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Thread: Oil pressure, oil temp and coolant temp thresholds?

  1. #1
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    Oil pressure, oil temp and coolant temp thresholds?

    I recently got my oil pressure, oil temp and coolant temp gauges set up. They have programmable warning indicators that I am looking to set for track use. My coolant temp sensor is measured at the upper radiator hose. My oil pressure and temp sensors are at a distribution block on the oil filter housing (with the stock oil pressure sensor).

    As far as oil pressure goes, the lowest idle when warm is about 7psi. If I set a warning at 7 psi, it would go off all of the time and as far as I know, on the track, it should never even reach that low.

    Coolant should normally sit between 190 and 220 degrees fahrenheit right. What is the max temp that I should start backing off?

    Oil temp, I was seeing around 240 should be around where I should start backing off.


    Any input? Thanks
    Last edited by ewrjontan; 06-24-2018 at 12:53 PM.

  2. #2
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    I would set coolant temp warning to 230. 240 is accepted as the temp where the headgasket lets go and the head will warp.
    Last edited by jayjaya29; 06-22-2018 at 01:17 PM.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by ewrjontan View Post
    I recently got my oil pressure, oil temp and coolant temp gauges set up. They have programmable warning indicators that I am looking to set for track use. My coolant temp sensor is measured at the upper radiator hose. My oil pressure and temp sensors are at a distribution block on the oil filter housing (with the stock oil pressure sensor).

    As far as oil pressure goes, the lowest idle when warm is about 7psi. If I set a warning at 7 psi, it would go off all of the time and as far as I know, on the track, it should never even reach that low.

    Coolant should normally sit between 190 and 220 degrees Celsius right. What is the max temp that I should start backing off?

    Oil temp, I was seeing around 240 should be around where I should start backing off.


    Any input? Thanks
    Oil pressure should be around 10 psi for every 1000 rpm ... so at 5000rpm, 50 psi. At 7000 rpm, 70 psi (though most cars max out around 60). It should never be below 20 psi on track, so for a warning I would set that if you really care about safety.

    Water temp 220 C you'd be cooked, lol ... 105 C is about max I would ever want to see, we aim to keep it around 90C. 220 F might be ok (I don't know that shit)
    Oil temp 135C I start getting worried if it keep climbing. At 140C, I shut it down since there is likely an issue.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by ewrjontan View Post
    I recently got my oil pressure, oil temp and coolant temp gauges set up. They have programmable warning indicators that I am looking to set for track use. My coolant temp sensor is measured at the upper radiator hose. My oil pressure and temp sensors are at a distribution block on the oil filter housing (with the stock oil pressure sensor).

    As far as oil pressure goes, the lowest idle when warm is about 7psi. If I set a warning at 7 psi, it would go off all of the time and as far as I know, on the track, it should never even reach that low.

    Coolant should normally sit between 190 and 220 degrees Celsius right. What is the max temp that I should start backing off?

    Oil temp, I was seeing around 240 should be around where I should start backing off.


    Any input? Thanks

    Those number have to be in F and not in C.

    240C is 465 degrees Fahrenheit. Thats way too high. Anything over 300 you should start to worry, or install a cooler. Even 280 I would cringe a bit staring at my gauge.

    Coolant should never be 220C , that's outrageous as well. Around 100C is what you should be sitting at, ideally a bit lower than that.

    7PSI switch should never activate. That means your oil light should pop on as well. What weight oil are you running? How many miles on the motor? Your main bearings may have excessive clearances, oil pump pickup gasket leaking, worn oil pump. Good news is it's most likely a faulty gauge, because you're oil light would be coming on if it was that low. Normal idle for an S52 should be about 18psi. Get a new sensor/gauge and try again.
    "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by jayjaya29 View Post
    I would set coolant temp warning to 230. 240 is accepted as the temp where the headgasket lets go and the head will warp.

    240 F, not C.

    240C you're engine will be seized.
    "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
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  6. #6
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    I see around 9psi at idle with really hot oil. I have my red light on at 8psi and yellow below 15psi. It should idle yellow be never light up while on track.

    220F for water temp max seems good.
    i have 250F as my OT max, but i rarely see over 235.

  7. #7
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    Helpful info!!


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  8. #8
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    Cool, yeah sorry all, I fixed the original post. Definitely meant Fahrenheit hahaha!

    I haven't seen my oil light pop up and the gauge will read sit around 5-7 once warmed up. Seems like the gauge sensor is just a little off. I am running Mobil1 full synthetic 0W40 with 151,000 on the motor. Just replaced my oil pickup gasket, tube, baffle and pump valve/spring and I have an S50.

    I think for now I will start with the coolant temp warning at 220, oil temp at 250 and pressure at 20. I haven't tracked this car yet so I doubt I will get seriously hot.
    Last edited by ewrjontan; 06-25-2018 at 07:14 AM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ewrjontan View Post
    Cool, yeah sorry all, I fixed the original post. Definitely meant Fahrenheit hahaha!

    I haven't seen my oil light pop up and the gauge will read sit around 5-7 once warmed up. Seems like the gauge sensor is just a little off. I am running Mobil1 full synthetic 0W40 with 151,000 on the motor. Just replaced my oil pickup gasket, tube and pump valve/spring and I have an S50.

    I think for now I will start with the coolant temp warning at 220, oil temp at 250 and pressure at 20. I haven't tracked this car yet so I doubt I will get seriously hot.
    Did you install an oil pan baffle or S54 pickup/euro pickup?

    If you’re going to track the car I would advise you do one or the other. Baffle is obviously the cheapest route and works well for most applications. Otherwise you’re going to see oil starvation on long turns at the track.
    "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hova View Post
    Did you install an oil pan baffle or S54 pickup/euro pickup?

    If you’re going to track the car I would advise you do one or the other. Baffle is obviously the cheapest route and works well for most applications. Otherwise you’re going to see oil starvation on long turns at the track.
    Yup, I installed a baffle in the pan.

  11. #11
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    Which gauges did you go with?

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  12. #12
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    Innovate Motorsports dual function gauges (water temp/volt and oil temp/pressure). I feel like they are not the most accurate since they are pretty cheap but I couldn't justify the cost for Spa gauges.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by ewrjontan View Post
    Innovate Motorsports dual function gauges (water temp/volt and oil temp/pressure). I feel like they are not the most accurate since they are pretty cheap but I couldn't justify the cost for Spa gauges.
    Merlin Motorsports out of U.K. has SPA gauges for less than U.S. suppliers I looked at. That's where I picked up my dual output SPA gauges.

  14. #14
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    Track, no oil cooler, 70F ambient OT=270F (OT sensor in oil filter cap)
    Track, 25 row, long oil cooler, 70F ambient OT=235F; 100F ambient OT=250F
    Track, Zionville fat boy radiator, ambient 70F WT=210F; 100F ambient WT=215F (WT sensor mid block)
    A Redline AE told me that the sweet spot for OT is between 220-250F. Above 250F he said there is increased oil oxidation; below 220 less lubrication.

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