ok. so the other day i start my car cold. as i am driving down the block i glanca at the oil pressure guage. it is sitting at 60PSI. it is normally at 35 at idle and 60 when i am WOT. it was 60 at idle. so to test i slammed it too the floor. oil pressure didnt move. after the car warmed up it was fine. so the next day i did a flush that included ....

new oil and filter and half can of GUNK brand engineflush. ran engine for five minutes and drained. replaced oil. ran for ten minutes, drained replaced oil and filter and drove home (do all maintinence at my dads house. i have no garage.

next day, start cold, same thing. again PSI retuned to normal after engine warmed.

ok so i have two theories.
1) somhow the reader for the oil pressure has malfuncioned and only works while warm (*** i hope so)

2) i have an oil chanel (i think thats what ther called) cloged and somthing verry bad is going to happen.

i need help on this fast. this is my only car and i have been driving it with this problem for about 2 weeks now. i don't want to blow my engine but i have to get to work....

 

Just how cold was it?
I mena typically, the pressure goes up at start cecause the oil is so thick and old. It goes down after the oil warms up some.

 

IT COULD BE SO MANY THINGS AND
Unless your XRay Vision is working well, you may "never know" what's going on until too late.
I will say that when my pressure was reading high (211,500 mile 2.8 in Blazer) it finally shot chocolate milk.
IF pressure is low you know what will also happen.
Could just be "stuck", too.
Why not!
I would worry IF the engine sounds sick or very noisy.
IN END worship the reason to slip a 3.4 under that hood!
Best thoughts!

 

well she sounds and performs great..... but still. i am going to install my powerbulge hood one of these days, then i am switching to a mecanicle oil guage to put in the scoop. i'll go from there

thanks for the input so far

 

My car when cool runs at around 80 psi cold and 60 psi when warmed up. It has been like that for about 3 years and 60,000 miles no problems yet. knock on wood.

 

Think of it this way, too.
Normal operating range for these engines is like 40-60PSI.
When 60* mills cold yep, these oil gauges do go toward 80, which is why GM put that number there.
The V8 peak number is only 60.
YOu're probably doing fine.
Just accept the engine is aging and will start to act "different".
Keep an eye out for a 3.4 and one day you may be doing the swap boogie!
BUT seriously, it could be a VERY long time from now, too.
My Blazer 2.8 ran for 211,500 miles. Constant 40-ish when running great for many miles. Oil pressure was always up towards 60-80 range when it was nearing end.
NO POWER, but ran.
PS Under my ownership (since 1999) of Firebird, I'm now into third tranny.
Damn 3.4 power!
TO THE RESCUE! A 1990 700R4

Worship the reason to seek out a 3.4!

 

So you started the car and drove it cold then noticed high oil pressure. Its perfectly normal like mentioned to have higher oil pressure with cooler engine temps.

Now if you did have a mechanical guage and weather, engine temp and all other external variables were elimintated and the oil pressure started to flake out then you would have some bearings re-clearancing themselfs.

 

even while running higher due to tempetur, the psi should still move based on rpm. but mine stays still. wierd. maybee it is just age. but the thing only has 130k

 

When an engine is cold the pressure will stay up until the oil heats up and becomes more viscuous (sp) or thins out a bit. When the oil is cold it is thicker and will keep the pressure up.

 

could throw a mech. pressure gauge on it and see what it's doing with no doubts. ...maybe the gauge/wiring/etc is just spazzing out. *shrug*


-Bud

 

IMO, adding 'engine flush' and similar kerosene-based engine flush products is the single WORST thing that can be added to an engine, as it will "more times than not" unseat the engine rings on an engine w/ high to moderate mileage.

I hope that isn't what happened to your engine, however I'd be willing to bet that if you NOW have an oil pressure issue... that the 'engine flush' product had a lot to do w/ it.