Oil Warning Light - for the 4-cylinder engine ?

[Bfg]

Having only just realised that my TR4A doesn't have an oil warning light,  I thought I'd ask if anyone has retrofitted one to a TR2 - 4A,  Vanguard or whatever Standard-Triumph wet liner motor.?   And if so where was the sensor fitted, what parts were bought from where,  etc, etc.. ?    . . . THANKS   

I understand the six-cylinder cars have one, and very likely some racers have fitted them ..just in case of a sudden oil dump. Even my 1950's Sunbeam motorcycles have one (although the pressure setting on those is just 4 psi).  Following the O-ring of the oil-filter stepping aside ..to allow its engine oil to quickly spurt out, then I'd very much like one for Katie, for those few seconds when I'm watching the road rather than the instruments. 

I wish to retain the original oil-pressure gauge, but in addition I really would like an uffing great big idiot-light positioned alongside the charge and indicator warnings, right in front of my nose ..between the speedo and rev counter too.  I guess its pressure activation should be set to around about 20psi.

Cheers, Pete.

[Josef]

Well, given the Herald, Spitfire etc only came with a light, logically the inverse procedure to fitting them with an oil pressure gauge would work. Put a t piece where the gauge currently attaches to the block and add a suitable oil pressure switch to it. 

[johny]

32 minutes ago, Bfg said:

I guess its pressure activation should be set to around about 20psi.

Cheers, Pete.

Looks like Demon Tweeks even do an adjustable pressure switch which might be useful to stop the light coming on at tickover...

[SpitFire6]

Hi,

Ideally, what is required for an oil pressure light is two signals:
Engine RPM & oil pressure. (Oil temperature as an addition variable would be an advantage).

I'm implementing such with the three variables on my car in the near future via a PLC.

Cheers,

Iain.

 

[Bfg]

Thanks Gents,  It turns out that TR Enterprise do one, < here >  and is offered through their 'TRIUMPH SPECIAL TUNING' online sales department, which I didn't know were part of TR Enterprise until now. 

Their product consists of an adapter, which is fitted (replaces) one of the oil way drilling (which feeds the camshaft bearings) core plugs on this engines LHS.  That's what I was hoping for, as to my eyes it seemed the easiest way to do it on these engines.  They then add an off-the-shelf pressure-switch pre-set at 25psi.   

At £45 plus postage = £51+  it's not cheap but then I guess the adapter from UNC to (probably) metric fine thread is custom made, and so it really not so expensive after all ..and certainly very much cheaper than the damage which may be avoided if the engine did suddenly dump it's oil and I saw & immediately responded to the warning light. 

As for the light being on at tick-over, well that ought not be an issue.  Now that I've rebuilt the oil pump, this engine when hot and ticking-over around 800rpm, reads an oil pressure of around 45psi.   It still sounds like a tractor though !

 

cheers, Pete

[Pete Lewis]

std   low pressure warnings are around the 6 - 8 psi for most other triumph engines  

25 seems high  and as nobody ever looks at the  warning lights till they hear the engine clattering a loud  buzzer is far more effective 

a few give the occasional glance just to see how things are running but even gauges only tell the story after  you smell the steam , fuel or oil or noises 

so trust the car forget the worries 

Pete

 

 

[Chilliman]

Pete, I fit something very similar to my TR4 engines, I fit it for convenience in place of the foremost oil gallery plug as per the attached phots. I use a generic 20psi switch on a simple thread adaptor that a friend turns for me on his lathe & I then zinc plate them. Orange warning light on dash.

John B