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oil pressure / Oil cooler / freeway speeds

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Jim_Gruber

Jim_Gruber

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I've noticed that Bugsy my '68 Sprite with a 1098 & smoothcase, not a 1275, has normal oil pressure 60-65 lbs around town at 3-4k rpm +. Engine temps are below N mark on the temp gauge. However at extended highway speeds above 4,500 RPM, temps gradually creep up to a hair on the other side of the N Mark, heater valve open BTW, and oil pressure drops to between 50-55 lbs. I assume this is a function of oil temps heating up. Oil is thinner as temps rise therefore oil pressure drops. Bugsy does have a factory installed oil cooler. As soon as RPMs drop back down below steady state levels, 4,500 RPM Levels for a few minutes, oil pressure is back above 60 lbs. and temps drop back below N mark.

This sounds normal to be but I'm wondering if the oil cooler isn't really doing it's job anymore? Factory mounting locations for oil cooers wasn't the best. Anyone tried updating to a aftermarket oil cooler? Possible to hot tank oil coolers? Thinking about prep work for a long high speed cruise next year in warm temps and want to make sure I get there and back.
 
Sounds normal to me
 
Tis normal, run it.
 
Nothing wrong with those temps, but what is your oil temperature doing? The oil cooler, after all, cools the oil, not the water. To me, running an oil cooler without an oil temp gauge is rather pointless.
Jeff
 
That's part of the mystery. Oil Temp / Oil Pressure and Water Temp are inter related. As one goes up the other goes down. An oil Temp gauge might be a useful addition if one could figure out where to mount it.
 
Oil pan is a start.
 
I have seen the banjo nut drilled and tapped for a 1/8NPT thread for a temp sensor. Worked fine.
Bill
 
The return line from the cooler, where it reenters the engine is where I put my oil temp sensors. I want to know what the oil temp is as it's going to the bearings, not coming out of the pump.
Jeff
 
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