2G Is it normal for these cars to show such low oil pressure at warm idle

zheter · Jul 15, 2026

I have a 1998 Eclipse GSX. Today I resealed the oil pan using Permatex Right Stuff RTV and did an oil change at the same time (Mobil 1 10W-30). Everything went back together fine, and there are no major oil leaks. The oil level is also right at the full mark.

My concern is the oil pressure. Once the engine is fully warmed up, the factory gauge drops to almost the bottom line at idle. While driving around town it comes up to about 1/4 of the gauge, and on the freeway it climbs to nearly halfway.
Is it normal for these cars to show such low oil pressure at warm idle, or should I be worried?

From what I've found while searching, a faulty oil pressure sending unit is a possibility, but I'd like to hear from anyone who's experienced this before.

Should I verify the pressure with a mechanical gauge first, or are there other common causes I should check? I really don't want to risk damaging the engine.

dwb · Jul 15, 2026

The OEM gauge is a crapshoot and likely isn't reading very accurate. I replaced my sending unit with a new OEM and the gauge still reads very low under the conditions you described.

Yes, use a quality aftermarket gauge to get an accurate reading. You can also open the oil cap and visually look for oil flinging around off the cams and out the HLAs. Keep a rag handy because it will probably make a mess.

Edit: here's a video showing what you can expect by removing the oil cap. Another video two posts down too.

ECMlink - RESOLVED - Crazy knock under part throttle/low load/open loop

I've attached a data log of my commute to work this morning.I've been experiencing lots of knock under low load, part throttle, ~2k-3k RPM, and usually open loop. In this log, knock continues into closed loop for a bit. I have to release throttle and roll back into it for knock to stop, and...

www.dsmtuners.com

steve · Jul 15, 2026

Nice Cherokee-D upscale.

As mentioned the factory gauge and sender are known for their inaccurate presentation, not only on the 1G and 2G's but on other Mitsubishi cars like the 3000GT. There is a oil pressure warning light and if it's not flashing your most likely not have a low pressure issue but verifying the actual oil pressure with a mechanical gauge or a quality electronic one is a great idea.

FYI the various holes in the oil filter housing are 1/8 BPT (BSPT) tapped not the more common NPT. You'll likely need an adapter to connect an aftermarket gauge/sensor.

chrysler kid · Jul 17, 2026

The factory gauge isn’t accurate, only the oil pressure light on the cluster is accurate. If the oil light isn’t on in the dash then the oil pressure at idle is fine, but yes these cars have low oil pressures at hot idle from the factory

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2G Is it normal for these cars to show such low oil pressure at warm idle

zheter

dwb

ECMlink - RESOLVED - Crazy knock under part throttle/low load/open loop

steve

chrysler kid

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