Yesterday installed the oil pressure tapless adapter from Cravenspeed (thanks Kellen), using prosports guage, all I can say its not an easy task. My question is does anyone know the normal oil pressure reading is? Here's what my reading is:

Cold idle: around 60psi
Normal driving: around 60psi
Warm idle: around 40psi

Any information would be appreciated.

 

Alta..........in their boost gauge installation instructions, indicate oil pressure at idle with a warmed up engine at "30PSI range". They also indicate that the engine has a relief valve which is activated at "90PSI which is about 4500 rpm or so".

 

Thanks for the info MT_Don , I guess I will monitor a bit.

 

The only thing about Alta's boost gauge install instructions is that the "What should my gauges read" might not have been updated for the 2nd gen cars. I say this because the boost gauge info speaks about "Your supercharged mini" and "15% reduction pulleys".

That said, I have no idea what numbers you should be seeing - but thought it worth pointing out that the info in the Alta guide might be incorrect.

 

From what I observed for the last couple days, here's my reading:

Cold Idle: Around 60psi
Normal Driving: Around 60psi
Warm Idle: Around 30psi

Like what MT Don said, with warm engine is about 30psi, which is what I have. I also verified with Cravenspeed and they claimed on their car it runs around 60psi. Looks like overall my reading are pretty accurate.

 

what was your installation like? I have asked Kellen a number of questions about the clearance for a sending unit (the latest pic shows a mechanical gauge with tubing/flare coming out of the adapter). Did you use a sending unit for an elec gauge? Was there room to mount it with the other "things" in the way? It looked like it would be really tight to scew in everything, even with the 45 deg fitting in the adapter. Thanks
Fig

 

The installation wasn't easy, very tight space , I even removed the coolant (not completely off, just unscrew and move out the way) to gain space.. there's a black plastic cover on the right side of the sender that I shave a little because the aftermarket sender size (elec. prosport gauges). I am not sure what other brand sender size but for mine I have to use the 45 deg fitting, but even with that it was still a tight fit. I talked to Kellen and they are thinking modify the adapter where holes on every side instead just 3 holes, this way it will be much easier to get the aftermarket sender on. If you decide to put one make sure you tighten securely, when I first put it on, everything was fine, took a drive to local pet store, when arrived saw oil leaking. Overall was pretty fun project!

 

I have on order the oil pressure adaptor also. I plan to run a 1/8" plastic tube to a transition block (mounted on the firewall) to an electric presure sender.......to my Autometer electric presure gauge. I felt that there was to much congestion going on at the motor with the electric presure sender mounted there.

I have a machine shop and designed and fabricated the transition blocK. The block will also act as a common ground point for my other electrical gauges.

Don

 

I recently installed the adapter from Craven Speed (very nice part by the way). As previously noted the install was kind of a PIA due to the tight region. I used a mechanical gauge extension hose to move the electrical sending unit from my Autometer over to the side of the engine bay, as the location where the tap goes is pretty limited on space.

My questions is this, when cold and while driving down the road I am seeing oil pressure in the 50-60psi range. That part seems pretty normal to me. However, when idling with a warm engine the pressure drops all the way down to 20psi. Is this normal? I see some of you saying that the low side should be around 30psi. My car had been running just fine, so I am pretty sure that everything is OK, just seems kinda low.

 

Not specific about a mini, but with my M3, the cold idle is 60 psi, and warm idle is about 13 psi. Since all oil pumps are gear type positive displacement pumps, it's normal for the pressure to rise with RPM's

One thing, if cold pressure is 60 psi then that is the setting of the pressure relief valve in the filter housing, or internal to the gear pump, (wherever it's located.)

 

Not sure how mechanical differs from electronic gauge, but 20psi seems a little low, maybe that's how mechanical one reads. If everything runs fine then don't worry about it. Good job!