Pip,
Many thanks for your most informative message re oil usage. I too used
Castrol 'R' for many years in my 'AURIFO' Special in the UK before I came to
the US and the aroma was magnificent. I still put a little castor oil in my
petrol tank (when I remember) just to create that beautiful smell.
I honestly believe that the reason your quick cars run at the oil pressures
you say is that the 'plumbing' was not originally designed for the larger
volume oil pumps now being used. The standard flow equation, P = RQ squared
says that the pressure is directly proportional to the square of the flow.
If the piping was bigger you'd probably get an even larger flow but at a
lower pressure. As you say, the bigger the flow, the better! Keep up the
good work.
Cheers, "Bob".
From: mgwizard@caloundra.net
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000 10:08:56 +1000
To: "J.E.A.Rich" <jear@rmi.net>
Cc: MMM Register <mg-mmm@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Oil Pressure Gauges
Dear Bob,
Thank you for your input on this subject. I think I would be the last
person in the world to question your knowledge or experience. I value your
advice.
My observations on oil supply are just that. Observations.
Generally Q's & R's ran high pressure (around 120 lbs, hot). The oil
gallery in the block for oil filter is only 5/16" so that limits the amount
of flow, anyway.
Certainly flow is most important. My experience is that you can never have
too much oil. The full size Q-trpe oil pumps use no more horse power to
pump high pressure. Providing you can get adequate pressure & flow to the
bearings then the more that goes to the head for the rockers seems to assist
with reducing the ware. I run a modified feed here as well.
My current P-type engine (746cc) runs 100 lbs @ start up when idling. Now,
do remember that our temperature is rarely below 20 degrees C. It seems to
be about 140 lbs until the oil temperature rises to around 50 degrees C.
>From then on it runs around 120 lbs at 4000 rpm. I never take the engine
over 3000 rpm until the oil temperature is over 30 degrees. When the engine
is genuinely warm, I will take the engine to 8500 rpm when needed. I have
an MSD Spark unit fitted & the revs have hit the limiter of 8500 rpm that I
use, so I am not relying on just the rev counter which is rather delayed,
any way.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. It works for me.
Regarding oil, I think the ultimate is Castrol R but I do not use it in my
P-type. Oh, that smell. I did a good deal of research about 10 years ago
with the assistance of Castrol Testing Department. We went through a number
of oils and I now use Castrol Grand Prix which is actually a motorbike oil.
It has been wonderfully successful. We have never had an engine problem in
over 50,000 miles of what I call "Hard use". But not rough abuse.
I seem to remember that Castrol were concerned about the "ash" that appeared
in some of the oils we trialled. And after testing the used Grand Prix oil,
Castrol were happy that there was nothing in it that would cause any
problem.
Just a little story about Castrol R. I took my P-type to UK in 1996 for the
FIVA World Rally. Ralph Clarke came from South Africa to navigate. We
became badly lost in Edinburgh within about 10 minutes of the start. In
catching up time we came up behind a beautiful black supercharged P-type
owned by Frank ? (an American) and went roaring by at something like 95mph.
Frank was running Castrol R. It gave Ralph and I such a lift to smell that
great aroma. We asked Frank to give us our fix, every morning of the rally
before we set off to tackle the tasks ahead. We ended up doing very well.
So that will perhaps add some thoughts to what others are considering.
I am in full preparation mode, getting the P-type ready to fly to New
Zealand at the end of the month for their week long event early Jan. 2001.
It will be great to meet up with Bollendocks & Jack Kahler again. It should
be a great trip.
Then it is full steam ahead on my new P-type Single Seater Race car. We
will be running this machine on Castrol oil & Methanol. I sure hope I live
to see it finished.
Regards
Pip
"J.E.A.Rich" <jear@rmi.net>
Sent by: owner-mg-mmm@autox.team.net
03.12.2000 06:56
Please respond to "J.E.A.Rich"
To: Pip Bucknell <mgwizard@caloundra.net>
cc: MMM Register <mg-mmm@autox.team.net>
Subject: Oil Pressure Gauges
Pip,
Like Tom, I have some 0-100 psi gauges, but all Smiths. Why on earth do you
need such a high pressure? You could have 150 psi and no flow. Flow is much
more important than pressure and if my engine oil pressure got that high I'd
want to know why. Are the oilways plugged?
Cheers, "Bob".
British Cars Web: http://www.team.net/sol
MMM list subscription info: http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
British Cars Web: http://www.team.net/sol
MMM list subscription info: http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
|