dumb question re oil pressure.

dumb question re oil pressure.

Author
Discussion

shnozz

Original Poster:

27,506 posts

272 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
My oil pressure gauge appears to have moved down slightly. It sits around 50lbs when moving and falls to 25 when at idle. Is this normal? And what does the pressure relate to? Perhaps if I understood how it works then I might answer my own question!

Podie

46,630 posts

276 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
Glad you've brought this up... was going to ask something about this myself!

Mine sit's at just above 50 most of the time, but occasionally drops to 50...


EDIT - Oh and there is no such thing as a stupid question Shnozz... only stupid people...

>> Edited by Podie on Tuesday 11th March 09:05

dern

14,055 posts

280 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
If you're at all concerned about your oil pressure then the sure fire way to reassure yourself is to book your car into a local garage and get them to check the pressure for you. They take out your pressure sensor and plug in their own and tell you the definitive oil pressure. This is what I did when I first got my car and although the guage wasn't that accurate (read low) the actual pressure was fine. It only takes a few minutes and doesn't cost much and will give you a lot of peace of mind.

In the end I replaced the sensor (pretty cheap) and the readings were more like what I was expecting.

Regards,

Mark

Podie

46,630 posts

276 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
Mine is booked in...! I should point out that my car has done that since I've had it... and has done nothing "unusual"...

roy c

4,187 posts

285 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
Mine is around 35lbs at idle and 50-75lbs driving.

I suspect that the most of the variations between different cars is down to inaccurate gauges rather than low pressure.

shnozz

Original Poster:

27,506 posts

272 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
so if the gauge is correct and the pressure is low, what does tha indicate?

roy_allen

654 posts

277 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
Mine is around 50 at motorway speeds and drops to around 30 when idling. I am of the opinion that as long as you are getting pressure the oil system should be working ok. Don`t the v8s run at about 10-20? ould be wrong, but I`m sure I overheard a conversation about this once before.

Roy.

John Mac

386 posts

264 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
I'm assuming you have read the "Bible" page 29 etc on oil pressure if not best gen up now.
Generally a consistently low or lower than normal oil pressure indicates engine wear, low pressure usually points to a worn crankshaft and big end bearings especially if the car has covered a high mileage. In some cases it may simply be due to a blocked oil filter or pressure relief valve which has stuck open.
If you are worried I would suggest the following.
(a) as the previous thread get a garage to check the accuracy of your gauge against theirs.
(b) put fresh engine oil in. (old oil is unlikely to give a good oil pressure.)
(c) know what your running/idle pressures should be from either the bible or TVR.
Are you burning oil? showing blue smoke? if not don't panic too much as many engines run at a fairly low oil pressure and are fine.

>> Edited by John Mac on Tuesday 11th March 11:03

John Bull

74 posts

271 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
My S3 runs at about 55 and drops at idle, this makes sense as the pump isn't going as fast at idle! I am not concerned that the pressure drops at idle, I would be if it dropped at speed.

kev s3

212 posts

265 months

Tuesday 11th March 2003
quotequote all
mine reads 50 at idle and drops at higher revs!!! think my sender is gubbed

shnozz

Original Poster:

27,506 posts

272 months

Wednesday 12th March 2003
quotequote all
thanks again all - John Mac you are a font of knowledge!

I shall read up the relevant section in the bible. It doesnt seem to fluctuate a great deal so it would appear I do not need to be too concerned. I really posted due to my ignorance on what the gauge really meant, rather than just know it was oil pressure but not know what the reality of that was.

many thanks

rustoni

325 posts

273 months

Thursday 13th March 2003
quotequote all

roy_allen said: Don`t the v8s run at about 10-20? ould be wrong, but I`m sure I overheard a conversation about this once before.

Roy.


My V8S runs from around 20/25 upto 50 when given some serious welly

Ian

roy_allen

654 posts

277 months

Thursday 13th March 2003
quotequote all
Well , I did say I could be wrong!

Roy.