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Low oil pressure ?


tonio94

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Hi,

 

 

I did the last weekend a long travel and checked sometimes the oil pressure gauge. I didn't pay attention to it before.

 

This is what i saw :

 

- Between 80 and 90mph, my oil pressure is near to 60psi

- When I floored the gas pedal at 80mph, the pressure not vary a lot (a little bit after 60). Same thing when I do an acceleration, from start to 60mph (each gear to 5000/5500RPM), never more than 60/65psi,

- Stopped, with engine on and hot, the pressure is about to 30psi

- Engine cold, just turned on, the pressure is about 90psi, and decrease rapidly to 30/40psi.

 

I already saw technical information from Nissan about oil pressure :

lists a minimum oil pressure:

Idle speed More than 14

2,000 RPM More than 43

6,000 RPM More than 57

 

But do you think that my oil pressure is a little bit low ? And yours ?

 

What can I check or do to fix this ?

 

 

Thanks

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First thing I would recommend is check the oil level. Also, when was it last changed?

 

When mine is cold the pressure is about 90-100, but takes a while to come down to normal (the oil takes longer to reach normal temperature than the coolant, around 3-5 miles steady driving). How quickly does yours drop?

 

It then should sit at around 60 when you're doing 60 mph in 6th gear (which is about 2500 rpm I think). It will vary with the revs after that, from around 40-80 (if I remember correctly).

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Lincolnbaggie is spot on, The oil filter can have an effect on this aswell, may be a different spec if its not OEM. I'm sure I've read on here at some point one member runs with a low pressure oil filter, can't remember his reasons possibly lower pressure higher flow. I could just be talking sh*t though

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I wouldn't trust OEM gauages anyway if I'm honest.. Check your dip stick

The dipstick measures oil level, the gauge measures pressure - two completely different things.

 

Its very rare an oil pump will fail though to give low oil pressure. 9 times out of 10 it will be because owner hasn't checked there level or done service..

 

I don't think the gauages would be very accurate anyway.. I run defi's and they don't fluxiate half as much as OEM

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Thanks for the answers.

 

Before my travel I had checked the oil level and added 1 liter of oil. So my level is good.

 

The last oil change was near to 4000miles ago. I already bought the oil filter (Nissan OEM) and have to buy now the oil. I think I will put another oil than recommanded by Nissan, with a cold grade higher (so an oil less fluid).

 

Lincolnbaggie, when I start the car (engine cold), the pressure is 90psi, rapidly it decreases to 60psi and just 5 minutes after, at 30/40psi.

 

What I don't want is to do high charge if the oil pump doesn't follow... :dry:

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As Ekona says, don't panic :)

 

As long as the oil level is okay your pressures are fine - they vary with temperature and also grade of oil used (and your gauge may be not that accurate anyway). If the pressure is high on start up and doesn't drop to 0 then the pump is doing its job.

 

Just drive it and don't worry.

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Is the Oil pressure guage on a Zed a proper one ?? like a pressure valve and decent gauge or is it just for looks ?? I know the MX5's oil pressure guage is just for looks and although it gives a reading it is by no means accurate.

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Sounds very much like the behavior that I see. How many miles have you done, I should hit the magic 100k sometime over the next couple of weeks so a touch of wear is to be expected.

 

I sometimes wonder how much effect the warmer Summer weather has on the pressure, perhaps the engine runs a little hotter? At idle mine is normally just a smidgeon below the 30 psi wark but on a couple of really warm days during the last month she was idling aroud the 20 psi mark. Still in spec according to Nissan but caused a fluttering in the nether regions to the extent that I changed the pressure sender to make sure that the reading was as accurate as possible. Bit peed of when it didn't change at all :(

Edited by Posidrive
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