what is stock and safe oil pressure?

[nitrodave]

I have a rev3 turbo running a bar of boost with supporting mods. it has 150k kilometers on the clock, but feel strong and in good health. Doesn't use oil between services or blow any smoke.

Over the weekend I fitted oil temp and pressure gauges. I plumbed them both directly into the block by the oil filter.

I have searched around but can't find much info and was wondering what kind of oil pressure i should be seeing?

When hot i am seeing between 3-10psi on idle and a steady 50psi above 3k rpm.

From running other boosted cars it seems that my oil pressure might be a little low on idle. Can anyone confirm if my engine and oil pump are in good health based on these pressures?

I know it is considered a big no-no on here, but i am running 10w60 oil as the car has big mileage and does see some track time and abuse. I would have thought a thicker oil would raise the pressure?

[jimGTS]

ive taken my readings from same location on gen3 block by oil filter.
this is with greddy gauges.


in general, my oil temps read 93-98C, any motorway cruising and 100-103C.


oil pressure

Cold start
5.7-6bar

With oil temps at 95-98c
This is at stand still.

Idle, 850rpm = 2.2bar
1.5k = 3bar
2k = 4bar
3k = 5.2bar
4k = 5.7bar

When on boost high revs
6-6.5bar from what I can see.

[nitrodave]

hmmmm, so you are getting double the oil pressure I am seeing?

what oil do you run?

I wonder if that is having an effect?

[jimGTS]

at idle, im around 30psi ish. thats alot more than 3psi.

i run 10w50 titan pro s fully synthetic.

i would perhaps try another gauge/sensor.

[nitrodave]

might well try another gauge and sender unit. it fluctuates between 3 and 15psi on idle, so it could be that my gauge is not at all accurate at low pressures.

thanks for the info though

[Ryan S]

might well try another gauge and sender unit. it fluctuates between 3 and 15psi on idle, so it could be that my gauge is not at all accurate at low pressures.

thanks for the info though

if it was 3psi surely the stock oil light would come on?? as far as I know that runs off pressure and not oil level.

[nitrodave]

you'd be right about the oil light, although i suspect it would only come on at zero oil pressure.

I just found this though http://www.gtfours.co.uk/stuff/facts/205/facts.htm

and it suggests 4.3psi and up for idle oil pressure, so that fills me with some confidence at least!

[MR2 Rich]

Thicker oil will increase oil pressure but sacrifice oil flow.

[Driftlimits Performance]

It needs more than 4psi at idle. Again the light would be on. Gauge not reading right. Iirc the light goes out @1bar. Idle should be around. 1.5-2bar.

So often a car runs for 20 years fine, fit a gauge and all of a sudden we think something is wrong!