Do I have a chance of saving this motor? (low oil pressure)

[Nabyar]

Well, this has been going on for a little while. 1 week tops. My oil pressure light would come on every now and then, but wouldn't think anything of it (maybe the sensor was faulty or something). The car has been running great though because just a week ago I kept even with a never body style mustang GT from a roll..

Current symptoms are..

Low oil pressure light comes on at idle, when I rev, it goes away
Cruising, there is really no loss of power, and the light doesn't come on
When I come to a dead stop, or put it in neutral, the car dies
No valve tick or anything so I know oil has to be circulating in the head

I changed the oil today with 10w30 and didn't make any difference at all. It did great until I got to the front of my subdivision and it died.

I read through a couple of threads and I'm wondering... if its a bad oil pump, do you think I can still save this motor even though I drove it around a little with the symptoms above? If so, anyone know where I can buy a bottom end for cheap?

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[heavyD]

Why would you continue to drive the car without properly diagnosing the problem? If it is a bad sender you are okay but if you are really running low oil pressure at idle you could now have some permanent damage to bearings and any other metal to metal contact surfaces. You probably don't have to scrap your engine but may have lost some years off of the engines life expectancy. Have your engine oil pressure properly checked before you come to any conclusions then go from there. BTW, what does your engine oil pressure read at idle?

 

[BUCK]

Just properly reset your Base Idle - I would run at least 10W-40 Oil next time you change Oil - Run only Mitsu Oil Filters if you still have the Water to Oil Cooler - & have you ever changed the Fuel Filter? If not do so. How about the Air Filter?

Low oil pressure light comes on at idle, when I rev, it goes away
Cruising, there is really no loss of power, and the light doesn't come on
When I come to a dead stop, or put it in neutral, the car dies
No valve tick or anything so I know oil has to be circulating in the head

 

[exile]

I just bought my 3 days ago and when I seen the low pressure gauge come on whenever I stopped at a red light I wanted to cry like a little girl. Well, I realised that it only came on at idle and if I revved it just a teeenie tiny bit the light would go away and the pressure would be fine. Well, I just turned the idle up a bit and it works fine now. It was idling at 500, I bet since yours is dieing it's gotta sound like shit when you're idle and it's gotta be less than 500rpms to die like that.

Hope that works.

 

[Nabyar]

Why would you continue to drive the car without properly diagnosing the problem? If it is a bad sender you are okay but if you are really running low oil pressure at idle you could now have some permanent damage to bearings and any other metal to metal contact surfaces. You probably don't have to scrap your engine but may have lost some years off of the engines life expectancy. Have your engine oil pressure properly checked before you come to any conclusions then go from there. BTW, what does your engine oil pressure read at idle?

I haven't really driven it that much in the condition its in. Just home from work one time, and to my buddies house, both times it acted and idled amazing on start up. Both are less than 2 miles from my house. On a cold start up, it will still continue to idle perfect. If I drive around till a proper warm up, it will have the symptoms. Of course, on a hot warm up, it'll have the same symptoms.

I don't have an oil pressure gauge (aftermarket), but the stock gauge does read quite low (almost end the end of the gauge) on a hot start up.

 

[Nabyar]

Just properly reset your Base Idle - I would run at least 10W-40 Oil next time you change Oil - Run only Mitsu Oil Filters if you still have the Water to Oil Cooler - & have you ever changed the Fuel Filter? If not do so. How about the Air Filter?

I'll try these if theres a chance of saving this motor, otherwise it's not a big deal. I have a spare head in the garage and can more than likely pick up a decent shortblock for cheap. Wrench time isn't too much of a factor to me. As far as I know, the fuel filter hasn't been changed for a while and I haven't 'cause it hasn't given me any bad symptoms. The air filter is a K&N.

 

[adam355]

I dono man, not to put a damper on things....but I bought my car and I noticed right away mine was doing the same thing. Practicly no pressure at idle and the light would come on. Well 2 months later the motor went and I had to rebuild. Otherwise check your oil, the same thing happens when your cars low on oil. Good luck, get it figured out quick!

 

[2GeNTSi]

is your alternator good? I noticed when I had my old alternator in the car would idle fine at times and low at other times along with low voltage. I also noticed the oil pressure would read low when it did this, but once you started moving it was fine. I took it out to inspect it, brush was really worn but I got it tested and it "passed." I got a new one anyways and so far no odd idle and voltage stays consistant also oil pressure at idle stays in between mid and low.

 

[Wooh]

My car had the same symptoms. Turns out I spun a rear ballance shaft bearing, and drove around with wicked low oil pressure for 2 weeks before I spun 2 more bearings inside the motor.


Get the shafts removed asap.