Low Oil Pressure

[Az]

Over week or so my middle dial has started to drop quite a lot, especially when sat idling.

Starting is fine, and sits around 4, but after say 20mins and especially when no throttle it drops down to about 1. Never used to. Checked my oil levels they are fine, on maximum actually.

What could cause this?

Thanks

 

[MarkTurbo]

When did you last do an oil change? And have you got the oil quite hot lately?

I use mobil 1 15w50 in my car and i've noticed this before. It was only after i'd got the oil temps really hot though (120 degrees :shock: ) I changed the oil and it was ok again :?

 

[momogtir]

haha 120 degrees! thats crazy temp! highest ive ever got mine is like 95ish! i sometimes think im too kind to my R....

 

[Fast Guy]

Is it sitting at 1bar when driving or when idling?

Best way to check it is to fit a mechanical gauge to check your oil pressure.

 

[GAZ P]

Should be 4-6 when driving if its not .I would try changing the oil if it aint been done in the last 3000 miles .Mines changed without fail every 3000 miles using Mobil 15-50 fully synthetic racing oil .

 

[paz]

I had the same problem. Its either one of three things:

1) Outside temperature - things the oil, somehow I'm going to wildly guess that this isn't the problem
2) Type of oil you are using - again, not usually this unless you have just changed to a new type
3) Oil change needed - I changed my oil and everythings cool again now.

Paz

 

[LOU ROB]

Is it sitting at 1bar when driving or when idling?

Best way to check it is to fit a mechanical gauge to check your oil pressure.

If the gauge sits at 1 bar when idleing,you better get it checked with a mechanical gauge :shock: especially when it sits around 4 when cold (mine sits at 6 when cold)
With a bit of luck your gauge or sender unit is fucked

 

[Fast Guy]

Is it sitting at 1bar when driving or when idling?

Best way to check it is to fit a mechanical gauge to check your oil pressure.

If the gauge sits at 1 bar when idleing,you better get it checked with a mechanical gauge :shock: especially when it sits around 4 when cold (mine sits at 6 when cold)
With a bit of luck your gauge or sender unit is f***ed

Not necessarily, the manual says oil pressure at idle has to be over 0.97bar, so 1bar would be fine, but a mechanical gauge is always a sound investment

6bar? :shock: What is it when running?

 

[LOU ROB]

Is it sitting at 1bar when driving or when idling?

Best way to check it is to fit a mechanical gauge to check your oil pressure.

If the gauge sits at 1 bar when idleing,you better get it checked with a mechanical gauge :shock: especially when it sits around 4 when cold (mine sits at 6 when cold)
With a bit of luck your gauge or sender unit is f***ed

Not necessarily, the manual says oil pressure at idle has to be over 0.97bar, so 1bar would be fine, but a mechanical gauge is always a sound investment

6bar? :shock: What is it when running?

when warmed up it sits at 4bar on 3000 rpm.
Sorry ,I didn't say that the needle shoots up to 6 bar when starting up from cold and then drops down to 4-5 bar after about 30 seconds.
Also when engine is warmed up the gauge reads 2 bar when idling.

 

[MarkTurbo]

6bar? :shock: What is it when running?

Mine sits at 100 psi (slightly over 6 bar) when i first start it up then starts to drop after a minute or so

 

[Japmonster]

I had same problem and eventually lost oil pressure completely. Oil pump was knackered!!

 

[Japmonster]

I had same problem and eventually lost oil pressure completely. Oil pump was knackered!!

 

[gtir bean]

how quicly should oil pressure build up when you start up?

 

[Fast Guy]

how quickly should oil pressure build up when you start up?

Pretty much straight away. Maybe give it a couple of seconds on an older engine, but if it's noticably a long time, and the engine sounds like a bag of nails while trying to start, you may have worn bearings or a worn a oil pump.

 

[mattygti-r]

my R shoots up to 6bar on start up, then 4 after a little while (when warm)

then at about 2-3 on tick over

when driving about always on 4 unless you really do give it some beans and it goes slightly over that

 

[Az]

Thanks for the help. I've been driving it recently and it doesn't drop be low 1.5 anymore really, but I'm going to do an oil and oil filter change. Got Silkoline oil (cheers oilman Guy ) and will be getting a filter this week.

Is there an uprated oil filter worth getting or is the standard Pulsar (and Micra ) oil filter ok?

Thanks for ya help 8)