Oil Pressure gauge: What is Normal owner's manual

[saintsairforce]

This post is in regards to the stock oil pressure gauge and how it often falls low when idling. In the past I, along with many other members have found that the oil pressure gauge would faill into the low zone of the gauge when the vehicle was warm and idling. For the first little while it seemed like there was something wrong. Checking the oil level became a daily event. After talking to some other members on here they said this was just the normal operation of the gauge. It wasn't until I bought my second DSM that I found the relief I was looking for. This second DSM just happen to come with an owners manual. In it it explains the operation of the oil gauge. I thought I would post a scan of this section for all other members who were unsure about their oil gauge. Note: checking the oil regularly is still recommended.

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I hope this will put all those uncertainties to rest.

Cheers,
Ricky

 

[Defiant]

If your lifters don't sound like a coffee can going through a sewing machine, you have enough oil pressure.

 

[Dream On]

Haha. Thanks Defiant. I think the pressure sender is a little messed up. When I hit the brakes, the oil pressure drops like 5psi...It's a little screwy. I'm going to email the company about it.

 

[Ho0ked]

My lifters don't even tick at idle, which makes me think everything is alright. They'll tick for about 4-5 seconds on start up, then they go silent. I thought that the gauge would give me a good indication of what's going on in my engine, but it's just confusing me.

Little off topic but, Lifter tick is cured with the addition of a product called Lucas Oil Stabilizer.

Been using this stuff for years it is EXCELLENT kills liftre knock and protects your engine like no oil ever could.
Found in stores like Advance Auto parts, Autozone , etc

I'll always use it in every one of my vehicles

PS. Low oil pressure= bad it should not fall below the last mark.

 

[Dream On]

Little off topic but, Lifter tick is cured with the addition of a product called Lucas Oil Stabilizer.

Been using this stuff for years it is EXCELLENT kills liftre knock and protects your engine like no oil ever could.
Found in stores like Advance Auto parts, Autozone , etc

I'll always use it in every one of my vehicles

PS. Low oil pressure= bad it should not fall below the last mark.

There's a video somewhere of that lucas stuff and it foams up like crazy which very bad... I'd probably have to disagree about it protecting an engine better than oil when it gets all frothy. And like I said, my lifters only tick when I start the car. Once they get some oil, they're fine.

 

[Defiant]

Little off topic but, Lifter tick is cured with the addition of a product called Lucas Oil Stabilizer.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

Still, I used RESTORE in my 130K 1G, and it worked to silence the lifters. Who knows.

 

[Talesin]

I've heard too many Lucas horror stories to ever run that stuff. I'd stick with straight Castrol 20w50 and maybe some ProLong.

If you want to fix persistent lifter tick, replace your lifters with a set of 'revised' or 'big bore' lifters. Went with a set of TopLines, and now the only thing rattling under the valve cover is a loose oil baffle, which I still need to fix. :b Probably the best $100 I've spent, even if it's just for personal peace of mind.

 

[nightspeed87]

Yes the 3rd revision lifters dont ever tick ( I run them. )

 

[97gstjosh]

Sorry to bring this back but Ive recently been having this problem. when I sit in traffic after my cars warmed up or go from start to stop my oil pressure guage drops and my oil light comes on. What do I need to look for. I talked to some people and they said its typical of DSMs but it just started so thats not typical. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[97gstjosh]

OOH I have a second gen didnt look close enough to see 1g specific. srry

 

[Defiant]

when I sit in traffic after my cars warmed up or go from start to stop my oil pressure guage drops and my oil light comes on. What do I need to look for.

Your light sender is probably tired. Put in a fresh one, they're cheap.

 

[Loco4Life]

An Owner's Manual.

What's that?


Anyways nice find, saintsairforce. An aftermarket pressure gauge is always a solid investment too.

 

[snakeyes711]

Hey speak of owners manuals. I've got one still int the gray case from my old 90' GSX if anybody wants it. Its in real good condition.

 

[Team Addiction]

Kendall seems to work better than Lucas. A buddy of mine runs circle track locally and with lucas after 20 laps he had lifter tick like crazy. So he switched to kendall quiet as can be when she comes in the pits now!!

 

[TurboDreamzGST]

Ok I have a 97 GST Spyder completely stock...my problem is when I idle my oil pressure gauge is all the way at the bottom...basicly at the most bottom line but when I drive it goes up like normal...any idea why my gauge is reading almost zero oil pressure at idle? Could this be right and if so what would cause this to happen only at idle?

 

[wht 92 talon]

ok so i have another problem, my 91 eclipse is reading low on the guage for the oil pressure, it stays inbetween the first line on the left side and the line in the middle, its pretty much reading idling pressure even under load. it also has an idiling problem where it idles ok cold an dies when at operating temp. well i hope you guys can help because i have been waiting to drive this car sense saturday when i got it

 

[Mr4G]

Have you checked your oil level in the car yet? Also, have you changed the oil since you got the car? If the oil is low or just plain worn out, it could cause the car to never build normal oil pressure. It could be other things also, but this is where I would start!

 

[wht 92 talon]

yea the oil level is good and i just changed the oil when i changed the oil pan, i used royal purple 10w 30

 

[rush2252]

Try running 15-50. Idk why people run 10w30 in these cars?? The book calls for like 20-50 I believe. I know my 2g had low psi whnever I ran 10w30. You might also want to start thinking about replacing the bearings in the bottom end. Low oil psi is usually a good sign of worn rods. I replaced mine with the motor in the car and it cost me about $70


My first oil change i used valvolne 10w30 the dummy light stayed on at idle. I now run mystik 15w50 even after the new bottom end, I see about 27psi @idle


Good luck
Kolby

 

[wht 92 talon]

well my car has a built engine bored 30 over with eagle rods new everything and ross pistons wit like 7k miles on it. =(

 

[rush2252]

My point was the factory gauge isnt the most accurate. My 2g at idle still reads 27psi verified on a mechanical gauge even though the factory gauge reads on the bottom mark.

Unscrew the rear sender from the OFH and screw in a mechanical gauge. The threads are 1/8NPT and this will cure your woes. Im sure its just the gauge. I double checked mine after blocking off the factory t25 oil feel and noticed the dummy light was coming on at idle. The sender was bad and after a quick test I had plenty of pressure at idle.

Good Luck
Kolby

 

[dylnwit]

From the '90 service manual...

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[rush2252]

^^^I dont think in the 90s they intended on these cars being put through what they are now and still kicking at 160k either. I would strongly suggest a thicker oil such as 15-50 or 20-50 for a higher mileage vehicle. Unless you live in a blizzard state as indicated by the table. I know it cured my lifter tick issue on the 2g.

 

[wht 92 talon]

ya but my car only has 7k on it but i did find out my car has the balance shaft removed an saw on the last page bout it effecting oil pressure. but i would have a sign of tick or what not right? because i took the oil cap off an my car squirts oil droplets on to the valve cover. but does it sound like a big prob cause theres a decent amount of money into the engine an i dont want it to blow up or nething

 

[Nick2gGST]

What should my oil psi fluctuate between on the stock gauge? (i know the stocks arent accurate but still would like to know) also when at idle my boost gauge reads -19 is this correct? car idles between normal and 1200. there is no power loss at all and ALL my hoses and gaskets were changed professionally. is that -19 sound right? it boosts up pretty quickly, all seems perfect but oil psi gauge reads above the normal mark when driving only sometimes. and goes in the middle of normal and low at idle.

 

[angelogts09]

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