Oil Pressure Questions

[travislaw]

I know there was another post about oil pressure questions earlier, but my questions are a little different and yes I have done a search for the answer and can't find one.

My oil pressure needle on my gauge points to the bottom of the gauge when I idle at stop lights. When I start going it reads just below or a little above the okay bottom line. Is this normal? I just replaced the oil pressure sender 3 weeks ago. Also, on my next oil change I will be hooking up my Autometer Oil Pressure gauge. What is the pressure reading that the car should be at on that guage? FYI the engine was replaced in February with a new oil pump. Thanks for any help ahead of time, you guys have been life savers.

 

[Strm Trpr]

Get that A/M gauge installed and post back with your pressure readings.
Hopefully your oem gauge took a dump and your oil pump is working just fine...

 

[MrBoxx]

Your stock gauge is acting pretty normally. It always freaks out oil change guys when they wait for it to rise after I get my oil changed. The needle never rises at idle and they're just like... "Umm.... ?" Then I tell them, "That's just the way these cars are: Quirky."

An aftermarket oil pressure gauge would be a good thing to have, though.

 

[greytalon26]

My recommendation: put thicker oil in. I'm assuming you've got some 10W or lower oil in your car, and if you're concerned about making oil pressure, just put some thicker oil in. I use Rotella which is actually diesel oil, but I make oil pressure right in the sweet spot of the gauge. When I got the car it wasn't making much oil pressure like your car, and now that I put Rotella diesel oil in it makes good oil pressure. Just an option

 

[Defiant]

My oil pressure needle on my gauge points to the bottom of the gauge when I idle at stop lights. When I start going it reads just below or a little above the okay bottom line. Is this normal?

Yes.

 

[Defiant]

My recommendation: put thicker oil in.

Mine: NEVER. Bearings don't live on pressure. Oil pressure is only to flush out oil from a plain bearing before it overheats. Thicker oil doesn't flow as well (which is why it indicates higher pressures in a system), and consequently won't get into bearing areas as easily.

 

[travislaw]

I have been using 5W-30 Fully Synthetic Mobil 1. Well that is good to know. I am waiting until my next oil change to hook up my oil pressure gauge. I bought the copper line for it and had to wait for it to come in. Since I just replace my turbo three weeks ago, I don't want to change my oil yet. Thanks for all the info everyone, I appreciate it. I still have one question unanswered and that is, what should the A/M Gauge be reading for the oil pressure once I have it put in? Or in other words, what would the safe range be for the oil pressure on the guage?

 

[MrBoxx]

The normal opperating oil pressure ranges from 18 to 100 psi on DSMs. Going past either extreme is bad for your engine.

Normal values:
Cold start = 50-80 psi
Cold idle = 50-80 psi
Warm idle = 20-40 psi
3000+rpm = 40-80 psi

This info came from here.