Help Low Oil Pressure What Do I Do
09-01-2006, 07:33 PM
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Help Low Oil Pressure What Do I Do
I bought my 03 Performance a year ago with 40,000 miles. I now have 64,000 and tonight for the first time I noticed my oil pressure was not normal. VERY VERY low would only go up to about a little over quarter of the way up when i would accelerate at a normal speed and at an idle it would be close to nothing. My oil gauge light finally came on as im pulling into my neighborhood
I ran inside got some 5w 30Amsoil.( thats all i have used every 5K miles.)
And it took about a half quart. I have recently put test pipes on about a month ago but tonight is the first night ive noticed anything like this and i always check this stuff. Im very worried from the other horror stories on the sight. I had the oil changed about 1,500 miles ago so im worried. Please let me know what i should do. God im not going to be able to sleep tonight.
I ran inside got some 5w 30Amsoil.( thats all i have used every 5K miles.)
And it took about a half quart. I have recently put test pipes on about a month ago but tonight is the first night ive noticed anything like this and i always check this stuff. Im very worried from the other horror stories on the sight. I had the oil changed about 1,500 miles ago so im worried. Please let me know what i should do. God im not going to be able to sleep tonight.
09-01-2006, 08:34 PM
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yea but when i added a half quart it was back at normal, i dunno i guess im kind of confused exactly what the pressure sensing unit does. Im guessing it gives psi level to the gauge and tells you exaclty what your psi is. But i would think it would still read wrong after i added the half quart of oil> how do you check if the pressure sensor is bad?
09-02-2006, 01:25 AM
#6
Originally Posted by thirty5ounces
yea but when i added a half quart it was back at normal, i dunno i guess im kind of confused exactly what the pressure sensing unit does. Im guessing it gives psi level to the gauge and tells you exaclty what your psi is. But i would think it would still read wrong after i added the half quart of oil> how do you check if the pressure sensor is bad?
They fail and when they do they lie to u. Rule of thumb if u got a press. deviation-----Replace it. That eliminates THAT possibility.
Gages can on occasion can go bad. What I do is take out my oil sending unit and screw in an adapter to accomidate my Mechanical gage temporarilly that I KNOW works.
There!! We have eliminated the information center as being the culprit.
Try that and if u still got probs,,, thats a differant Chapter. Hopefully there is just one Chapter.
09-02-2006, 03:53 AM
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Ok I will attempt that this afternoon, figures i told my boss i would go with him to Tampa today......damnit....I will be back around 5:30..EA***ZZZY you said< .What I do is take out my oil sending unit and screw in an adapter to accomidate my Mechanical gage temporarilly that I KNOW works. Where is this located? What type of adapter, sorry this subject I have never played around with, and im clueless on where these are. Thanks for everyones advice and help.
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09-02-2006, 05:30 AM
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Originally Posted by thirty5ounces
yea but when i added a half quart it was back at normal, i dunno i guess im kind of confused exactly what the pressure sensing unit does. Im guessing it gives psi level to the gauge and tells you exaclty what your psi is. But i would think it would still read wrong after i added the half quart of oil> how do you check if the pressure sensor is bad?
Did you check the oil level with the dipstick?
Adding 1/2 quart of oil should have no effect on oil pressure unless you were almost completely out of oil.
I check the dipstick on every vehicle I own at least once a week. Its a really good practice.
bill
09-02-2006, 06:13 AM
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Yeah, check the oil level and you can also change your oil. When you change your oil and filter, the first time you start your car the oil pressure will be high, let your car idle in your driveway for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes with new oil, the oil pressure should be right below the middle mark or so. Hope this helps.
09-02-2006, 06:21 AM
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Yea I checked the dipstick, i cant ever get a good read on that thing, it looked as if it right on the L, my oil light came on in my neighborhood and then went off, I added what i had left from my last oil change, a little under a half quart, started my car and it at a 40PSI oil pressure. My dad also said that a half of quart wouldnt be enough to do anything. I added oiil because of the oil light and the oil light never came back on. I drove my wifes car to tampa, when i get home im going to mess with it some more. When i started it this morning i leet it idle for about 5 min and it never went below 50psi but thats normal because i didnt drive it so it wouldnt heat up, But thanks for the imput keep them comming.....
09-02-2006, 07:06 AM
#11
To get a good reading, pull the dipstick and wipe it, then set it asside for about 15 min. Then come back, stick it in and take a reading. If it was on the L, then it should have been a full quart low; that shouldn't have been enough to make your pressure drop like that, though.
09-02-2006, 08:14 AM
#12
On situations like this I have to take somewhat for granted the person has chked his oil level. Since gages seldomlly fail,, be best first to just replace the sending unit. They DO go bad. It is located right along side ur oil filter and is obvious because it has wires going to it.
If u are still getting an odd pressure reading ----- the threaded female port ur sending unit screws into is where u will attach a mechanical gage. If u go down to buy one, chances are good all the adapters will come with it. Read the instructions, install it, start the car, and read what it says.
For a proper DIY this has to be done no matter what. If its simple like a bad gage,, that will verify it. If u have internal problems,, that will verify it.
As with any diagnosis, You HAVE to start from POINT A. If u skip things u mite as well just take it to a garage. If they are good and honest they will do the same sequence.
Good luck
If u are still getting an odd pressure reading ----- the threaded female port ur sending unit screws into is where u will attach a mechanical gage. If u go down to buy one, chances are good all the adapters will come with it. Read the instructions, install it, start the car, and read what it says.
For a proper DIY this has to be done no matter what. If its simple like a bad gage,, that will verify it. If u have internal problems,, that will verify it.
As with any diagnosis, You HAVE to start from POINT A. If u skip things u mite as well just take it to a garage. If they are good and honest they will do the same sequence.
Good luck
09-02-2006, 01:26 PM
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ok well im going to take it to my mechanic next saturday. im leaving to go out of town tuesday. Im dead even on the dip stick, I turned it on this morning and let it sit and it idle 60psi then slowly dropped. I just got back from tampa and took it around the block a few times, idles at around 15-20psi and around 2200-3000 RPMs its going to about 50psi. I goosed it a time or two and it never went over 65 psi. i didnt get over 5500RPM. I will keep my eye on it this weekend, and i will check the oil before i go out of town. Hopefully it was a fluke or its the gauge, but the gauge seems to be working fine now. thanks again for everyones help
08-30-2015, 11:45 PM
#14
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Reviving an old thread.
I am having a similar issue with this oil pressure. I had a bad unit that was showing the oil pressure as 120psi all the time (even. When the car was off). I then replaced it and drove it around. After a few minutes at a stoplight, the oil pressure dropped way low (almost 0) and the oil light came on. I then pressed the gas to rev the engine and the pressure went up and the light off. Did you ever fix this issue?
08-31-2015, 05:23 AM
#16
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Holy thread bump batman.
08-31-2015, 08:21 AM
#17
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Ivan new to this forum and have been searching this issue for a couple daysv(been on page 4 of Google searches as well) and have yet to find a direct answer. Should I start a new thread or is this site becoming a graveyard lol
08-31-2015, 08:27 AM
#19
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Okay. Yeah I have read most of the threads in the first couple pages. Im gonna change the oil and buy a mechanical pressure guage today. This seems to be the only way to determine what is and isnt actually wrong. Thanks!
