Low Oil Pressure? - Quick Questions
08-11-2017, 06:32 AM
#1
Low Oil Pressure? - Quick Questions
Good morning guys! I have a 1977 L48 with auto trans that has been part of the family since the late 70's. Over the course of it's life it has seen a fair amount of neglect.
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi (
)
Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi (
)Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
08-11-2017, 07:09 AM
#2
Good morning guys! I have a 1977 L48 with auto trans that has been part of the family since the late 70's. Over the course of it's life it has seen a fair amount of neglect.
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi ()
Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi (
)Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
Mine has been like that for years with no problems. As long as it isn't
knocking or you hear valve noise at idle I would drive it
The following users liked this post:
vickv (08-11-2017)
08-11-2017, 09:17 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
Those numbers are OK.
08-11-2017, 03:03 PM
#5
Racer
Good morning guys! I have a 1977 L48 with auto trans that has been part of the family since the late 70's. Over the course of it's life it has seen a fair amount of neglect.
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi ()
Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
Original motor, no work done to it
Oil pressure looked a little low while idling at a light so I hooked a mechanical gauge up. Came up with the following readings:
Fast Idle at startup - 35 psi
Kicked down idle still in park (1000 rpm) - 27-28 psi
Car in Park 2000 RPM - 34 psi
After that - pressure dropped to 24 psi
Put car in drive, idle drops to 800 rpm - 16 psi (
)Back to park, 1200 rpm, 23 psi.
I was up on jackstands and didn't feel super secure do i didn't power brake it in drive to see how the pressure went, so no clue how it actually is under load.
Now, i know I have an oil leak up near the fuel pump, so that will have to be addressed, but what are your thoughts on these pressure readings?
I have the factory spec manual, and it calls for 32-40 psi at 2,000 RPMS. That pressure lower than 20 at idle in drive is what caught my eye at a light.
Any thoughts? Too low to motor around town with?
Thanks for the help. More than a few threads on this forum have helped me with little things here and there.
Vick
08-11-2017, 03:11 PM
#6
Race Director
Member Since: Jan 2000
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What oil is in it??
JIM
JIM
08-11-2017, 06:03 PM
#7
Thanks Guys! I'll have to see what the pressure does at higher RPM's. Maybe this weekend.
Car has 10w30 in it now. I may up it to 40 in the future.
Now to go put the sender back in it (got a new one anyway, and clean all the oil off in the fuel pump area so I can diagnose that.
Thanks again for the sanity check.
-Vick
Car has 10w30 in it now. I may up it to 40 in the future.
Now to go put the sender back in it (got a new one anyway, and clean all the oil off in the fuel pump area so I can diagnose that.
Thanks again for the sanity check.
-Vick
08-11-2017, 10:02 PM
#9
Race Director
Member Since: Jan 2000
Location: Corsicana, Tx
Posts: 12,603
Received 1,874 Likes
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912 Posts
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Throw some 15/40 or 20/50 in it. The pressures you have will be fine...but I'm like you...I don't like seeing them that low.
JIM
JIM
08-12-2017, 10:53 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
Next time You change the Oil cut the Filter open and look to see what's in it. This will tell you the condition of the Engine Oiling system. If the Filter is full of what looks like Never Seize and or metal Chips this is a bad sign. If its full of just black oil your good to go. Its a quick and easy and tells the whole story.