Hi gang,

I've had an engine swapped about month ago on my '95 SE. Most of this time the oil pressure gage was staying close to the 40 area during warm idle. Recently it started falling and now it'* just above the red zone (idling) after car has been driven for a while. I changed the oil to Castrol Syntec 10 W30 and the oil filter to Pure One with no luck. I had it back at the garage where the mech. plugged in an external oil pressure gage and measured it.

At start it was around 30 PSI and after the car has been idling for about 15 minutes it dropped to about 22 PSI. Mech. says this is normal and within range. I think not.
So the question is - What should be the oil pressure and what do you guys have on your cars?

P.*. The reading on the gage appears to be right and the oil pressure sensor has been swapped out three months ago right after the purchase.

Thanks in advance,
Sasha

Mine usually stays around 40. Since I put in a new filter, I have been getting a little higher. Sometimes, when I idle, it goes in to the danger zone. Like I've said in other posts, I think it is a bad sending unit.

Between 40 and 60 IS needed.

when i would use mobil 1, on hot days at idle it would be just above the red. less pressure means less restriction so as long as you're above the red then you're fine.

22 lb is a little low for a hot idle, but probably sufficient. My old gal, at 177K can go down to 25 lbs on a really hot day with old oil in her (10w-30).

Of course, as soon as the RPM'* go up the pressure climbs to about 40 lb. On a really cold morning, when the oil is like molasses, the pressure may climb to 65-70 before the oil warms up and thins out.

While 22 lbs. can startle a nit-picker like me, it really is most sufficent to keep the oil reaching the lifters and rocker arms.

What is your pressure around 2,000 RPM? If it is 30 or better, you will be just fine.

Mine goes from just below the mid point to the 3/4 point... Yours is definatly not normal