Oil pressure too high?
Oil pressure too high?
Author
Discussion

high52kojak

Original Poster:

505 posts

227 months

Saturday 26th January 2008
quotequote all
Noticed today that my oil pressure is at 60 psi when at idle with the engine warm and up to 80 under load? Is this a normal figure or could there be some other reason, faulty gauge etc?

Gazzab

21,658 posts

312 months

Saturday 26th January 2008
quotequote all
Could be that there is something affecting the oil pressure relief spring. My first Cerb had an old bit of spring bodged in by prev owner to keep the oil pressure artifically high.

high52kojak

Original Poster:

505 posts

227 months

Saturday 26th January 2008
quotequote all
What sort of pressures was it showing and what is a healthy number?

paulj

169 posts

309 months

Saturday 26th January 2008
quotequote all
Mine the same as this - and i have wondered if it sounded too high myself. Seems to run ok though.

Mines a bit overfull on oil level after the last service, i'm reliably informed this wont increase the oil pressure though so i cant be bothered to drain some out.

high52kojak

Original Poster:

505 posts

227 months

Saturday 26th January 2008
quotequote all
Mine goes ok but i am pretty sure it has recently upped to those figures, seems a bit wierd to me. Looks like I might have to have a look at the pressure valve thingy

QuiteQuietCerb

995 posts

253 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
quotequote all
hi before my engine rebuilt pressure was between 40-60 psi. Now 55-60 at idle and 70-80 when driven.

I was told by APM that 60-80 is the right pressure

high52kojak

Original Poster:

505 posts

227 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
quotequote all
Thats quite reassuring, suppose its better to be high rather than low.

SlvrCrb

1,180 posts

263 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
quotequote all
high52kojak said:
Thats quite reassuring, suppose its better to be high rather than low.
Since my rebuild I hit 90 on full chat (fully warmed as well). APM said that's the top limit.

JensenA

5,671 posts

260 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
quotequote all
high52kojak said:
Noticed today that my oil pressure is at 60 psi when at idle with the engine warm and up to 80 under load? Is this a normal figure or could there be some other reason, faulty gauge etc?
Exactly the same readings as mine.

Scrooloose

888 posts

246 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
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Same as mine too smile

TimJM

1,497 posts

240 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
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QuiteQuietCerb said:
hi before my engine rebuilt pressure was between 40-60 psi. Now 55-60 at idle and 70-80 when driven.

I was told by APM that 60-80 is the right pressure
Hmmm, interesting. My oil pressure is a rock steady 50-60 until warm, then it moves to 40-50. When very hot sitting in traffic it will sit at 30 but when I start moving it rises to about 40-45 again.

I was told this is the right pressure.

So, 60-80 and 30-45 are both the right pressure for a hot engine???

Out of interest what oil are you using? I used to run 0w40 until the last service when I was told I shouldn't be using that anymore (even though the car hardly uses oil) and now use 5w40.

Tim.

QuiteQuietCerb

995 posts

253 months

Sunday 27th January 2008
quotequote all
i run chevron 5w-40 at the moment but have also used 15-40 oil pressure readings are the same

Cyclone1

2,614 posts

276 months

Monday 28th January 2008
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TimJM said:
Hmmm, interesting. My oil pressure is a rock steady 50-60 until warm, then it moves to 40-50. When very hot sitting in traffic it will sit at 30 but when I start moving it rises to about 40-45 again.

I was told this is the right pressure.

So, 60-80 and 30-45 are both the right pressure for a hot engine???
As low as 30 when very hot is fine, but you wouldn't really want it to be much lower.

60+ at hot idle I think is on the high side, I bet those figures would drop in summer.

TimJM said:
Out of interest what oil are you using? I used to run 0w40 until the last service when I was told I shouldn't be using that anymore (even though the car hardly uses oil) and now use 5w40.

Tim.
If it's not using any oil then I'd go for 10W 50 fully synth, alternatively go for a 15W 50, these are both slightly thicker oils than you are currently using and should see your oil pressure increase.

Jules.

TimJM

1,497 posts

240 months

Monday 28th January 2008
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Cyclone1 said:
As low as 30 when very hot is fine, but you wouldn't really want it to be much lower.
Yep, I agree. The times it drops to 30 is usually in the summer months when queuing in traffic for 1/2 an hour or more. Then it just sits at 30 while the temp cycles around 105-95-105-95 in 5 minute intervals.

Cyclone1 said:
If it's not using any oil then I'd go for 10W 50 fully synth, alternatively go for a 15W 50, these are both slightly thicker oils than you are currently using and should see your oil pressure increase.
Jules.
Thanks - I will mention this at the next service/oil change.

Now if only I could find an me0154 window/door control unit...

Tim.