oil pressure reading low

[DSM1491]

Hey guys ive been having low oil pressure for a few months now and im starting to get paranoid with people saying it might be a rod thats gonna go out soon. I was coming home from work and I stepped on it for a few seconds, after about 10 secinds later I started hearing a whining sound that was pretty loud. I got home and checked everything and didnt find anything but the timing cover rubbing up against one of the belts (alternator belt) since I coudnlt find anything wrong I left it like that and the whining has gotten a little qiueter but I still here it. After a day or 2i looked at my oil pressure gauge and it was super low I thought it wasn't reading but it was. I have a pro sport after market oil psi gauge.

Before the whining sound
At idle it used to read at 20-25psi
Freeway would be around 75-80
And cruising speed at 35-40mph would be at 50

Now after whining sound (present date)
Now at idle its like at 17-20
Freeway at around 60mph it sits at 35psi
And xruising at around 35-40 it is at 25-30psi

I have balance shaft delete with an aftermarket oil pump ( I know oem is the way to go but I didnt know too much at the time)
My oil guage is hooked up to an aftermarket sending unit as well in the oil filter housing.
I rotated the bearings inside completey when I did the balance shaft delete I highly doubt they rotated again causing oil to dumo back into the oip pan. The only thing I cant think of would be a bad oil pump or a bearing is gonna go out when I change my oil I dont see metal shavings maybe a tiny bit but nothing big. I use 10w 30 mobil 1 sythetic also napa gold oil filter.

Any ideas on what I can do to find out whats wrong with my oil pressure or is that right oil psi? Im thinking of dropping the oil pan tomorrow morning and checking out the bearings and hopefully they are fine
Any help is much appreciated thanks also the engine was rebuilt about 12000 miles ago and have acl race bearings with little to no shavings when I do an oil change. This is for a 96 eclipse gst.

 

[DSM1G90]

Does oil reach the head and is swirling around in the head area at idle?

If so, pump's working okey, but you could have some connecting rod bearings that aren't holding pressure causing the low pressure readings.

Or, that aftermarket pump is definitely dying on you. Best get a OEM pump back in there.

 

[Abe'sGST]

Like mentioned above, your aftermarket oil pump may be going out. Also many of us run 20w50, it helps oil pressure.

 

[DSM1491]

When I open the oil cap it doesnt squirt out like it used to idk if its nirmal or not, But I had pretty bad lifter tick as well until I changed to 3g lifters yesterday. No lifter tick now the lufter tick was real bad like u could here my lufter tick more then my thermal r&d exhaust


I will check my bearings tomorrow morning and if they are fine then it will be my oil pump hopefully.

Like mentioned above, your aftermarket oil pump may be going out. Also many of us run 20w50, it helps oil pressure.

Yea I will most likely change ut if my bearing are ok. I will probably get it from extreme psi soon. Thanks

 

[Breezio69]

My oil pressure is 11psi at idle when warmed up, 70 at 70mph, hit about 90 on a wot pull...

Doesnt seem catastrophic. My cars been fine for the whole 14 months ive owned it, i put the gauges in a week after I got it and its read that way since day one.

 

[DSM1G90]

70 @ 70mph ... must be running thick 20w/50 ... lotsa pressure.

True, another thing to think about is when oil gets hot, it does thin a bit which causes pressure to be less. But the recent numbers aren't that all bad - as long as there is pressure...

 

[Breezio69]

70 @ 70mph ... must be running thick 20w/50 ... lotsa pressure.

True, another thing to think about is when oil gets hot, it does thin a bit which causes pressure to be less. But the recent numbers aren't that all bad - as long as there is pressure...

10/30, and sorry I posted kinda quickly last night, It runs around 60psi not 70psi @ 70mph. And thats 3k on the tach.

Its funny when you get used to something how you can adapt. When my gauge cluster went out one day I drove home at night on the freeway by my oil pressure gauge, periodically flashing a flashlight on the dash to double check... held 70mph the whole time just by watching my oil pressure.

Also op, have you switched oil brands? There could be a difference in viscosity at operating temp which would/could have it thinner than a previous oil? But still, I believe anything under like 8 -9 is when you start to starve the head.

 

[DSM1491]

Ok guys so I figured out what happened. Pulled the oul pan off right now and inside was the balance shaft delete stub. Idk how that happened???? How come my car has not blown yet???? Looks like ill probably get an oem oil pump now. Havent been able to look at that yet but I will later today. Ill keep you guys posted. Has anybody heard of the stub falling out when u do a balance shaft delete??? Its been like this probably for a few months idk how my car is still running strong? Im confused anybody have ideas answers? All help is welcome.

Its not letting me post pictures but its just the stub that was in my oip pan no metal shavings or anything. And the stub has no damage to it as well.

 

[Breezio69]

Welp... not to thread jack, but....

I think posting in this thread about my oil pressure just jinxed me. My oil pressure over the last couple days has been twitching at idle going from 11-12 psi to around 8 then back up. Drove home from work tonight and got off the freeway (which ran all good, 55-60 psi) then I hit the light at the bottom and got out of gear and it dropped to 3-4 psi while at idle, ~900rpm +/-. I gave a slight blip of the throttle to like 1200 and it returned to normal pressure then dropped at the next light again... drove normal after for about the next 1/2 mile to my place.

Oil pump?

Kind of freaking out, this is my only transportation at the moment.

 

[DSM1G90]

I run 10w30 synth .. AMSOIL. Great stuff !

Drove home from work tonight and got off the freeway (which ran all good, 55-60 psi) then I hit the light at the bottom and got out of gear and it dropped to 3-4 psi while at idle

Got off the "I-15" Corridor during the 5pm drift heading northbound...and stayed out of the HOV lane? Remember: busting rubber on the I-15, nobody is doing speed limit, and that oil is super hot plus thin, and you suddenly slowed the belt driven pump down where it's gonna drop like that until you gave it a blip to catch up back to idle pressure.

When was the last time you pulled the pan to see how the pickup screen looked ... might have a screen halfway plugged, which is due to filters breaking apart and sending their innards in the pan with being caught by the screen.