[s-cars] Oil Pressure

[Tom Green]

A well maintained stock brake system is adequate for any street driving.
The big brake upgrade is great for multiple high speed braking at the
track, and the big red bling factor.   If you brake late at every  
turn or ride
the brakes down the windward side of wolf creek pass, no brake system
is big enough.  You can just do it a little faster and a little  
longer and
spend a little more money doing it.  If you need a brake job, and want a
big brake kit, then putting that maintenance money into a BBK instead
make sense.  That's front brakes, the rear will still need that  
maintenance
since they remain stock.

I like the approach that takes care of all the maintenance items the car
needs before starting on the real upgrade items.  I would look at the
steering and suspension for maintenance items.  If it needs shocks and
you want an upgrade here, now is the time for those sport shocks and
springs for little more than the OEM replacement, and replace worn
steering items at the same time.  Perhaps brakes next, particularly  
if you
need some work anyway.

You don't want to defer the cosmetic items that let you be proud to show
your vehicle, but keep it up as you go.

You need a comprehensive plan for the performance end.  Decide where
you want to end up, so that each piece works toward that end instead of
having to replace expensive hardware to move up.    If stage 1 boost is
all you want, then a chip for the stock engine and turbo is a good  
start.
As mentioned, you need to make sure the intake and boost hoses are in
good shape.  Consider the stronger Samco hoses for replacements.

You mentioned the slow brake light ( let's call it a brake light,  
since it
alerts the driver to many conditions other than the emergency or parking
brake on).  Taka sent some good advice -- mainly, don't get too  
comfortable
with that red light on -- and never drive with it on or if the light  
comes on
every time you press the pedal --  a more immediate danger may be
masked by the slow pressure build after start.

How long does the system hold pressure after you shutdown?   Can you
run a 15 minute errand without the light staying on after start?   
Assuming
it is the accumulator ( bomb) and replacing parts to troubleshoot the
problem can be an expensive way to fix this problem.   I suggest a  
little
exercise --  shut the engine off while driving not too fast on a  
straight road
with no traffic -- leave the key on so the wheel doesn't lock -- and  
see that
steering is no problem, but when the stored pressure is gone, braking is
a big problem.  Without boost, you won't be able to bring the car to  
a quick
stop, even using the parking brake.  Fred Munro has a write-up on  
finding
the brake light problem on one of those sites I sent.

You mentioned fluid changes were needed elsewhere.  I would suspect
the hydraulic fluid and the brake fluid are candidates for a flush as  
well.
Don't tolerate leaks in either the hydraulic system for power brake and
power steering, and of course, not the brake system itself.

A San Diego warmup -- make sure starter is disengaged, fasten seat
belt and go.  Easy on the boost until temps come up,  and ensure they
do come up, coolant to that big mark every time, and oil temp off the  
peg
when the coolant temp is normal.  If you are flushing and changing the
coolant, it's a good idea to change the thermostat as well, even in  
SoCal.
Idling is a waste except to wait for brake light.

That's it -- time for you do some stuff -- and enjoy driving the car  
as well.

Tom

On Aug 2, 2007, at 11:48 PM, Floyd Noel wrote:

> Well then, I'm glad I have an oil gauge. I also greatly enjoy the
> carbon fiber trim. So I guess '93 is a good vintage. Are bigger breaks
> the best bet for a first upgrade?
> Floyd Noel
> Sgt/USMC
>
> On 8/2/07, Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net> wrote:
>> LOL,  I knew this was coming, Calvin.
>>
>> Obviously, Floyd shouldn't worry because he has an oil pressure
>> gage.  My point is
>> he shouldn't get sidetracked by the pressure going from 5 bar cold to
>> 2 bar at idle when
>> hot if he is using the correct oil for his ambient temperature, and
>> as long as it moves up
>> to 3 to 3.5 bar when the rpm increases.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>> On Aug 2, 2007, at 8:20 PM, <calvinlc at earthlink.net>
>> <calvinlc at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>>>> The later cars don't even have an oil pressure gage, Floyd, so I
>>> wouldn't worry
>>>
>>> Yeah, except I found out the hard way that running without an oil
>>> pressure
>>> gauge can cost you lots of dollars when an oil pump bolt backed out
>>> on me
>>> over time.  If I had an oil pressure gauge I would have noticed the
>>> pressure
>>> drops on stops, etc. and I could have saved myself a lot of
>>> headache....instead I had to rebuild the engine.  Ever since then I
>>> always
>>> run with oil pressure gauges.  For non-modified cars I agree it is
>>> less
>>> important, but still way more important than a stinkin voltmeter
>>> that the
>>> newer cars replaced the oil pressure gauge with.
>>>
>>> --Calvin
>>
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>
>
> -- 
>
>
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> message ends-