oil level indicator keeps changing

[roadhog]

Sarah

If I may comment on the coolant temp.

It seems low bearing in mind you have just stopped after a 35 mile journey.

Does it normally go over 80 on coolant temp gauge when driving ?

Damn, you guys are good! Look at a picture and know how far the car has been driven.
Do you know which route she took or more importantly what she was wearing? :lol:

I'm guessing there may have been a cup of tea in between stopping the car and taking the picture. White, one sugar?

 

[Miffy]

My coolant guage sits around the same place as missyd's does, even after a hard 7 hour drive its no higher

 

[kth286]

My coolant guage sits around the same place as missyd's does, even after a hard 7 hour drive its no higher

But what's it doing while you are driving ?

 

[MissyD]

Sarah

If I may comment on the coolant temp.

It seems low bearing in mind you have just stopped after a 35 mile journey.

Does it normally go over 80 on coolant temp gauge when driving ?

Was a 35 minute journey. Yes it does normally go over 80 , I took the pic a little while after I was home, thats why its showing a low reading - very observant

Damn, you guys are good! Look at a picture and know how far the car has been driven.
Do you know which route she took or more importantly what she was wearing? :lol:

I'm guessing there may have been a cup of tea in between stopping the car and taking the picture. White, one sugar?

Im not telling where I had been and certainly not telling what I was wearing and your right roadhog, white, one sugar

 

[roofless]

They don't. Honestly. Not. If yours does then there's something wrong with it.

"More an indicator than a true pressure gauge" ? Come again? OK, so it's perhaps not calibrated but that doesn't mean it doesn't indicate correctly.

Oil pressure will vary with engine speed, oil pressure varies -> different reading on the gauge. What could be simpler?

If the gauge fluctuates at steady rpm, you've got a problem. If the gauge doesn't move with changing revs (assuming correct oil, at operating temperature etc), you've got a problem. If the gauge doesn't reach 3 at medium to high revs, you've got a problem.

If the gauge moves with the revs and doesn't drop below 2 at idle (as is the case here unless I misread the OP) then YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM !

As you were.

i don't have a problem & both my facelift 124s one the same model & year as missyD i have owned for over 4 years & it never drops from 3 hot or cold the gauge is not very good on 124s & can't be taken as fact

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

hi roadhog, you are correct in my experience guages do stick, especially the older the car but the most common reason for misreadings is caused by the variable resistance sintered senders they cause fluctuations, open circuit, ( no reading) and too high readings, the senders can be checked on a scope but it is far cheaper to just replace it. best wishes. herbiemercman.

 

[Miffy]

But what's it doing while you are driving ?

its very constant, warms up to around 70 and stays there

 

[kth286]

If the gauge is accurate then that is low.

It needs to be as hot as possible without overheating and in practise that means around 85/87 at least.

I have always found that simply changing the engine thermostat with a genuine new one, will restore the original temperature.

The hotter the engine the more efficient it usually is and you should see better fuel economy and/or performance.

 

[Miffy]

well I think the guage does under read, as I get a slightly higher reading via the ODBII port, but still, its a constant temp

 

[television]

Petrol engines are at their best at around 104º C