Hello-

I change my oil twice a year (about every 4-6000mi) and I use 5w-30 synthetic. It's the generic stuff that the shop I use has though, not Mobil 1 or similar. Just want to get that out of the way first.

Here's my issue: A few days ago I noticed that my exhaust seemed louder, I didn't make much of it, but it's been a few days now and while I won't say that it's gotten louder over that period, it's starting to bother me a lot more. Particularly tonight.

Over the last month I've noticed that my oil pressure isn't what I normally think it is, a bit lower. It used to be that when I first started my car and drove it while the engine was cold, the oil pressure would reach 120 with ease until it warmed up. It's done this the seven years I've had it, so I figure it's normal. Well, I can't remember the first time I noticed it NOT doing this, but sometime in the last month. I've been watching it quite a bit over the last 2-3 weeks though, and it never reaches 120 anymore.

So tonight, I get home from work and decide to check my oil. The last time I did was probably about 2 months or so ago, after I got back from a long road trip. It was fine then. I check it tonight ten minutes after I get home and it's impossible to read. I know the dipsticks in these cars are a real pain, but I couldn't get anything so I started to freak out. Drove my fiancees car to get 2 quarts of oil. Put in a half quart. Still nothing. Again, I usually have trouble with this (awful) dipstick, but nothing like this. It's been about 7k since my last oil change and my car is starting to get older (2004, 75kmi or so) so I figure it probably is low. I ended up putting almost 2 quarts in and I still wasn't having any luck with the read on my dip stick. I waited an hour after I put in the oil to check it too. (I was reading on the boards that waiting a 30-60 minutes can help in reading the stick).

I took the car for a drive, let it warm up and now my oil pressure is fairly high. Idles at 30psi, but it's about 90 with even moderate acceleration.

So, right now, I'm kind of freaking out. I don't know how much oil I have in my car because I can't get a good read on the dipstick and I don't know why my car is louder. The sound hasn't changed, as we all know this car has a naturally throaty sound, but I'm 95% positive it's louder than normal.

I'm not very car smart. Other than going to get my oil changed tomorrow, because it needs it, and because I want to know it has the right amount of oil in it, can anyone throw me some pointers or advice about what might be going on with my oil situation and exhaust situation? I'd realllly appreciate it.

The shop I'm going to is only 3 mi away. Hopefully I can get a better read in the morning after the car has sat for 7 hours, but I should be okay to drive the car that far if it has 1-1.5 quarts too much oil in it?

Ugh, thanks for any help. Hopefully I'll have some replies in the morning.

 

Can't comment on exhaust, but looks like you were burning oil somehow. I had the same problem a year ago, I checked the oil and the dipstick showed nothing, I added two quarts and finally some oil showed up on dipstick and pressure went back up. I never saw the problem again. Perhaps I had some leak somewhere in the head gasket and some coked up oil now sealed it.

 

Got up this morning, pulled out the dipstick and looked at it before wiping it off just for the heck of it. I had a clear | line about an inch above the "H" line, BUT that was going off the back of the stick. Wiped it off, stuck it in, pulled it out and bam, same results as last night (couldn't tell).

Whatever, I'm going to take it in for a change in a bit and ask them to measure the oil that comes out just so I know how the heck much oil I've got in there right now.

Can low oil pressure cause the exhaust issue I was having? (shot in the dark)

Thanks guys.

 

I think it might still be low. There's a clean line in the really twisty part below the L line, but I'm not putting any more oil in this thing for risk of there being too much. Man I hate this dipstick. Part of the reason I don't check the damn oil as often as I should (lousy excuse I know). Never had this problem though (now I'm tending to lean towards too low again too because of this.)

 

The engine will sound rough, especially at higher rpm. I guess you can call it being louder. By the way your oil pressure sensor needs to be replaced. Pressure should not be that high.

 

I've had this car for seven years. The exhaust has gotten louder suddenly.

As for the oil pressure, it's been the way I described for seven years too. Once the engine warms up, the pressure doesn't reach that high. Seems normal to me and from every thread I searched.

 

Don't trust the stock oil pressure gauge. Its always faulty.

 

You mean idling at 120 PSI is the gauges fault?

 

The Z usually idles at 15-20psi when its warm.



I don't ever remember my STRI oil pressure gauge reading 120psi even at full throttle.

 

You have an exhaust leak. Common problem.

Oil issue is different.