I am wondering what the Temperature and Oil Gauge readouts should be reading...the car I am thinking about driving had some really strange readings...leading me to believe a sending unit problem or actual mechanical problem with some parts...just want to know what the basic readings should read...thanks!



Car I am thinking of buying....
1987 Pontiac Firebird Formula
5 speed
305 TPI
(as far as i know) all internals stock and just header and exhaust bolt ons

 

Well, the stock gauges and sending units are known to fail.

Oil pressure should be about 10 psi for every 1k rpms.
A stock 3rd gen runs rather on the warm side, iI think the fan kicks in around 227* or so.

 

Temp should start out at the bottom and rise steadily as the car warms up to about 180-200. Oil guage should start out high and drop as the car warms up, 10psi per 1000rpm is what you want to be safe, more is fine(better even) and less is bad. At idle once warm it should be above 10psi, and as you rev the engine the pressure will increase.