oil pressure help
oil pressure help i recently changed my oil to 10w40 as one of my friends recommended but now my oil gauge is going from 40ish at cold start to warming at 20 and when i accelerate it pick up to 40 or a lil less could it be oil pressure switch or oil pump also i just found that two of lifters are ticking havent had a chance to check them out
Last edited by tvg001; Aug 15, 2012 at 01:19 PM.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: Bloomington, MN
What oil were you running before? What pressure was it at before you changed oil? Its normal to fluctuate with temperature and rpm. As the engine warms, the oil thins and creates less pressure but the same amount of flow.
As long as you stay above 20 you should be fine. Old rule of thumb was a minimum of 10psi per 1k rpm, but most pressures stay quite a bit above that now. Id just monitor it.
Theres a chance your gauge could be incorrect as well. I had a truck that showed 10psi warm, but I knew it was way off. Swapped in a different gauge cluster and it read 30. If the pressure is really low, a warning light will come on.
As long as you stay above 20 you should be fine. Old rule of thumb was a minimum of 10psi per 1k rpm, but most pressures stay quite a bit above that now. Id just monitor it.
Theres a chance your gauge could be incorrect as well. I had a truck that showed 10psi warm, but I knew it was way off. Swapped in a different gauge cluster and it read 30. If the pressure is really low, a warning light will come on.
it was running below 20 before which is why i did the oil change it hadnt changed it in a while and it was real thin and it was i think 10w30 i did the oil change and it started at the 40 mark and then started to drop also its two lifters that are ticking at the start up not the rocker arms
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: Bloomington, MN
I wouldnt worry about it - but if youre really concerned you can hook a DMM up to the oil pressure sending unit and cross reference to the manual to see what the pressure REALLY is. If it is in fact low and it wasnt always low, then you could have a worn pump or a worn bearing etc. But, if its still at ~20 min and goes to 25+ when you rev or drive, youre fine.
Lifters ticking are normal
Lifters ticking are normal
