Low Oil Pressure

warringtonjack

Active Member
Low Oil Pressure - Problem Solved

Since putting new engine in, the oil pressure has always been low. From start, pressure is as low as 10psi, then slowly picks up after 15-20 secs to about 20psi. The pressure does rise with revs up to about 2bar. The pressures were recorded on a specialist gauge, so can discount the sender unit.

Anybody got any comments, as I know the pressure is way too low to be safe. :(
 
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paz

Active Member
What oil have you got in the car fella? I had some problems in the old car when the oil degraded and needed changing. I'm assuming you already know that though.

How about oil levels, have you got an aftermarket cooler? Are you taking that ito account when filling up?

Simple things aside, I'm done :lol: good luck bud.
 

warringtonjack

Active Member
Ummm, cheers mate. On the simple side of things, when I put the new engine in, I put a new front mount cooler on. Then did an oil change, and just filled up the oil as normal. Given that the cooler pipework runs up to rocker cover height, and back down to the front bumper, maybe I aint put sufficient in! :noidea: :behindsofa:

How much would the engine and fmoc normally require? :?
 

fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
I added around another 0.7ltrs of oil on top of the normal 3.5-4ltrs
 
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EVOBAD

New Member
its probly the guage as long as it hold good presure when u drive it is should be ok ,was crank regrounded if so did u use graded bearing if not this can make presure low as i found out
 

ashills

Active Member
yeah that doesnt sound to good mate if its been missing nearly a litre of oil have you checked it since ?
also depends how big the oil cooler is hw many row etc is it
 

paz

Active Member
As above bud, depends on the size of the cooler etc but it does need to be taken into account.

I have a 13 row mocal, and when I topped up I added a similar amount to Andy.

Paz
 

warringtonjack

Active Member
Right, quick consensus, just checked how much oil went in, 3.5l. Dipstick is showing max, but is this enough? And if it isnt is it likely to be the cause of low oil pressure?
 

fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
Once topped up I normally run the car for 1-2 mins to allow the oil to circulate via the fmc and engine. Let its settle, check the oil and see what the stick says.
 

paz

Active Member
T'other thing to check is your sump pan fella, if its got a dent in it that can cause low oil pressure.

Paz
 

warringtonjack

Active Member
Low Oil Pressure - Problem Solved

paz said:
T'other thing to check is your sump pan fella, if its got a dent in it that can cause low oil pressure.

Paz
Paz was right! :thumbsup:

We must have been a little careless when lifting the engine out of the back of the van, and dropped it a little heavily. After taking the sump pan off, there was a small raised dent, right by where the oil pick up was, sod's law. The oil pick up was effectively "sucking" the bottom of the sump pan, and this is what was causing the low oil pressure. A quick clean up of the sump pan, and a quick 'malleting' session, and hey presto, 8 Bar. :thumbsup:

Cheers for all your help. :D

Onwards and upwards.
 

vss irvine

Well-Known Member
its quite a common fault tbh, ive had numerous cars in with dented sumps.

i also had a car that not only had a dented sump pan, but the pickup pipe had been damaged, on initial start up i took a few seconds for the oil pressure to reach the top of the engine(even after i straightened the pan out). i still have the pick up, see if i can get a picture up.

if any one else has a damaged sump. when you take it off, make sure you use a block of wood and a hammer, and dont just hammer the pan direct as you could crack it.
 

dave

New Member
i hope this work for me, i will be checking my sump today, i recently rebuild my engine, new oil pump, gaskets, o-rings, standrad acl race bearings, check with micrometers all crankshaft journals, rods and pistons and they are standard. torque main caps 65ft/lbs and rods 40ft/lbs, crankshaft rotate smooth.

i'm using 5w50 mobil 1 full synthec, in cold my oil pressure sits in 4bar, when warm up it sits 2bar, but when i rev up to 4,000rpm oil pressure only raise to 3.5, NOT touch the 4 bar.

i'm scare about spun a bearing so at this moment i haven't rev up more than 3,500rpm.

any help or advice?
 
Are you using the standard gauges to go by for your readings?
I had this too with the sump, sorted this out and the oil pressure raised about 0.5 bar to 4.0 when cold.
and would read 0 when ticking over warm, bought a tim solid copper line gauge and oil pressure was fine, it was reading 6 Bar on cold and and over 3 when warm at idle.
So could possible be your gauge or sender unit is maybe playing up.
 

dave

New Member
hey PAZ Thanks so much for the tip.

I drop my oil and remove the Oil pan(sump) and use a piece of wood with a hammer to align correct the dented sump, now looks like new and my oil pressure increase as HELL! to 8 bar.... now full throttle at 7,000RPM the oil pressure increase to 8bar pretty coOL!!! with a dented in Oil pan(sump) it restrict the Oil pick up suck flow and this affect the Top end oil pressure.
 
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