Low Oil Pressure ????
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,594
Likes: 74
From: Jacksonville Fl.
Low Oil Pressure ????
I have a 2013 Z06, did an HPDE this weekend, after the last two sessions, when I got back in the pits, I noticed the Oil Pressure was at 17 PSI ????? The car only has 1200 miles on it, I haven't noticed the oil pressure being this low during normal everyday driving. I have owned Z's before, never noticed this. There were no idiot lights on, no warning lights on, nothing,, The PSI is high when cold, is the norm with the LS7 at temp ? The oil temp was normal, the coolant temp was high. This cannot be good. The oil level was right on the money, and its a flat track, so banks are not an issue with the oil being sloshed out of reach.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
Just a suggestion. Go over to the Z06 Forum and talk to those guys. Sounds like a "possible" problem though. Here's just one similar discussion to start you out:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...e-at-idle.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...e-at-idle.html
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,687
Likes: 45
From: San Jose CA
Low oil pressure is an engine killer. I track my car a lot and if you ever go out and always leave the Oil Pressure up on the display while tracking so that I can glance down periodically and check it. First sign of unusually low oil pressure pull the car off the track! If your seeing 17psi and your oil level in the dry sump system is normal, there is something wrong i.e. you might have spun a bearing or something like that. Schedule an appointment at your dealer and have the engine looked over because even if everything sounds normal now, it's not and if you keep on driving it something is going to fail.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 106
Did you check oil pressure at 2K rpm, by any chance? That might be a better indicator than idle, I'd think. I'd also post oil temperature at the moment, and oil information (viscosity, how many miles after last change, brand, etc). The hotter the oil, the less oil pressure. That way one of the experts can give you a better answer. Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 9
Did you check oil pressure at 2K rpm, by any chance? That might be a better indicator than idle, I'd think. I'd also post oil temperature at the moment, and oil information (viscosity, how many miles after last change, brand, etc). The hotter the oil, the less oil pressure. That way one of the experts can give you a better answer. Good luck.
I agree. How does it vary with RPM?
Pfadt Race Engineering
888-972-2464
info@pfadtracing.com
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,687
Likes: 45
From: San Jose CA
Lol, no matter how high the oil temperature is if anyone thinks that seeing 17psi oil pressure after coming off the track from a session is normal then I got to question how well you guys know Z06's. I've tracked my car in 108F weather and even after a 30 minute session in that I've never seen oil pressure that low!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 16
From: Monroe Township New Jersey
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
St. Jude donor in memory of jpee '14
Too much clearance and the pressure drops like a rock. Usually you will not get a noise. Time to change the bearings before you spin one or something leaves the block. good luck 
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
From: Norman OK
I've seen it nearly that low after sessions in a wet sump ls3 and 280 oil temps but the dry sump should be higher. Ran multiple sessions in 100 degree summers and never got anywhere near that low with the ls7.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,594
Likes: 74
From: Jacksonville Fl.
Did you check oil pressure at 2K rpm, by any chance? That might be a better indicator than idle, I'd think. I'd also post oil temperature at the moment, and oil information (viscosity, how many miles after last change, brand, etc). The hotter the oil, the less oil pressure. That way one of the experts can give you a better answer. Good luck.
I did not, I just got off track and noticed the 17 PSI, the outside temp was around 55 degrees, I think the oil temp was 250 ish, I don't know for sure, I looked, but didn't pay any attention because it did not look abnormal. The coolant temp was around 190ish, everything else looked fine. When it happened on the next session, I ended if for the day. While on track, I looked briefly and all looked good, around 40 to 50 ish, and that was at the beginning of a 20 minute session, too busy during the session to keep an eye on it, then came off track and looked and it was down to 21 and when I parked and at idle it was 17 again.