Oil pressure

[CMF_sikK11]

Hey guys i have just put a oil pressure gauge in the micra and the oil pressure is through the roof. A good thing i guess but do you know how high it should be. At idle i get around 30psi cruising i get about 93psi and full noise i get between 117 and 125psi.....

 

[CMF_solarice]

On first startup they are quite high, then as the car warms up they'll slowly drop down.

your readings seem similar to mine, though yours are higher.

unfortunatly the haynes only states minimum pressures so i cant even point you in that direction as a reference.

 

[CMF_frank2]

sikK11

that sound very high to me, most engines have a P/R/V that blows off at about 70psi iirc (the k11 one is on the oilpump)

frank

 

[CMF_sikK11]

yeah i have run the gauge from the standard oil light sender. Seems to be working properly. My mate has a stagea and runs very similiar. I am not really worried as the higher the better right.

 

[CMF_turbo march-rolling shell]

sikK11 WROTE:

"Hey guys i have just put a oil pressure gauge in the micra and the oil pressure is through the roof. A good thing i guess but do you know how high it should be. At idle i get around 30psi cruising i get about 93psi and full noise i get between 117 and 125psi.....<BR><BR><BR>

what brand/ kind of gauge is it? if its an ebay/autometer/defi style job, i wouldn't take any notice of it at all... not saying you have any of those, but i've compared most cheapish brands to accurate gauges and have found that some are out by quite a bit. the defi style bf's for instance read upto 3-5psi lower then what its actually running. (boost)
have you used the correct sender for the gauge?

 

[CMF_frank2]

sikK11

yeh, better higher than lower,but i doubt if an oil filter would stand a pressure of 125psi tho !

frank

 

[CMF_sikK11]

the stagea one does. Has for ages.
It is the new Drift Iridium digital series. Was over $140 to buy so not a cheap **** one. Will post pics tomorrow.

 

[CMF_turbo march-rolling shell]

sikK11 WROTE:

"the stagea one does. Has for ages.<BR>It is the new Drift Iridium digital series. Was over $140 to buy so not a cheap **** one. Will post pics tomorrow.

i wouldn't trust it. like frank said, at that pressure you'd be blowing seals out of the engine left right and centre. $140 for a gauge is cheap imo. over priced chinese garbage, and the reading proves it.

 

[CMF_deNs]

I thought the factory oil light was only meant to come on if it were BELOW 5psi or thereabouts, rather than come on because of too much pressure.

Is this a mechanical or electrical gauge? You using the standard oil pressure switch or an aftermarket one?

---dens

 

[CMF_sikK11]

electrical gauge as it is in the cabin. The guys that fited it reckons that it will calm down a bit when the oil gets hot and thins out a bit. I am using semi synthetic oil. So not to sure. It is running from the standad oil light hole but with the gauges sender unit.

 

[CMF_solarice]

Just to say my readings are away from the standard pressure swtich, and the senders are up higher in the engine bay connected to a relocation kit. (if that helps at all)

I double checked the position with a mechanical one and got the same readings (as i thought when i fitted mine that it was crazy high)...so i know my gauge/sender is good, maybe worth a shot if youre concerned.

 

[CMF_sikK11]

what were your readings. Same or similiar to mine.

 

[CMF_frank2]

araldited a coreless valve to the p/r/v today, and a listening tube.
but there,s a cut-out on the top of the piston, so the oil leaches out full time, but when it was ground flat it sealed until the pressure reached 70psi,then blew off above that,
and when i took the tube off, i could see the piston jumping back 2-3mm at 80psi, then jumped less and less till it got down to 70psi.
so i can,t see how 100+psi can be achieved ?

 

[CMF_frank2]

piston

 

[CMF_solarice]

mine reads at about 90oddish psi iirc when its first started, then it settles to about 30odd psi at idle (once the oil has warmed up...lowest its gone is about 20odd psi).

my gauge only goes to about 100psi (i think lol -- get the feeling i havent driven it much lately ) and it jumps about a good bit when driving...however since ive fixed an oil leak at the temp sender (near to the pressure one in my setup) its been reading slightly lower and has quicker reaction times now. (the second youd expect)

Id reckon my engine should be fine, as ive had a good look at it...only thing ive not done is physically check the pressure release valve (i may do when i get the chance)...but from what i can tell im getting good flow around the system, and the oils not got any crap in it.

Minimum Readings:

Haynes at Idle : between 11.6psi and 17.4psi
Haynes at 2000rpm : between 42.0psi and 59.4psi (988cc Engine)
Haynes at 2000rpm : between 42.0psi and 53.6psi (1275cc Engine)

Mines kinda inline with the haynes, just a bit higher.

 

[CMF_Madrabbit]

Sounds OK to me.
The needle on our rally car oil gauge goes off the scale when the engine is cold and settles down to about 30-ish at idle and 70-80 psi at 7000 rpm once warmed up.

 

[CMF_sikK11]

yeah mine sits at around 80 now the oil has been used a bit. That is at idle cruising it is sitting around 70psi then warmed up sits at about 90 full revs.

 

[CMF_sportsclassic]

sikK11 WROTE:

"yeah mine sits at around 80 now the oil has been used a bit. That is at idle cruising it is sitting around 70psi then warmed up sits at about 90 full revs.

sounds good, what oil are you using?

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

Too high oil pressure will erode crankshaft & bearing shells. I'd be worried about 100+ psi.

Is that 70psi pressure relief valve upstream or downstream of the oil filter?
What oil filter are you running?
When was it last changed?

Is the pressure gauge fitted to an oil gallery downstream of filter & relief valve?

 

[CMF_sikK11]

15/50 semi synthetic forget the brand. Will have a look later. is thinning out a bit so the pressure gets lower and lower each time it drives. I am guessing it will stabalise and sit normal in a few more hard drives. The oil is brand new.