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View Full Version : Oil pressure probs? you know what's going on?


Blackzenki82
05-07-2009, 11:06 AM
like the title says, I'm having some oil PSI reading probs... so let's start from the beginning shall we??

okay, so when i first got my motor, a S13 SR20DET blacktop, i had put in my autometer Cobalt Oil PSI gauge, as well as a few others... either, way, just letting you know what i have. i've noticed over the past few days of driving 50 miles a day while moving to and from my new place that my oil psi seems to be dropping... at first on the interstate, it usually read around 50-55PSI cruising @ around 75mph. Yesterday, i noticed it on my return trip dropping to about 45-50 cruising... now this monring, on the way here, i dropped all the way to 40psi @ 3.25k rpm/75mph... and another weird thing is the oil pressure DROPS when under boost, or acceleration, but goes back up to 40psi once cruising... also, i've noticed a bit of oil on the back of my car, bumper, tail lights, back of trunk lid. i do have 3 oil leaks, all minor, one is on the NPT fitting for the gauge, one is the rear of my oilpan (bolts stripped in upper pan, already have another pan to replace), and the third is on my oil feed for my turbo... now these are all "light" leaks, overnight, i'm left with a spot about the size of a dollar bill, some of which is my PS fluid (to me that's not that bad hahahah)....

as a side note, i'm running Rotella 15w40 oil (recently recommended to replace my Mobil1 10w30 to help clean engine and raise PSI)

so to recap, for those who don't like to read...

oil pressure getting lower and lower every day, 40psi on highway
oil pressure drops when under boost, raises back up when cruising
3 minor oil leaks
oil/misc wetness on back of car
oil pressure @ 15psi at idle (been like that for a while, was usually at 20psi till i ran it at the track one night)

so, as we stand, my theories are that it's either-

A-oil pump is giving out
B-Rings are going out, yet i have ZERO smoke out of my exhaust, i mean NONE
C-leaks are worse under load, and need to be repaired ASAP

i'm getting a new S14 on monday, and will be swapping the SR out of my current S14 into the new car, so as i have the motor out, it will provide easier access to repair, replace, rebuild if needed...

just looking for opinions from you guys as to what it might be, i do all work on my car, and pride myself on it, and very rarely ask for help.... later today, i'll do a comp test if i feel safe enough after going over it as soon as it cools down enough to fix a couple of the leaks.

thanks guys!!!

Blackzenki82
05-07-2009, 01:43 PM
god i feel like such a n00b for not doing work before i post.... see what being lazy does?

either way, i got it figured out... the crush sleeve in the NPT fitting didn't seat right when i first installed the oil PSI gauge... it seated crooked actually, causeing a hole in the oil line... here's the pic...

bad sleeve/section of line that was leaking on the left, new 1/8 crush sleeve on the right
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/69/l_aee37baff056476cb4e9c311e9051886.jpg

SO, i figured out why my oil pressure was dropping too... since i was spewing so much oil out of this line, it actually drained 90% of my Rotella... i pulled the dipstick, and just the very tip tip tip had a dab of oil on it... and that was probably from sliding down the tube.. so what I'm going to do is nurse the car to wal-mart (it's right across the street), get some more Rotella, top it off, and go for a test drive to make sure that's what was up with my lack of pressure/excessive leaking...this is the Second time my oil pressure gauge has saved my motor.....

i'll let ya guys know what's up....

Blackzenki82
05-07-2009, 02:51 PM
that crush sleeve was the problem... oil PSI is up to normal, idle, cruise, and interstate speed

fliprayzin240sx
05-07-2009, 05:20 PM
I was just about to say...usually the reason for the dancing oil pressure issue (pressure droops when you boost) is usually low oil level.

S14DB
05-07-2009, 06:34 PM
You are using a mechanical oil pressure gauge?

Bigsyke
05-07-2009, 07:32 PM
Why creep over to wallmart when you can walk?

J ROK
05-07-2009, 08:05 PM
I would never trust that clear shisety looking hose to hold oil pressure in my cabin!!

Blackzenki82
05-08-2009, 09:29 AM
yeah it's a mechanical gauge

i drove cause i still had a bit of rotella left in a container and my oil PSI was at 25 as long as i was easy on it...

those shiesty hoses are actually quite stout, the only reason i had a problem with it is because i installed it incorrectly in the first place, and the funny thing is? i kinda new it was wrong, but i said F it, i need this thing on the road.... so in my rush, like i'm usually in, it's completely my fault, and not the gauges... i'm just glad i had a gauge, cause i would have kept on driving with no oil and grenaded my new longblock...

S14DB
05-08-2009, 09:50 AM
I never trust mechanical oil or fuel pressure gauges. To easy for something like that to happen and then have a engine fire. If you don't run a relay diaphragm then you can get that shit in your engine bay.

I would recommend investing in a electric oil pressure gauge..

Blackzenki82
05-08-2009, 11:57 AM
i have plans to get all elec gauges, they're just not suited for my budget at this time.... so the mechs will have to suffice... thanks for the info tho!!!

Propaganda
05-08-2009, 07:14 PM
i have plans to get all elec gauges, they're just not suited for my budget at this time.... so the mechs will have to suffice... thanks for the info tho!!!
Should have bought my gauges... they were in your budget..

Glad you found out what was wrong.. hopefully nothing goes wrong with bearings/rings etc...

Pacman
05-08-2009, 08:58 PM
I think that the mechanical gauges would be more accurate. I just don't like the idea of a sending unit to tell me something as vital as oil pressure. The electronics just seem like there is too much to go wrong.

Propaganda
05-08-2009, 09:14 PM
I think mechanical would be good if you used metal lines instead of plastic hoses. otherwise you will get problems like BlackZenki82 got..

GSXRJJordan
05-08-2009, 09:20 PM
I use the best mechanical gauges you can buy (Autometer Pro Comp Liquid-filled, same as ALMS and Nascar, among others), and the capillary tubing is completely different than the pic he posted - the tubing is opaque, not clear, and so thick that it doesn't bend tighter than about a 4" circle.

They work great - and I was also leery about using electronic gauges for something like oil pressure, but since then I've realized that in reality, they don't need to be dead-on accurate, they just need to give you a baseline for "normal" operation. Then when you notice a change, you start looking for problems - just like the OP.

My opinion is that as long as the gauge is not total crap, either way would be OK.

Blackzenki82
05-09-2009, 12:24 AM
yeah, i didn't cheap out and get Ebay gauges, i got a full array of Autometer Cobalts.. and a AEM wideband

Pacman
05-09-2009, 02:42 PM
Good point on that GSXRJJordan, I never really thought about that in that way. I'm starting to get some Autometer Phantom gauges (to match the SE gauge cluster) and will most likely go all mechanical.

I would never trust eBay parts for things like gauges, suspension arms, etc. An exhaust, yes.