C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Oil Pressure

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Old May 13, 2003 | 01:33 PM
  #1  
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Default Oil Pressure

What are some of you guys seeing, for oil pressure, when the car is completely warmed up, at an idle?? Mine gets down there, pretty low, and I was curious what was "normal" before I panic, thinking something's wrong, like I did with the temperature issue!!
By the way, I'm running 5W30 Synthetic Mobil One, as recommended.(95 LT1 6 SPD)

Jeff
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Old May 13, 2003 | 01:43 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Jbaker)

That's what I use for oil. My guage reads at 1/4 at idle when warmed up. I don't think it should go much below that. I don't know how accurate these guages are, but if you are near the bottom at idle, I'd have it checked out.
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Old May 13, 2003 | 01:48 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Jimbo93)

No, never near the bottom, on 1/4 for me, too.. Which, by the lines, I figure is around 20 lbs... I just thought it was kinda low?? I just mistake the sounds of the noisy fuel injectors sometimes, and panic, thinking my pressure is too low... I HATE these injectors!!
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Old May 13, 2003 | 01:59 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Jbaker)

20 is too low IMO..

At idle I have 36-39psi and it goes up from there on..

usually old oil will have lower PSI too...
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Old May 13, 2003 | 02:48 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (MrNuke)

Id should be anywhere from 45-60psi at cruise and about half of that at idle.
Hot idle will be a little lower than that too.
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Old May 13, 2003 | 02:56 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (vader86)

Well, that sounds good. I just called my local dealer, and he looked it up and said "Normal operating temperature, the oil pressure should be between 18-26 lbs at idle". If that's the case, I'm dead on.. Still seems low to me.
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Old May 14, 2003 | 03:54 AM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Jbaker)

I had all kinds of oil pressure issues after rebuilding the '94 with a 383. You're fine with 20psi at idle. Just be sure to use Mobil 1. :yesnod:

With my 50k mile LT4, i have about 35psi at hot idle (about 2-3times what i had with the 383). Give it gas and it's always at 60+psi.


btw, our analog oil guages are linear ... 0-80 divided into 4 sections. I ran with a mechanical guage on my 383 for a while and they matched each other. First line 20, second 40, third 60.


[Modified by GlockLT4, 2:56 AM 5/14/2003]
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Old May 14, 2003 | 10:06 AM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (GlockLT4)

All good advise. My 85 after warm up sits around 30 hit the gas 60+ also I just flushed the motor and ran a full treatment of BG.

put some BG in your vette it is by far the best products I have ever seen. They have lots of different products for everything mechanical on your car. I have been using the 44K for over 15 years it is incredible what it can do.

Here is the link. http://www.bgprod.com/


[Modified by Mach85, 9:09 AM 5/14/2003]


[Modified by Mach85, 9:12 AM 5/14/2003]
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Old May 14, 2003 | 10:20 AM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Mach85)

What's BG anyways??
Just curious, never heard of it.

Jeff
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Old May 14, 2003 | 10:28 AM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (Jbaker)

Should have about 10psi for every 1k rpm........minimum.

i have found that better filters raise the pressure quite a bit. I usually get about 10psi more out of a mobil 1 filter. Guess there are two thoughts on that, it making the oil pump work harder (takes power away), or better filtering of the oil. And one other, you may actually be starving the journals of oil if its harder to get though the filter :crazy:

My new engine idles at about 45 psi with the high pressure pump. When I cruise its about 65-70 and if I really hammer on it, it up around 70-85!

Tight bearings will increase pressure considerably also.

I have to switch over to mobil 1 synthetic this week. It may decrease a little with that change over, but protection is increased considerably. :cheers:
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Old May 14, 2003 | 11:38 AM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (ski_dwn_it)

I was wondering the same thing while driving my "new to me" 84. It runs about 26-27lbs at idle and goes up to around 35-40lbs under load. I was thinking 26lbs at idle was a little low... but figured it was OK. Guess it's normal. I kinda expected that it would be because I've had a lot of 80's Camaros and they've all had what I considered to be "low" oil pressure at idle.
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Old May 14, 2003 | 10:57 PM
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Default Re: Oil Pressure (ski_dwn_it)

Should have about 10psi for every 1k rpm........minimum.

i have found that better filters raise the pressure quite a bit. I usually get about 10psi more out of a mobil 1 filter. Guess there are two thoughts on that, it making the oil pump work harder (takes power away), or better filtering of the oil. And one other, you may actually be starving the journals of oil if its harder to get though the filter :crazy:

My new engine idles at about 45 psi with the high pressure pump. When I cruise its about 65-70 and if I really hammer on it, it up around 70-85!

Tight bearings will increase pressure considerably also.

I have to switch over to mobil 1 synthetic this week. It may decrease a little with that change over, but protection is increased considerably. :cheers:
I'm not going to put down Mobil 1 filters as they are good. But Mobil doesn't recommend using them on modified motors. If you compare a Mobil 1 filter to a AC Delco, you'll find the 6 holes in the Mobil 1 filter to be SMALLER. :eek: This is the reason the pressure goes up as it doesn't flow as much oil, nor as quickly. I found this out when I was having an oil pressure issue after my rebuild and thought it might be the filter. It wasn't, but I'm not going back either.
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