401 - Oil & water temperature gauges

[dave dale]

My advice, for what it is worth, is that the oil temperature gauge is very important. Bristol experts, including those who make a living repairing engines, will tell you that more 2 - litre Bristol engines are wrecked by drivers not waiting for the oil to warm up properly than any other reason as the oilways on this engine are quite narrow. Spencer Lane-Jones wrote an article to this effect in the BOC Bulletin some years ago. It is advised to never put an engine under load till the oil is warm. The 401 / 403 engines notoriously take a long time to warm up in winter partly because the sump is of alloy and is shallow, with a large surface area. I run my 403 with radiator blinds and a windshield on the sump in winter. Even with these aids I sometimes have to travel 20 miles on a cold day before the oil temperature gauge needle lifts off the stop. Use of the lower gears and restrained driving until the oil temperature reaches 50C will protect the engine. Dave Dale.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by dave dale

I run my 403 with radiator blinds and a windshield on the sump in winter. Even with these aids I sometimes have to travel 20 miles on a cold day before the oil temperature gauge needle lifts off the stop. Use of the lower gears and restrained driving until the oil temperature reaches 50C will protect the engine. Dave Dale.

Dave, have you ever considered a sump/crankcase heater?

It doesn't have to be intrusive. You can get heaters nowadays that stick to the outside of the sump, although internal heaters are obviously more effective.

[dave dale]

Originally Posted by Kevin H

Dave, have you ever considered a sump/crankcase heater?

It doesn't have to be intrusive. You can get heaters nowadays that stick to the outside of the sump, although internal heaters are obviously more effective.

Thanks Kevin. I get around the problem on cold days by running the engine at 1300 to 1400 rpm with the car stationary before setting off. With the radiator blinds in place the oil heats up and allows the needle to rise off the stop within about 5 minutes. After setting off the needle rises to 50C shortly afterwards. The sump heater is a good idea but London does not get all that cold these days ( climate change ? ) and, when away from home, there is not often somewhere handy to plug it in. Dave.

[pasini s]

Hello all,

Speaking of radiator blinds, I think that they arer really useful in winter, and here's what my mechanics did build to keep the engine warm:

Bristol 403-1404 custom-made radiator blinds

The long screw lifts or lowers the blinds when you turn the upper black knob. Yes, I've seen the oil needle moving veeeeery slowly upwards now in winter, so I'm trying to keep it easy until it moves from the stop, and this happens only after 15-20 miles, like Dave said. I wouldn't do without all these gauges, they are part of the fascination of the 403 (and other Bristols).

All the best

Stefano

Originally Posted by dave dale

Thanks Kevin. I get around the problem on cold days by running the engine at 1300 to 1400 rpm with the car stationary before setting off. With the radiator blinds in place the oil heats up and allows the needle to rise off the stop within about 5 minutes. After setting off the needle rises to 50C shortly afterwards. The sump heater is a good idea but London does not get all that cold these days ( climate change ? ) and, when away from home, there is not often somewhere handy to plug it in. Dave.

[pasini s]

Hello all,

Speaking of radiator blinds, I think that they arer really useful in winter, and here's what my mechanics did build to keep the engine warm:

Bristol 403-1404 custom-made radiator blinds

The long screw lifts or lowers the blinds when you turn the upper black knob. Yes, I've seen the oil needle moving veeeeery slowly upwards now in winter, so I'm trying to keep it easy until it moves from the stop, and this happens only after 15-20 miles, like Dave said. I wouldn't do without all these gauges, they are part of the fascination of the 403 (and other Bristols).

All the best

Stefano

Originally Posted by dave dale

Thanks Kevin. I get around the problem on cold days by running the engine at 1300 to 1400 rpm with the car stationary before setting off. With the radiator blinds in place the oil heats up and allows the needle to rise off the stop within about 5 minutes. After setting off the needle rises to 50C shortly afterwards. The sump heater is a good idea but London does not get all that cold these days ( climate change ? ) and, when away from home, there is not often somewhere handy to plug it in. Dave.

[p5b401]

Thanks Dave.
I was thinking on the oil temp being for hot purposes and living in Western Australia when a coldest winters night is +4 celcius, I didn't think of the cold reasons.
My main problem is that the response times seem incredibly slow and I can't find any stats which indicate response time.
I'll do the hot water test and make sure the indicated temp is in the ball park and decide what needs to be done after