A couple of oil parameter questions:

1. What are the correct readings for the oil pressure and oil temperature gauges during normal driving (after the engine has warmed up)?
2. Should the pressure vary when accelerating? Or remain constant?

Thanks.

 

Assuming you have the Chrono pack.

At operating temp, oil temp is about 1/2 way -this is about 210 F as far as I can tell. When I have the car under load for a few minutes, like driving up a long hill, oil temp climbs to a needle width above the middle mark, this is normal. Track conditions may make it run even higher.

At operating temp, oil pressure should be close to 10 PSI per 1000 rpm at operating temp. For example, cruising at 70 MPH in 6th gear, right around 3000 RPM, and the oil pressure gauge is just below the middle mark (just below 35 psi). Drop a couple gears to 5000 RPM, and you should notice oil pressure running higher (closer to 50 psi). I haven't looked to see how far it falls at idle, but don't expect 9 psi at 900 rpm.

Oil pressure will be significantly higher when the oil is cold. High pressure does not mean more lubricating though, so keep light in the throttle till it warms up.

If I were tracking the car on a hot day, I suspect I would need a thicker oil, one that would keep close to the 10 PSI / 1000 RPM with an oil temp closer to 250 F or even higher.

 

Update: I was paying more attention to oil pressure guage on the way to work.

Readings do in fact fall to around 9 or 10 psi at idle.

Mine (running 5/30 full synthetic) with a 212f oil temp tops out around 43 PSI. 43 at 5000 rpm and still 43 at 6000 rpm.

I'm not sure if this is because my oil pump has 80 thousand miles on it, or if this is normal. -I'm not too worried about it though. I don't spend too much time above 4000 rpm anyway -only brief moments on interstate on-ramps. Also it's flow that lubricates, not pressure. Take your thumb off the end of a garden hose, and you'll see flow increases as pressure drops.

Anybody getting higher readings at 5 or 6000 rpm?