oil pressure or temperature

Hi Guys, all is well I trust. Some advice please,I'm restoring a Z500 [1980],and I was wondering, which would be the most practical use, an oil pressure gauge, or an oil temperature gauge? Reason for this obscure thread is that I've seen a rather sexy oil temp gauge which simply screws into the oil filler hole at the back end of the clutch housing and I'm SORELY TEMPTED!
Any input very appreciated:)Sorry admin, didnt realise I'd put it in the wrong place.Now I don't know how to move it:blush:

Post edited by: tellietubbie, at: 2006/05/22 05:18

I would rather have an oil pressure gauge. But I don't know how often oil pumps die, so would you need it? It would be handy in case you forgot to add oil after an oil change, it would show up right away and you could shut it down before the engine locked up.

I think the best is a combination. Add an oil cooler, and add a pressure gauge, forget the temp gage. It's more work to install, but then you know your oil is as cool as it would ever get.

Well I have both on my 900, the temp gauge from Americanclassix.com and the oil pressure from MC Enterprises. Can't vouch for the accuracy of either, but the temp gauge, which is in Centigrade, never shows it running too hot (in the red zone) even in stop and go traffic. The pressure gauge rarely shows any pressure at all once the motor is hot but my oil pressure light never comes on so I don't worry about it.

As big motors go, the Z/KZ 900/1000 series typically run at pretty low oil pressures, something like 7psi.

Running an oil pressure gauge can be worse for your *blood pressure* than anything else...

OKC, thanks for your input. I've been told that the inner two cylinders will run hotter than the outer two.I also learned that an overly lean mixture could cause problems with engine / oil temp. It seemed initially an appropriate "use of funds" to be able to monitor this, BUT [even given the soaring cost of this "restoration"],from what you say now I don't know...all that glitters is not gold:woohoo:

1973Z....I'm getting the idea;) It's just soooooo pretty...:woohoo:

Oh well, I'll just have to buy a cam chain instead:woohoo:

Yeah, that's the www.Americanclassix.com oil temperature gauge, all right. And it does look cool on the engine, it replaces the oil filler cap. The oil pressure gauge looks great, too. My factory shop manual advises that 3 pounds of oil pressure at 60 degrees Centigrade at 3000 RPM is normal.

Is there an oil pressure gauge that fits in the same place?

I would rather have an oil pressure gauge. But I don't know how often oil pumps die, so would you need it? It would be handy in case you forgot to add oil after an oil change, it would show up right away and you could shut it down before the engine locked up.

I think the best is a combination. Add an oil cooler, and add a pressure gauge, forget the temp gage. It's more work to install, but then you know your oil is as cool as it would ever get.

OKC_Kent wrote:

I would rather have an oil pressure gauge. But I don't know how often oil pumps die, so would you need it? It would be handy in case you forgot to add oil after an oil change, it would show up right away and you could shut it down before the engine locked up.

I think the best is a combination. Add an oil cooler, and add a pressure gauge, forget the temp gage. It's more work to install, but then you know your oil is as cool as it would ever get.

For the 650/750 motors an oil pressure gauge would be cool, it would read in the 30-40 (roughly) psi range, but the 900/1000/1100 motors use roller (ball?) bearings and the pressure will be really low (like posted above), and would cause me a nervous breakdown

I have a Marshall oil pressure gauge installed and it works fine until the engine gets hot, but as stated that is normal. It will give you an idea of blow by (crankcase pressure). I could really tell the difference after my topend rebuild. I don't know if there is one available that fit in the filler opening. The Marshall gauges have 1/8 inch NPT thread and I bet you could find an adapter. I took a quick gander at my wife's 650 and it doesn't look like it could be hooked up in the same fashion as a Z1.