adammitch69 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Morning guys, Noticed this week that my oil pressure doesn't appear to be getting very high, ranges between 20-50psi on the gauge. This isn't a gauge I look at often but I'm sure it used to be higher, especailly when you boot it and it swings to the right. Didnt know if this is due to the cold weather we are currently getting. Oil change was 10months ago and used the Silkolene that some other guys on here use. Going to check the oil level once it gets light today. Any suggestions welcomed. regards Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacr87 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 When start up when cold your car oil pressure should be alot higher than that. My car whilst driving is around 80-90. May want to check your oil pressure sending unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adammitch69 Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 how do I check the oil pressure sending unit is working correctly? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacr87 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 You may want to check these links http://www.350zmotoring.com/forums/350z ... -unit.html http://www.350zmotoring.com/forums/modi ... oblem.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adammitch69 Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 ...just checked my oil level - its low, very low!! I know I should check every 2 weeks but haven't done anything on the car for 2 months with the cold weather. The oil warning light hasn't come on yet though. Going to top up the oil at lunch until I can look at it at the weekend. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Glad you spotted it early enough, top the oil up and you should be ok. Remember the oil light tells you that you are out of oil! I never get that, I think it should pop up when you are low and flash when you are out or something. Just as an extra measure. I know BMW have fully electronic dip sticks these days which I also dont like as you have to rely on it. I want it to give me a warning but also let me measure it to be sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number86 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Does everyone else find checking the oil level are right PITA? Should the oil level be midway between full and empty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacr87 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Does everyone else find checking the oil level are right PITA? Should the oil level be midway between full and empty? Its so akward dut to all the kinks/bends in the pipes. I got told from on of my mechanic mates depending on the oil viscosity (specification) that you use. I initially thought you could just fill it between the markers and away you go but you are better to check the oil when the engine is fairly warm as the heat thins out the oil and gives a true reading. Anyone shed some light on this? and correct me if i'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillheaddemon Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Does everyone else find checking the oil level are right PITA? Should the oil level be midway between full and empty? Hell yes !!! never seen such a badly designed dipstick Thought the markings were on the "back", for min and max levels, and then read as for any other car. And , as others are saying, DO NOT wait till the oil lamp comes on - a disaster waiting to (imminently) happen. I use a winter car here (ancient VW Golf) and the oil lamp came on (despite regular checks). Managed about another 2 miles before the whole engine just seized and stopped. End result I needed a replacement engine My fault I guess, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookiemonster Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Thought it would be hard to measure the oil when the cars warm? Surely the oil would be spread around the engine? I always check from cold and make sure that its at half way, atleast when its warm and expands it should be at 3/4 max. Just from what ive been told on previous cars not fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hell yes !!! never seen such a badly designed dipstick Thought the markings were on the "back", for min and max levels, and then read as for any other car. thats the way I do it, its quite a clear reading if you look at the back of the dipstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Also make sure it is stone cold and on a level surface. Its a PITA but if you do it once a week, you get used to it. ZMANALEX recommends leaving it overnight to cool if you can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Morning guys, Noticed this week that my oil pressure doesn't appear to be getting very high, ranges between 20-50psi on the gauge. This isn't a gauge I look at often but I'm sure it used to be higher, especailly when you boot it and it swings to the right. Didnt know if this is due to the cold weather we are currently getting. Oil change was 10months ago and used the Silkolene that some other guys on here use. Going to check the oil level once it gets light today. Any suggestions welcomed. regards Adam is your car having dark end pipes? (oily) Is it oil in the plenum (intake manifold) chamber, is it dirty in the trottle body? You might be dragging some oil back into the car via the two areas into the plenum.. get an oil catch can! Or you might have a leaky valve cover gasket. (mine is leaking a tiny tiny bit on the 6th cylinder) or oil is escaping elsewhere. I hear different stories from different Z owners (not sure if this is down to pure driving style) that some fill up oil all the time between oil changes and some dont... I do and keep a very close eye on it, if you see the oil light it could be to late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Your oil pressure is nothing to do with the oil level, well unless you have none, as the oil pickup is in the lowest point in the sump, Oil viscosity does have a bearing on what pressure you will see, although not as much once hot, anyone looked at the manual to see what the min - max pressures should be for the recommended viscosity? Has the 350 a low oil warning light? as well as a low pressure light? the former has saved an engine on another car i have owned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Your oil pressure is nothing to do with the oil level, well unless you have none, as the oil pickup is in the lowest point in the sump,Oil viscosity does have a bearing on what pressure you will see, although not as much once hot, anyone looked at the manual to see what the min - max pressures should be for the recommended viscosity? Has the 350 a low oil warning light? as well as a low pressure light? the former has saved an engine on another car i have owned Have seen examples where low oil can cause low oil pressure. A top up was all that was required. Also confirmed by ZMANALEX at the time The Zed has a low oil level warning but no low pressure warning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Your oil pressure is nothing to do with the oil level, well unless you have none, as the oil pickup is in the lowest point in the sump,Oil viscosity does have a bearing on what pressure you will see, although not as much once hot, anyone looked at the manual to see what the min - max pressures should be for the recommended viscosity? Has the 350 a low oil warning light? as well as a low pressure light? the former has saved an engine on another car i have owned Have seen examples where low oil can cause low oil pressure. A top up was all that was required. Also confirmed by ZMANALEX at the time The Zed has a low oil level warning but no low pressure warning. Hope it wasn't your engine? i would be very wary of future reliability of an engine showing low oil pressure because of low oil level, most engines are designed to have oil pickups that are always below the oil level, even when the low oil light is lit. The only time i have ever seen oil pressure drop is when there is low oil coupled with very high/sustained cornering, IE track with a badly designed or un baffled sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Engine speed rpm.................................Approximate discharge pressure kPa (kg/cm2 , psi) Idle speed.......................................................More than 98 (1.0, 14) 2,000.............................................................More than 294 (3.0, 43) 6,000.............................................................More than 392 (4.0, 57) Not sure the gauge on the dash can be used for it though, looks like you need to check that with this: 1. Check oil level. Refer to LU-6, "Inspection" . 2. Remove undercover with power tool. 3. Disconnect oil pressure sensor harness connector. 4. Remove oil pressure sensor. 5. Install pressure gauge. 6. Start engine and warm it up to normal operating temperature. 7. Check oil pressure with engine running under no-load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Your oil pressure is nothing to do with the oil level, well unless you have none, as the oil pickup is in the lowest point in the sump,Oil viscosity does have a bearing on what pressure you will see, although not as much once hot, anyone looked at the manual to see what the min - max pressures should be for the recommended viscosity? Has the 350 a low oil warning light? as well as a low pressure light? the former has saved an engine on another car i have owned Have seen examples where low oil can cause low oil pressure. A top up was all that was required. Also confirmed by ZMANALEX at the time The Zed has a low oil level warning but no low pressure warning. Hope it wasn't your engine? i would be very wary of future reliability of an engine showing low oil pressure because of low oil level, most engines are designed to have oil pickups that are always below the oil level, even when the low oil light is lit. The only time i have ever seen oil pressure drop is when there is low oil coupled with very high/sustained cornering, IE track with a badly designed or un baffled sump. think mine did the same... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hmm, you should be able to rely on the factory gauge, but it does depend on the sender quality, a mechanical gauge would be more reliable, however there are some dam good electrical gauges out there. If i'm going to play with an engine one of the first things i do is fit a decent quality pressure gauge, and one of the other things i do is to wire in a super bright LED to the original low level sensor (after checking it works OK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hmm, you should be able to rely on the factory gauge, but it does depend on the sender quality, a mechanical gauge would be more reliable, however there are some dam good electrical gauges out there. If i'm going to play with an engine one of the first things i do is fit a decent quality pressure gauge, and one of the other things i do is to wire in a super bright LED to the original low level sensor (after checking it works OK) yeah I hear you... my bike (SV 650S) didn’t even show it's light before the engine seized due to oil starvation on the front cylinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adammitch69 Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 UPDATE - called at halfords at lunch and topped up with 3 litres of their own brand 5w-40 synthetic. looks like I'm using 4 litres of oil every 10k miles! seems a tad high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 UPDATE - called at halfords at lunch and topped up with 3 litres of their own brand 5w-40 synthetic.looks like I'm using 4 litres of oil every 10k miles! seems a tad high. halfords Not sure but did you REALLY need 3 litres of OIL?! To much oil ain't good either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 3 litres is a lot Isnt the whole sump 4.5 litres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincolnbaggie Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 3 litres is a lot Isnt the whole sump 4.5 litres? Yep, only 4.8 litres for the whole lot, so 3 litres means it was nearly empty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 UPDATE - called at halfords at lunch and topped up with 3 litres of their own brand 5w-40 synthetic.looks like I'm using 4 litres of oil every 10k miles! seems a tad high. Apart from using that much in 10K mls, a healthy motor shouldn't by the way so there is a problem, the low oil light should have been illuminated for some time, so you need to check that. Only running with 1.8 lt has not been doing your engine any good at all, IE accelerated wear, running too hot etc, good luck i think you may need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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