Oil pressure concerns
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,670
Agree on the sensor probably being OK. Questions: who installed the pump? GM crate engine or built? How many miles on engine? Shooting in the dark here, but thinking the pickup O-ring has been cut/compromised, or the wrong one is installed. LS pump pickup tube is like a straw. If there's any entrance of air above the oil level, you'll get the result you're getting.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
17 is not so low that I would expect catastrophic failure is immanent but it's lower than typical.
First thing is check the level and make sure it's full. You might consider pulling a sample and sending it out for analysis. That would tell you if it's the correct viscosity and might indicate some wear issues.
If it comes up with rpm I'd probably keep driving it, gently.
First thing is check the level and make sure it's full. You might consider pulling a sample and sending it out for analysis. That would tell you if it's the correct viscosity and might indicate some wear issues.
If it comes up with rpm I'd probably keep driving it, gently.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 941
From: Orlando Florida
What does your pressure do as you drive? While 17 PSI is lower idle pressure than typical, it's well within the 10 PSI/1000 RPM rule of thumb. You likely have more than 20 PSI at 1000 RPM, 30 PSI at 2000 RPM, and 40 or more at 3000 RPM. If so, what, me worry?
What oil are you running, and how old is it? Idle pressure is definitely affected by temperature, viscosity, and age.
What oil are you running, and how old is it? Idle pressure is definitely affected by temperature, viscosity, and age.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Texas
17 is not so low that I would expect catastrophic failure is immanent but it's lower than typical.
First thing is check the level and make sure it's full. You might consider pulling a sample and sending it out for analysis. That would tell you if it's the correct viscosity and might indicate some wear issues.
If it comes up with rpm I'd probably keep driving it, gently.
First thing is check the level and make sure it's full. You might consider pulling a sample and sending it out for analysis. That would tell you if it's the correct viscosity and might indicate some wear issues.
If it comes up with rpm I'd probably keep driving it, gently.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Texas
What does your pressure do as you drive? While 17 PSI is lower idle pressure than typical, it's well within the 10 PSI/1000 RPM rule of thumb. You likely have more than 20 PSI at 1000 RPM, 30 PSI at 2000 RPM, and 40 or more at 3000 RPM. If so, what, me worry?
What oil are you running, and how old is it? Idle pressure is definitely affected by temperature, viscosity, and age.
What oil are you running, and how old is it? Idle pressure is definitely affected by temperature, viscosity, and age.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
If it's using a lot of oil (more than a couple quarts between changes) and has low compression in one or more cylinders I'd be planning my next move whether that is repair or replacement. You can run a long time if it's not getting worse and you baby it but I would limit my risk wherever possible.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 941
From: Orlando Florida
My experience says bearings: main, rod, and cam.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
You recommend making these assumptions and going down this path before even doing the most basic of troubleshooting steps to determine if in fact the oil pressure sending unit is reading correctly, interesting.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 941
From: Orlando Florida
Oh I agree. By all means the pressure should be verified and at a minimum compression evaluated. But changing to a thicker oil is not terribly onerous and less expensive than fitting an analog gage.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,438
Likes: 1,598
From: Western NY
What brand of oil filter was installed? Hopefully, not a "run of the mill" Fram. However, even a defective "name brand" filter could affect oil pressure, and it's an easy and inexpensive thing to change out, for the sake of verification....
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,236
Likes: 1,083
From: South Florida
1. mechanical oil pressur gauge sample from top rear of engine , compare
2. change oil filter for something quality / name brand / OEM, new oil
3. inspect oil that comes out carefully for debris and metal/plastic/etc...
4. Check o-ring in oil pickup tube / change it anyways , could be sucking air, common
Compression really has nothing to dowith oil pressure. It can tell you whether piston is damaged or cyl wall is damaged but these don't really have much to do with oil pressure other than the can cause shaving which you might see in oil , and shaving can clog things up, but the engine will develop blow-by and oil leaking and vibration/misfire/poor running as major side effects not necessarily low oil pressure.
Dr. Brennan , mechanical engineering, 25 years building/tuning turbo cars
2. change oil filter for something quality / name brand / OEM, new oil
3. inspect oil that comes out carefully for debris and metal/plastic/etc...
4. Check o-ring in oil pickup tube / change it anyways , could be sucking air, common
Compression really has nothing to dowith oil pressure. It can tell you whether piston is damaged or cyl wall is damaged but these don't really have much to do with oil pressure other than the can cause shaving which you might see in oil , and shaving can clog things up, but the engine will develop blow-by and oil leaking and vibration/misfire/poor running as major side effects not necessarily low oil pressure.
Dr. Brennan , mechanical engineering, 25 years building/tuning turbo cars
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 914
Likes: 770
From: SW Desert
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Going on two months, i didn’t do it. Yes it’s alway been at that when temp gets to operating. It however there. I recently replaced the oil pressure, no change except that it now the pressure gets higher in higher rpm’s. The other thing I found out was that I disconnected some vacuum lines and the pressure climbed up to 23-25. Maybe my vacuum are improperly routed.