is the oil psi just for kicks or does it actually serve a purpose? and what range should it be in?

thanks

 

Depending on the viscousity of the oil, the thicker the oil, the higher the oil pressure reading. When engine idles, it should be approximately 15psi when the engine is hot. And the pressure should rise when engine is reving higher.

Low oil pressure (I mean the actual pressure, not reading on the gage) means expensive engine repair. But for new cars like 350Z or G35, low oil pressure gage reading is more likely a bad pressure sending unit (but that's also rare on a new car too). That's assuming there isn't anything added to the car that can cause engine damage.