MCS 05 Chrono Pack Question
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Oil PSI varies as you drive. I'm not sure on the Oil Temp, but the Coolant temp is the same as without the chrono package. However, without the chrono pkg it just means its right in the middle of the gauge (no numbers there).
On the chrono package, when the car is warm, the coolant needle sticks basically straight up, which means its around 180 I think.
On the chrono package, when the car is warm, the coolant needle sticks basically straight up, which means its around 180 I think.
Yes, I have the chrono pack
Yes, I have the chrono pack, and the water temp guage always points straight up which is past the middle positions because they installed the gauge at a tilt base on the full range of the gauge. It's the first car I have ever owned in which the water temp wasn't usually somewhere below the half way position.
Yes, I have the chrono pack, and the water temp guage always points straight up which is past the middle positions because they installed the gauge at a tilt base on the full range of the gauge. It's the first car I have ever owned in which the water temp wasn't usually somewhere below the half way position.
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Remember that a gauge without any numbers on it is used only as a reference. You know where it is now when it is all new and working correctly, and if it goes up past that point, or stays lower than that point, then you have a problem to worry about. Honda went through this in the 80's with their customers. They made a revision in the gauge setting because the customer thought that half was too hot. The cars don't run cooler now, the gauge just reads lower. My MCS reads in the center too, and as long as it does I won't worry about it.
A gauge without #s is a hair above an idiot light, but really only has 3 steps. Cold, Warm, Oh crud, its going to overheat (as when your car does overheat, the steam spewing out the radiator should be obvious enough). Not surprising that many cars actually have center weighted gauges as well, so that as long as the car is 'warm' it will always be in the center regardless if its warm in Phoenix in July, or in International Falls in Feburary.
Anyway, with that logic, Its not surprising at all the MINI gauge would be designed to stick straight up during normal driving, since the non chrono one sticks exactly horizontal. As harold has said, people like gauges that point in a fixed direction, and manufacturers like to not have people bring their cars in for problems that don't exist..
You should be able to watch the oil pressure go from an idle state, to if you stomp on the gas and run the car to redline, its maximum pressure. (But wait till you're out of breakin to do that) Barring something rather uncommon and a channel getting plugged or something else weird, oil pressure is 'broken' when its very low, indicating there's probably a leak in the system and oil is going where it shouldn't go. So if it stops rising and falling with engine RPMs, you also have a problem, because you're probably pumping it to a bad area instead of pressurizing it.
Anyway, with that logic, Its not surprising at all the MINI gauge would be designed to stick straight up during normal driving, since the non chrono one sticks exactly horizontal. As harold has said, people like gauges that point in a fixed direction, and manufacturers like to not have people bring their cars in for problems that don't exist..
You should be able to watch the oil pressure go from an idle state, to if you stomp on the gas and run the car to redline, its maximum pressure. (But wait till you're out of breakin to do that
) Barring something rather uncommon and a channel getting plugged or something else weird, oil pressure is 'broken' when its very low, indicating there's probably a leak in the system and oil is going where it shouldn't go. So if it stops rising and falling with engine RPMs, you also have a problem, because you're probably pumping it to a bad area instead of pressurizing it.
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Turbocharged and supercharged cars run hotter than normally aspirated engines. It is normal for a high performance engine burning high test gas at high RPM to run hotter than a regular MC. A water temperature of 180 degrees F is not hot - go look at thermostats and you will see that a normal automotive thermostat is set to 170 degrees. This means that the water is not even sent through the radiator until it reaches that temperature. A really cold thermostat, say 160 degrees will be difficult to run in really cold weather. Just pay attention to where the needles are and determine what is normal for your car, climate, and driving style. Oil pressure readings will scare you at first, especially since there is no "red" zone on the gauge to indicate a pressure that is too low. There will be great variability in oil pressure based on ail temperature, rpm, and oil type and weight. Synthetic oil like that used in the Mini is known for its tendency to thin out. This may reduce oil pressure readings, but it is lubricating just fine. 5W-40 oil will mimic 5 weight oil sometimes, and 40 weight oil other times - you can see the problem.
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