 5 bar from cold start up). Give it some throttle and at around 3k the gauge goes up to between 3.5 - 4 bar.
Yes the engine has been stood for a while but it starts and runs first time, no misfire, rad fan comes on, performs well, no tappet noise, no bottom end knock or rattle. The mechanic which fitted the engine last year even commented that it sounds like a healthy engine and we had found a "good'un". Looking to drop the oil out and give it fresh oil and filter sometime next week.
So what can this mean... any ideas? Faulty sender (seeing as light never comes on)?
BTW - engine is 20SEH
The Cav got it's MOT yesterday and passed fine. Whilst it was at the test centre and up in the air, I realised that the oil pressure sender was still in place but the wire had snapped. So today with some free time I set about sorting it out seeing as the volt/oil gauges were already in.
At first, I realised that the oil pressure warning light wouldn't come on when ignition was switched on. I found the broken gauge wire and sorted it out then plugged it into the empty connector on the sender and checked the dash wire was ok. Ignition on and gauge was at 0 (how it should be). Started it up and the gauge jumped to 3 bar. Hmmm... Maybe because the car had been driven a fair bit today and engine was still very warm the oil pressure is sitting lower (which again is what normally happens) but a dab of throttle should see the gauge go up but in this case it would only budge 1/2 a bar at most.
So I thought maybe the wires are the wrong way round. Swapped the wires over at the sender, ignition on, dash oil light on, oil gauge off the scale! Started it up and the light dims to half and stays on. Clearly the wrong way round. Swap the wires back to how they were and it goes back to how it was - no dash light, gauge works but only shows 3 bar at all times.
I gave it a good few hours for the engine to cool right down and just started it. Gauge again jumps to 3 bar (from experience it should jump to between 4 - 5 bar from cold start up). Give it some throttle and at around 3k the gauge goes up to between 3.5 - 4 bar.
Yes the engine has been stood for a while but it starts and runs first time, no misfire, rad fan comes on, performs well, no tappet noise, no bottom end knock or rattle. The mechanic which fitted the engine last year even commented that it sounds like a healthy engine and we had found a "good'un". Looking to drop the oil out and give it fresh oil and filter sometime next week.
So what can this mean... any ideas? Faulty sender (seeing as light never comes on)?
BTW - engine is 20SEH