Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
rbattelle
TDR MEMBER
Finally got the sending unit for my oil pressure gauge installed (I installed the gauge and electrics 2 weeks ago!), and I thought I would comment on my observations so far. Note these were made with 15w-40 dinosaur oil (Valvoline Premium Blue, to be specific). Outside air temp is about 70, vehicle sat for about 7 hours before these observations were made.
1. The factory "virtual" gauge is way off most of the time. About the only time it's right is on cold startup when the needle is all the way to the right of the "normal" zone. I think that's by chance.
2. This engine makes a lot of oil pressure! Cold idle is about 70 psi.
Recall that the bypass valve opens at 75 psi. I saw a brief jump just above 75 psi at one point as I was pulling away from my parking space. I figure when winter comes along the bypass valve will remain open for the first 15 minutes until engine temps come up a bit. Maybe I should have got the 0-100 psi gauge!
3. Warm (normal operating temp) idle is about 18-20 psi. By 1100 RPM you're making about 40 psi. By 1300 you're at 60 psi, and by 1500 you're up between 65 and 70 psi.
4. 2100 RPM on the highway puts you at about 68-70 psi steady.
5. Pressure rises FAST. As I said in number 3, by the time you're at 1500 RPM you're over 60 psi, so most of your around town driving is at or above 60 psi.
6. This one is specific to my gauge (Isspro EV electric oil pressure, full sweep, 0-80 psi). There is no damping in this gauge. On acceleration and deceleration I pick up a lot of "spikes" and oscillations in the pressure. Hence DCs decision to go with a virtual gauge that "conforms to customer expectations".
-Ryan
1. The factory "virtual" gauge is way off most of the time. About the only time it's right is on cold startup when the needle is all the way to the right of the "normal" zone. I think that's by chance.
2. This engine makes a lot of oil pressure! Cold idle is about 70 psi.
Recall that the bypass valve opens at 75 psi. I saw a brief jump just above 75 psi at one point as I was pulling away from my parking space. I figure when winter comes along the bypass valve will remain open for the first 15 minutes until engine temps come up a bit. Maybe I should have got the 0-100 psi gauge! 3. Warm (normal operating temp) idle is about 18-20 psi. By 1100 RPM you're making about 40 psi. By 1300 you're at 60 psi, and by 1500 you're up between 65 and 70 psi.
4. 2100 RPM on the highway puts you at about 68-70 psi steady.
5. Pressure rises FAST.
As I said in number 3, by the time you're at 1500 RPM you're over 60 psi, so most of your around town driving is at or above 60 psi. 6. This one is specific to my gauge (Isspro EV electric oil pressure, full sweep, 0-80 psi). There is no damping in this gauge. On acceleration and deceleration I pick up a lot of "spikes" and oscillations in the pressure. Hence DCs decision to go with a virtual gauge that "conforms to customer expectations".
-Ryan
