Oil Pressure/Temp question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
Oil Pressure/Temp question
I have an 96 LT4. Im driving to work this morning and my Oil pressure on the gauge are a 1/4 of the way at idle, 1/2 cuising, and 3/4 of the way accelerating. Is this normal?!? I didnt think oil pressure would jump up and down so far. Also the temp of my oil is a constant 215 degrees just so you know.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
Yep, you are fine.
WHen you see the oil pressure just stay at one point on the gage through the RPMs this is usually a sign that the sending unit is faulty.
This is also why anyone caring to preserve their motor should be hooking up a mechanical oil gage to their motor in leui of the electric one. I have yet to see an electric h20 or oil pressure gage work accurately when compared to a GOOD mechanical.
WHen you see the oil pressure just stay at one point on the gage through the RPMs this is usually a sign that the sending unit is faulty.
This is also why anyone caring to preserve their motor should be hooking up a mechanical oil gage to their motor in leui of the electric one. I have yet to see an electric h20 or oil pressure gage work accurately when compared to a GOOD mechanical.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
I think all of them are off, I know my analog gauges are junk. New senders, and my scanner shows totally different temps (real) than the dash.
I agree w/using mechanical gauges I trust them more than any electrical unit.
I agree w/using mechanical gauges I trust them more than any electrical unit.
Last edited by mseven; Apr 25, 2006 at 09:20 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
Bottom line is electric =junk.
I used to work for GE in a thermistor business that manufactured the sensors we all have in our cars to measure temperature. Because they are designed to cover a wide range of temperature, they are not real accurate.
The ones we made to measure very accurately over small incriments was much more accurate, but you would not like the price of them. The price was MUCH MUCH more, since the thermistor needed to be made, tested, sorted by resistivity values at given temp, and only a handful would fall into an acceptable range. Therefore you pay at the counter for all the ones that do NOT fall into that sort.
I can't speak to the sending units on the oil pressure, other than I have yet to see one match a good mechanical gage like 60 dollar autometer gage. I had at one point two different mechanicals and 1 electric. The electric read 10psi less than the mechanicals that read dead on one another. Same with Temp.
I used to work for GE in a thermistor business that manufactured the sensors we all have in our cars to measure temperature. Because they are designed to cover a wide range of temperature, they are not real accurate.
The ones we made to measure very accurately over small incriments was much more accurate, but you would not like the price of them. The price was MUCH MUCH more, since the thermistor needed to be made, tested, sorted by resistivity values at given temp, and only a handful would fall into an acceptable range. Therefore you pay at the counter for all the ones that do NOT fall into that sort.
I can't speak to the sending units on the oil pressure, other than I have yet to see one match a good mechanical gage like 60 dollar autometer gage. I had at one point two different mechanicals and 1 electric. The electric read 10psi less than the mechanicals that read dead on one another. Same with Temp.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by mseven
New senders, and my scanner shows totally different temps (real) than the dash.
I agree w/using mechanical gauges I trust them more than any electrical unit.
I agree w/using mechanical gauges I trust them more than any electrical unit.
RACE ON!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,621
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
I get the same numbers to. I see 215 after half hour/45 min or so depending in outside temp and traffic. In central Florida in summer it is 95 to 100 + and I can see 230 at times Try to keep water temp under 210 with aux fan switch I installed. Usually runs 193 when going to work in morning, and as long as I don't get stuck in PM traffic. Use Mobil 1 synt as recommended. 
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
Just remember where your scanner is getting it's info. It doesn't have some mysterious, fool proof, connection to the engine. The scanner info comes from the same, semi reliable, electrical sending units that feed the ECM.RACE ON!!!