1986 Oil Pressure
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 28
From: Montclair New Jersey
1986 Oil Pressure
Last year my oil sending switch started to leak and my oil pressure dropped to 0 psi. I bought one from auto zone, the unit stopped the leak but; the reading was all over the place. I checked it with an external gauge to make sure it was ok. I bought an A/C delco one this spring and installed it. My question is what is the pressure supposed to be at idle on a warm engine? My car is reading 12-15psi when the car is warm and goes up as the rpms climb.
thanks.
thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
Last year my oil sending switch started to leak and my oil pressure dropped to 0 psi. I bought one from auto zone, the unit stopped the leak but; the reading was all over the place. I checked it with an external gauge to make sure it was ok. I bought an A/C delco one this spring and installed it. My question is what is the pressure supposed to be at idle on a warm engine? My car is reading 12-15psi when the car is warm and goes up as the rpms climb.
thanks.
thanks.
You may have an inaccurate sender. Mine is about 25 - 30 PSI at idle on my 1985.
There are a few things I believe that could affect oil pressure. Temperature, bearing clearances, clogs in the oil passages, bad oil pump, low oil.
Things that could make the oil pressure be read wrong are the sender, the gauge, or the wires.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Last year my oil sending switch started to leak and my oil pressure dropped to 0 psi. I bought one from auto zone, the unit stopped the leak but; the reading was all over the place. I checked it with an external gauge to make sure it was ok. I bought an A/C delco one this spring and installed it. My question is what is the pressure supposed to be at idle on a warm engine? My car is reading 12-15psi when the car is warm and goes up as the rpms climb.
thanks.
thanks.
With thinner oil in my new engine i run 25-35 psi idle, up to 65-70 psi at higher rpm When HOT. You can fit a high volume oil pump to boost pressure a little that should give you more at idle also.
Another thing to look at is the il pump pickup, if that is loose it can suck air.
I would not be worried with the idle oil pressure, try thicker oil as long as you have at least 40-50 psi at 4,000 rpm you are fine.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Sierra Madre California
I know that this is bordering on blasphemy to some, but I had low oil pressure issues for some time with my '88 and simply added one small container of STP. It brought the pressure up to norms immediately where they have stayed ever since. STP is made for high mileage engines where there is internal wear and increased tolerances, and has solved many oil pressure problems without spending a lot of money.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 28
From: Montclair New Jersey
oil
I know that this is bordering on blasphemy to some, but I had low oil pressure issues for some time with my '88 and simply added one small container of STP. It brought the pressure up to norms immediately where they have stayed ever since. STP is made for high mileage engines where there is internal wear and increased tolerances, and has solved many oil pressure problems without spending a lot of money.
Is it just an oil additive from STP? What is the name of the additive?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Sierra Madre California
STP oil treatment. Comes in a 4 or 6 ounce blue plastic bottle and is probably sold at every auto parts store in the country. Great stuff for engines with a lot of miles. Before I started using it my idle pressure was 15-20 psi and freeway 30-35, after I started using it my idle is 25-30 and freeway 40-52.
