Oil pressure gauge

[chrishewett]

While trying to adjust the carbs on my +2 today the engine overheated. I hadn't noticed that the fan hadn't switched on and the next thing I knew the radiator was steaming. When it had cooled down I started it and noticed that the oil pressure was reading maximum at idle. When the sender was disconnected it read minimum. Could the overheating have affected the sender or could the problem of the fan and the oil pressure be a connected electrical problem?
Any help would be appreciated.
Chris

[1964 S1]

Be thankful the oil pressure isn't zero! You have two seperate gauges, yes? Not the split dual oil pressure/water temp? When you say disconnected it read minimum, is that zero? I'm guessing it's the oil pressure sender on the engine, maybe it got hotter than it's ever been in 35 years and has malfunctioned...

[chrishewett]

Yes two separate gauges and yes it reads zero. I suppose I had better order a new sender. There was me thinking I had replaced everything!
Chris

[Hamish Coutts]

Chris,

I would have thought that you'd have known by now that you can never replace everything on a Lotus!! There is always something lurking in the darkest of corners waiting patiently for the best moment to fail (and let you know it exists).
I was servicing my Dellortos at the weekend and when I refitted the fuel line to the front carb I found a fuel leak driping through the metal brading about 1" from the banjo connection - damn! .
Roy at 'Mattys had never heard of that happening before. Just my luck @ ?90 for a new one, damn again!!

Hamish.

[Emma-Knight]

You can check the sender with a simple multimeter to see if it changes resistance at different rpms. Also check the electric resistance around the "heat-treated" area (melted wire/bad contact on connectors). If reading is fixed, there might be a little plunger or membrane in the sender that sticks at maximum, maybe You can try to move it back (for example use a bit of removable soft glue or adhesive tape, or tap it on a wood surface). Then try if the reading is in the standard range...


Anna

[john.p.clegg]

Chris
From my test rig,it should be approx 200 ohms to give a reading of 0,and,20 ohms to give a reading of 60 psi.

John

[chrishewett]

I am really not having a good time getting this car sorted!
Yesterday I tackled the problems again and the oil pressure gauge is now working, just as well as the senders are now obselete. As well as that the fan has now decided to work again leaving me with the thought that I may have an intermitant electrical fault. Nightmare.
Chris

[1964 S1]

I'd say you're right, and now, as with what seems to be half the problems on Elan.net,,,,, check all your ground connections. Do you have a shop manual?