Low oil pressure reading

[andyg plym]

Hello peeps

I have had a bit of time to tinker with the colgate wagon recently and have done a few odd jobs:Replacement turbo,oil,water leak,shocks etc

First was to change the oil,to my knowledge this had not been done since I owned the car the first time.It has sat in a yard for about 3 years doing nothing until I bought it back in November.So I can pretty much say its been circa 3-4 years

Oil pressure was the usual 5 bar on running and it was 2 bar at idle,but then a few weeks ago started dropping to 1.5(on the gauge readout).

So I contacted oilman who said best to use 5w 40 when I change the oil.So I changed the oil a couple of weeks ago with 5w 40 and a new oil filter like you would.Basically went out today and got home to find the gauge reading 1.2 bar

Having looked at old posts it appears it could be a number of things:

sender unit
oil pick up fubered
crap oil (I used gsf carlube 5w40)
bottom end about to let go.

Last week I replaced the turbo as mine was very very smokey,so smokey I would have to turn the engine off at traffic lightsI have fitted a newer one and all seems well.

I am open to thoughts,I will try and take it to have a proper oil pressure reading done as I know the units do eventually die.Worst case scenario I have another engine to go in which shouldn't take that long now that I know how to take them in and out

[GazzaG60]

if oil levels are good id go with a thicker oil.

my mate had an 100 s4 and he ran oil the same as i ran in my S2. i had a new pump he didn't. he got the oil light on the thinner 5 oils. i didn't.

id go with a good oil thickish 10w40 and see if it improves the pressure. if not maybe new pump and beware the factory unit i got was made in korea and sealed like an aris with the squits

[andyg plym]

funnily enough it was running on 10w 40 albeit unchanged for a few years with very few miles.

I think maybe fresh 10w40 could be a good start

[prj]

The car should have good oil pressure on 5w40.
This has been discussed to death, but the fact that you put thicker oil in and see a higher pressure reading does not mean there is better lubrication. If you put 20w60 you will have even higher pressure, but pressure is only a measure of resistance.

If there was a sharp drop in pressure then something has already let go.
If you have not changed the oil for 4 years and driven around like that, I don't see why you are surprised... and now you are putting in some cheap oil. Why?

[andyg plym]

as i already said I SOLD THE CAR THEN BOUGHT IT BACK ALMOST 4 YEARS LATER!

Had I of kept it in the first place I would of changed the oil on a regular basis,so no I am far from surprised.Having pointed out that I have already searched and have seen its been discussed to death I am asking for any btdt's as nobody else's posts match my circumstances

[prj]

as i already said I SOLD THE CAR THEN BOUGHT IT BACK ALMOST 4 YEARS LATER!

Had I of kept it in the first place I would of changed the oil on a regular basis,so no I am far from surprised.Having pointed out that I have already searched and have seen its been discussed to death I am asking for any btdt's as nobody else's posts match my circumstances

From your description, you kept driving it around on the 4 year old oil after buying it back, well knowing that it wasn't changed for 4 years, until your oil pressure dropped, instead of changing the oil immediately.
This is what I pointed out.

As for "BTDT" - you give a vague description - you get vague answers.
No one can tell you what exactly is wrong with it, without opening up the engine. People can try to guess - you can swap the oil pump for kicks, you can try a flush, it might help, but if you've worn out the engine by running it on 4 year old oil since November, then all that will be just more money down the drain.

[andyg plym]

I thought in my opinion it was far from a vague description.Went into detail about advice taken ref oil,changing turbo etc.

Yes you are right,I have had it back since November and not got round to changing the oil.Having said that the car has hardly been anywhere since I got it back as it is not been my daily driver.

Most searches I did before I posted this thread pointed to people having low oil pressure after doing engine rebuilds etc,mine has never had one.

But thanks for your input....

[Rikki Kitto]

Whatever you do don't ignore it like I didI killed my engine by being a lazy little bstd. Unfortunately I will never know the cause of my oil pressure drops but the symptoms you describe sound exactly the same as mine up to the point when it died

[andyg plym]

thanks Rikko,

did you ever get your oil properly pressure tested?

[Rikki Kitto]

No should have done that asap really it's not that hard, anyway got a nice s4 engine ready to in my coupe soon so not all bad

[andyg plym]

so does anyone know how to remove the oil pressure sender?

[driftin jo]

10w 40 and 5w 40 are the same viscosity when hot, IE the 5w 40 is not thinner oil !
The 5w or 10w refers to the SEA standard when cold, when hot it is only the second number that counts.

[andyg plym]

what oil would you recommend then? Im starting to think the spare engine may be needed

[driftin jo]

Have you tested the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge screwed into the pressure sender hole?
If not then do it, I did it to my old car when the gauge read 1 bar, turned out it was the sender giving a low signal, the actual pressure was 2 bar.

[andyg plym]

not yet was going to look at that tomorrow,how easy is the sender to remove? im only asking as when i did my search earlier it came up that some people had problems with them.
i pressume it just unscrews?