Oil pump was fairly new (had a couple thousand miles on it) and I just installed a new oil pressure guage....... a 2inch supro mechanical, and it goes as low as 15 or LESS after the motor is warmed up............WTF??? The weird thing is even after its warmed up when I cruise around at 3K rpms the pressure is up around 50-60, doesn't make much sense, could it just be the guage? How accurate are those $10 units.

 

... but my stock one read more than that at idle.

'course that was before it froze up on me at the track (road racing) and I lost all oil pressure.

I've just pulled the engine and after removing the pan found a few metal pieces that used to be the input shaft. After removing it and trying to turn it and it's froze. Now the )internal) cleanup begins and maybe a Melling pump.


Mike

 

You only need 10 psi per 1000rpm so if that what you are worried about you are fine.

 

according to my owner's manual, normal pressure is between 20 (or is it 15?) and 60 psi

and i read (stock gauge) ~15-20psi at idle (usually towards 15 if i'm a little low on oil) and anywhere from 45-60 at any moving speed.

 

You're gauge sounds accurate. If it scares you too much you might try changing either brands or weight of oil. I've found different brands will affect hot idle oil pressure quite a bit. With valvoline dino oil I had 20psi hot. Quaker state got me 25. Now with 15w50 mobil 1 synth I have 40 at idle and 70 at cruise. I'm not running a high volume pump either. Somebody already mentioned you only need 10psi per 1000rpm. But I too like to see more than 15psi.

Another plus to the mobil 1, the dreaded Comp clatter is quieter now. And the oil pressure is much more stable at all times. Very little fluctuation.

 

You wouldn't happen to have the M55A melling high pressure pump, they operate like that.

Lonnie

 

Ok well then i'm going to try that mobil 1 synthetic stuff.............as much as it may cost because it really does bug me to see the guage dip to almost nothing at idle. It was a stock replacement pump, not sure what the part # was.

 

Can anyone elaborate on the M55A pump? I'm experiencing 10 PSI at idle (Supertech HD-30) and a very good 40+ with RPM's and am using that pump. I'm worried I've got something else going on.

 

Im having the same problem except my guage is stock. I have a pretty bad oil.. erm purge i would say... its leaking from the intake and valve covers(i have the gasgets to change them out just havent had the time yet) I use 10w30 oil in her... I think I will change it out soon and use some 10w50 or 15w50 and see if that helps? whado you experts think?