Lance_S Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 My oil pressure gauge starts at over 1/2 when idling and by the time it's warmed up and I get to 3K rpm it's right on the high mark. I just changed the oil from 15/50 to 5/30. This took care of the tick in the lifters since I bleed them but was just a bit concerned that I have too much oil pressure. Most likely it's the gauge but I am wondering what others are seeing. My coolant temp is opposite. On the highway it's just a hair over the low mark. If it idles a while or is in hot traffic it may get up to 1/3 but I have never seen it get over 1/2. The fans kick in at 1/3 and it goes back down to just over the low mark. Any worries here or is this typical of what others are seeing on their gauges. I know the answer is aftermarket gauges, I just can't afford a set right now. Thanks, L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotStock88 Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 get a mechanical gauge (20.00 from oreillys, is what I have) so you know what it really is at. the stock sending unit can become clogged and unaccurate over time so stock gauges will vary from car to car and is not a suitable comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 If that is indeed what everything is reading, though...thats great news...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance_S Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 If that is indeed what everything is reading, though...thats great news...lol lol, I know right? Could be, brand new motor with 5K miles on it with a fresh oil pump. New radiator with all the fans working, new water pump etc. Soooo, could be. I will verify with external gauges to make sure. lance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 The coolant gauge is pretty accurate, just doesn't have numbers. halfway is about 193 or something. a hair under half is 190, and a hair over is 195. 220 is the first hot line. I remember a friend put a 180 thermostat in his quest a few years back and it would only get about 1/3 of the way up. The oil pressure gauge usually reads on a big scale, since my aftermarket one would peg 100 psi and the stock one was below the top mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwolf Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Well my temp gauge is way off then. Half way seems to be around 210 on my stock gauge. 190's is about 1/3 the way up Anyone else have any input on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mix_67 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Just checked my coolant gauge tonight. hair under half, where my gauge sits steady at cruise, is 190F which seems good for a 180F thermostat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance_S Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Are you guys reading of an in-car secondary gauge or pulling over and shooting the top of the thermostat housing with laser or a touch type gauge? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Temp gauges in cars that someone hasn't messed with the gauges or pulled them off to press on those AWFUL stickers for a new face and screwed the gauges up they read consistent with the manual and what it says. The temp gauge runs half way then the primary fan comes on. The secondary fan doesn't come on until much later almost 3/4s and the mark before the H is like 240 not just 220. The mark above the L is about 160. Coolant from the head is one thing, the sensors in the radiator after the coolant drops through the core is something completely different. If the coolant leaves the head at 200 and that's just about half way on the gauge and it goes into the radiator and drops down to the bottom, and this is at idle mind you, and you finally hear the primary fan come on well that's because the sensor doesn't do that until the coolant just remains long enough at 190 and it might drop a few degrees when when no fan is running but you don't really see the gauge move and that sensor shuts the fan back off after it lowers the temp, long enough, to 180 and it cycles on and off and on and off all just at idle. I drive around with the a/c on in an 84 and it runs most all the time even on the highway about 3/4 on the gauge and if I turn the a/c off it still ends up a little warm but if you read about what the mechanical fan does at higher rpms, it actually slows and stops turning they assume the air flow from the vehicles speed is doing somthing. If I let it idle it drops back down to the middle but it never got the the "H" mark but I've noticed that the a/c compressor does shut down right about that mark just before the "H" and that's exactly how its described in the service manuals for all the years. All years cars use the same temperature gauge sensor and the same part # for the gauge expect the ones that have the L shaped window but they use the same sending unit. They tell you exactly what the positions are so if you want to paint little numbers on there fine it won't matter. If someone has tampered with your gauges who know what they will read and I know for awhile those lame STICKERS for gauge faces were popular. http://www.b2600turbo.com/images/gaugetest04.jpg http://www.b2600turbo.com/images/gaugetest05.jpg Sounds like your oil pressure sending unit has some crap stock in it and that will throw it off. You can try and flush it out but its stuck up inside the chamber after it went through that tiny hole so good luck. Just replace it that's easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I remember the numbers because I watched the stock gauge and had my laptop monitoring the newish GM sensors and displaying a real-time digital readout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Well my temp gauge is way off then. Half way seems to be around 210 on my stock gauge. 190's is about 1/3 the way up Anyone else have any input on this? Haha that's what I was saying in chat. Temp gauges in cars that someone hasn't messed with the gauges or pulled them off to press on those AWFUL stickers for a new face and screwed the gauges up they read consistent with the manual and what it says. The temp gauge runs half way then the primary fan comes on. The secondary fan doesn't come on until much later almost 3/4s and the mark before the H is like 240 not just 220. The mark above the L is about 160. Agreed, this has been my experience on multiple cars with untouched gauges. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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