Oil Pressure, Gauge?

[Zerosven]

I did a search and it turned up alot, but did not really answear my question.

When i first bought my truck at idle i had about 45psi on the gauge, now when im idling it shows 25-ish PSI.

at speed (55Mph 2100 RPM) It shows roughly 60PSI (Same as when i bought it) Im wondering if this is normal. or if my gauge has started to act up. which would be weird because the cluster is new like 3 months old. any info or thoughts would be greatfully accepted.

Also, could a change in Oil PSI be caused by the oil pump acting up?

[Tink]

It did read 45psi on the gauge with the new cluster? I assume you are still using the same weight oil?

[Zerosven]

yes the new cluster showed 40-45 psi at idle up till around 4 days ago, and yes im still using 5W-30 Vavoline Prem. Conv. oil. same oil ive ran since day one.

hmm... i forgot to metion the gauge only reads low after the truck is warm.

[XTREME80]

I have seen allot of sending units act up with age but i would also recommend checking it with a actual gauge.

[Zerosven]

ok, were could i get a manual pressure gauge? would a place like o'reillys be able to check it for me?

[Nickelin'Dimer]

You can get a mechanical gauge anywhere gauges are sold, but no-one but a shop can really check the gauge or sender for you. How many miles do you have on the truck in-question, anyway?

[Zerosven]

just about to turn 72k miles when i parked her back in her spot this afternoon the gauge was showing exactly 20psi >.< heres a pic, this kinda has me worried but im hoping its just the gauge or the sending unit.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/Volken45/Oilgauge.jpg

[adc1986]

What's so wrong with 20 at idle. Are you sure you always looked at it before the problem that you Swaped clusters. Also it did just turn summer here, did you have a temp change?

[Zerosven]

this is the secend summer ive had the truck. It never gets over 75* here so i doubt its the ambient temp. Its just diffrent then what im used to, so it has be worried its simple.

[Mikz86TA]

You can rent a pressure gauge from Autozone or Advance auto parts like mechanics use. Find a oil galley pressure port. Im not sure where they are on a 4cyl tho. Maybe someone can direct you.
U need some teflon tape for the threads when reinstalling the orig plug.

[adc1986]

I understand if it worries you, but mine is the same way along with my bronco. As long as it reads presure and you don't hear any odd noise I don't see anything wrong.

[Zerosven]

well, i cant rent one for a few days but i will do that as soon as i can.

My idle does sound "Off" but i cant explain it, my parents and freinds dont hear it ither mebe im crazy! lol

im changing my oil tomarrow afternoon mebe fresh oil will help and a filter will help.

Forgot. my Volt meter went nuts today as well, used to be when i turned the key off it would drop to the red line at 9 and stay there now it falls all the way to left well below the normal sweep, oddly though it still works like normal... i think my truck eats gauge clusters...

[Jay-Sliver]

Maybe you have a ground issue. I would check all your chassis grounds, and make sure the connection at the battery is clean and tight.

[Zerosven]

*Face palm* The easy stuff first right? lol. I'll check my grounds tomarrow hopefully that will solve my volt meter issue. Oil change did not help with the PSI Issue, did not think it would but i can hope right?

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Lord knows a bad ground drove my '94's gauges wacky... Same for how it ran.

[Zerosven]

well its been raining so i havent had a chance to go check all the grounds, back to the oil gauge. the ambient temp has little to nothing to do with my PSI It was about 50* and raining when i went to the store 12 miles each way and when i got home my oil PSI Was around 23.

[12sws27]

I wouldn't sweat it. Sounds normal to me.

[Zerosven]

yah im starting to think i had a issue before lol, But just to be safe im gonna have it checked to make sure my gauge is reading right and mebe put in a new oil pump in a couple months.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Melling's P/N: M98, trust me! You lifters will thank you.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

BTW: My '99 does the same, and I'm running 15w-50 for the summer... so it must be normal on the LN2 as the miles rack-up.

[Zerosven]

Melling's P/N: M98, trust me! You lifters will thank you.

that was the plan, i read about that oil pump i just need the money to buy it and i wanna do at the same time as an oil change

Is the HV Version of the M-98 worth the extra money? on summit i can get the Melling M-98 For 69.95 but the M-98 HV is 118.99
mellings site they says that the HV Pumps 25% more oil.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Don't get the HV (High-Volume) pump, as the way the LN2 oiling system's priority is laid-out is that the lifters & cam-bearings are feed first, and everything I've read on building engines with such a layout say to go with a high-pressure pump... Not a high-volume. Plus, the load the HV pump will place upon the stock timing-chain will cause it to fail sooner.

[Zerosven]

ok great, thats all i needed to know. thanks.

[russ_2004_85]

I also have this same proble with my bravada. Only when it gets warm does it feel affected. Not only does my bravada have the same pressure issue, I actually feel it lag at higher speeds(65+) on long trips going up hills.
I am also thinking this may be the oil pump.?

[Zerosven]

not to beat a dead horse here, but i was sitting in traffic today and my oil PSI gauge was bounceing from 20-24ish... i was thinking... huh its getting worse... but i dont know for sure just thought id post up my latest paranoid worry lol

[XTREME80]

Not to get off subject..... How did i miss Russ.... WTH!

[XTREME80]

Put a sending unit in it.... 20 hot at idle is not bad.. General rule is 10 psi/1000 rpm

[Zerosven]

ok, im gonna change my oil here in a day or two so im gonna see if i can swing a new sending unit as well.

[Nickelin'Dimer]

Put a sending unit in it.... 20 hot at idle is not bad.. General rule is 10 psi/1000 rpm

I never really bought-into that rule....

[Nickelin'Dimer]

I also have this same proble with my bravada. Only when it gets warm does it feel affected. Not only does my bravada have the same pressure issue, I actually feel it lag at higher speeds(65+) on long trips going up hills.
I am also thinking this may be the oil pump.?

If...perchance... it is the oil-pump at fault, may I suggest installing a Big-block Chevy pump? I've heard how much in-design is shared with the Vortec 4.3L & the Small-block Chevy, and have seen how the latter--in a independent test in Car Craft--can have a BBC pump just bolted to it & achieve unbelievably high volume oiling (Necessary with performance builds of crank-mains priority-oiling) with relatively-to-notably low pressure. Turns-out this was the best way to oil & make power with a SBC, so since the $.3L V-6 is based on that....