rancor

To both of you. The oil gallery gaskets behind the front timing cover of the engine have the habit of going bad. You need to verify your oil pressure yourself using a gauge. There is a relatively inexpensive harbor freight gauge or you can have a mechanic look at it.

You will need to look it up in the factory service manual but there are minimum oil pressures stated. It's something like 14 psi at 650 RPM and 39 psi at 2000 rpm. If the oil pressure isn't low you probably only need a new sensor. If your oil pressure light is going off your pressure is probably below 3-5 psi(or the sensor is bad) and you may have caused damage to the engine. I would stop driving it until you can get it checked if you can.

myGspot

iTrader: (1)

not driving the car that's for sure.
would I be able to test oil pressure with an oil filter adapter and any pressure gauge or would I need to test it at a different location?

rancor

Probably but the normal point on the Z is to measure from the oil pressure sending unit. Check the FSM for the G but you can probably measure from the oil pressure switch.

myGspot

iTrader: (1)

Slight update:
I went immediately to do my oil change and found out that my oil was low. So my 2nd engine from infiniti is burning crazy oil at yet again 70k miles.
However, that still did not solve the oil light issue.

I know some 350z guys reported a faulty sensor which i have on order but what else could it be?

myGspot

iTrader: (1)

Well my hope that it would be a faulty pressure sensor was high and i was dissapointed. light is still on at idle. not sure what i could loo at next. someone suggested i drop the pan and see if the pick up screen has a lot of carbon build up, others said i need a new oil pump but even at that rate not sure if it will fix the issue.

any suggestions?

rancor

Have you measured the oil pressure yet at idle (650rpm) and 2000rpm? It should help to diagnose the issue.

Like I said before it could also be the oil gallery gaskets. So clogged oil pickup, bad oil pump, gallery gaskets, and extremely worn engin.

Dropping the oil pan is easy so checking the pickup isn't hard.

myGspot

iTrader: (1)

I haven't measured oil pressure yet. Waiting on my oil filter adapter to arrive to measure it.
I am going to remove my oil pan next and check the oil pick upbas you have mentioned.
engine only has 65k on it. It doesn't sound bad... I don't hear any knocking and pulls normal on the road. Again, thatvjust driving to and from mechanics.
For the sake of the argument, if the oil pick up screen is clean, how would it be determined what's causing the issue between galley gasket or the oil pump itself or a really work engine as you said?

rancor

Not sure if you can tell a difference. Maybe a experienced mechanic would be able to tell without taking the timing cover off.

In the VQ35DE I think there are some covers over the timing tensioner that might give you some visibility of the gaskets. Otherwise I would think you will just need to take the front timing chain cover off and see if the gaskets are in good condition. If they are it would probably be the pump then.

This is an HR not a DE but you can see the gasket pushed out from under the cover. The oil pump is also right there on the crank so it wouldn't be hard to check.

MyleZ

I have the same issue as you all as well. Its all happened within a week. One day driving i noticed i wasent above 60psi any more going about 80. And was always above 30psi on idle (warm) now over the past week im under 60psi while driving and each day i drop a couple psi on idle. Im now at abouut 10 psi. Changed oil. 5w30. Replaced sensor. Been reading about the oil galleys? Behind timing cover? Any tboughts or experience?

Thank you

MyleZ

[QUOTE=MyleZ;10932204]I have the same issue as you all as well. 03 touring model. Its all happened within a week. One day driving i noticed i wasent above 60psi any more going about 80. And was always above 30psi on idle (warm) now over the past week im under 60psi while driving and each day i drop a couple psi on idle. Im now at abouut 10 psi. Changed oil. 5w30. Replaced sensor. I still have good readings while driving but they seem to keep getting lower Been reading about the oil galleys. Before seeing this post so i hope thats the issue. Engine has 82k!!!

Thank you all haha

Alex Tappin

[QUOTE=MyleZ;10932206]The galleys are not for 03. Ours are fine.

Not sure what the issue is! I still have the problem, been driving for 20k miles no issues. I'm at 151,xxx right now. I'm assuming it's a bad connection of some sort...

I replaced the oil pressure plug 2 times and to no avail. I would get a mechanical gauge and check that. Mine was good pressure with the mechanical gauge.

Good luck! If you find the issue, please let me know lol I hate seeing that light every so often.

MyleZ

[QUOTE=Alex Tappin;10932228]Thanks so much for replying haha!
You think it could still happen tho? Its either the galleys or my pump going out and with only 82k i would really hope its not the pump. But im going tk drop the pan and see how the pickup screen looks

Alex Tappin

[QUOTE=MyleZ;10932206][QUOTE=MyleZ;10932229]I would pick up a $20 oil pressure mechanic gauge as well. And please, if you find the issue, please report it back lol there is literally no solution on the forums. I have searched far and wide lol

Alex Tappin

I bought a Nissan factory oil pressure sensor after a few other AutoZone sensors (for various other parts such as camshaft position sensor) failed for me. What do you know, Nissan one works fine and is showing me correct pressures. The AutoZone ones were reading about 20psi lower than normal.

Oscarh16

[QUOTE=Alex Tappin;10932230][QUOTE=MyleZ;10932206]

Did you ever find out the issue ?

Alex Tappin

[QUOTE=Oscarh16;11058359][QUOTE=Alex Tappin;10932230]Yes. My car didn't have any issue. It was the cheap oil pressure sensor from autozone. Get the expensive one from nissan and it will be fixed.