Finally got my gauges installed. How do these reading sound?

[The Shape]

I put in mechanical phantom gauges (oil press. , water temp. , volts) I have a 180* thermostat and the car runs around 185 or so while cruising and on the few warm days we have had it would climb close to 190* while idling for a while.


Oil Pressure hits right at 60 p.s.i cold. Fully warm it cruises at around 48 at 2k rpm's. Hot idle is a little scary though it sets right on 20 p.s.i. I am afraid if it is hitting 20p.s.i at hot idle now with the highs in the 70's it will dip to low this summer when it gets really hot out. This is with 10W-30 , how worried should I be about that pressure???

 

[5.0Droptop]

i have saw better and worse. Just keep an eye on it when it gets hotter.

 

[gt40_2003wes]

not to worried i have a motor that runs on 5 psi but its a big block i think it will be ok if u up your oil weight.

 

[srothfuss]

Up the oil weight in the summer. That should help your warm idle issues. As long as it doesn't hit 0, you will be fine... The Ford 5.0L motor is basically a tank

 

[JimBowy]

I put in mechanical phantom gauges (oil press. , water temp. , volts) I have a 180* thermostat and the car runs around 185 or so while cruising and on the few warm days we have had it would climb close to 190* while idling for a while.


Oil Pressure hits right at 60 p.s.i cold. Fully warm it cruises at around 48 at 2k rpm's. Hot idle is a little scary though it sets right on 20 p.s.i. I am afraid if it is hitting 20p.s.i at hot idle now with the highs in the 70's it will dip to low this summer when it gets really hot out. This is with 10W-30 , how worried should I be about that pressure???

above 8psi hot idle is sufficient, based on the Ford spec

 

[HISSIN50]

James, I'm glad to hear it's all completely finished and buttoned up. That's all I wanted to say................

You know my thoughts on all this, so I wont bore you. (Steve, you and I agree about upping the viscosity in the summer). Then again James, you do have that new motor technology to consider (the replies on that thread stuck with me. Funny stuff).

Enjoy - you did a real nice job on that install - I dig the plate.

 

[The Shape]

Yeah JT I had almost forgotten that thread. But yeah I am fine with 20 psi and figure if I just up the viscosity before summer it should be cool. As soon as I bump the throtle it shoots back up so I think the higher viscosity will get me quite a few more miles out of my mill.

 

[bbf545]

Rule of thumb.. 10 psi for every 1000 Rpm. Watch your oil filter choices as Napa or Wix are the best.. Never use a Fram Filter period. Usually large oil pressure drops are an indication of Main Bearing leakage.

Links for ya Bro:

http://www.websorcerer.com/GeekOut/

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/

Knowledge is power!

Les
EDIT: Typo

 

[The Shape]

Yeah I have always stuck with the FL-1A filter.

 

[PRO50SC]

Sounds fine to me. Post up some pics!!

 

[The Shape]

I am going to try to get some good pics this weekend. I was worried the guages would be hard to read under the radio, but it's no problem at all.

 

[Modular2v]

at idle mine is around 20psi.....which is pretty much the norm

 

[bentley429]

Yeah I have always stuck with the FL-1A filter.

Same here, motorcraft rules.