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No oil pressure ?!
Took the car to a driving range about 5 miles away yesterday with a buddy and everything looked fine. On the way home I noticed I had no oil pressure. Temperature was normal and oil level registered very low to nothing but this is normal as it sometimes only registers on level ground at idle when 100% warmed up. Whats the safest way to check this problem. Should I start it, warm it up and check oil, or would this be harmful if indeed oil pressure and level are too low? Thanks in advance.
Brian |
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08-18-2008, 07:54 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Capistrano Beach, Ca.
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Forget the oil level gauge--use only the dipstick.
Most likely, from your description, you have a sender/gauge problem but I wouldn't risk it by driving the car. Someone here, I'm sure, knows how to mechanically measure oil pressure to verify if the engine is in danger--I'd wait for a reply from someone with experience. However, from what you've said about the ride home, it seems that if you had zero pressure, the effect would show up in some other way, like an intensly hot engine when you got home. Keep us posted, please.
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip |
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08-18-2008, 08:10 AM
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Did the oil light come on?
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08-18-2008, 08:14 AM
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Lacey, WA. USA
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Yeah. Did the oil light come on? The oil light is a separate circuit with a separate sender. The gauge is notoriously unreliable. Probably......the electrical connector to the oil gauge sending unit has become detached.
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Man of Carbon Fiber (stronger than steel) Mocha 1978 911SC. "Coco" |
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08-18-2008, 08:58 AM
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If your oil-pressure is really gone you hear some typical sounds coming from your engine....
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carrera coupe 85 |
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08-18-2008, 10:17 AM
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The oil light did not come on. The ride home was short but the engine did not overheat or show signs that it was getting hotter than normal. I will warm her up and check the dipstick this afternoon and report back.
Thanks, Brian |
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08-18-2008, 10:31 AM
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Get off my lawn!
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The simple test is turn the key to the on position but don't engage the starter. Look at the oil pressure light, is it on? It is supposed to be on as a test of the light. If it light is on go ahead and start the engine. Does the light go out? If it does you have oil pressure. If the pressure gauge does not show anything at all you need to check the connection to the sender. If that is solid it is probably the gauge. I would be the wire came loose on the sender.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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08-18-2008, 10:34 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Lacey, WA. USA
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Yes, do the drill described above. If the oil light goes off, that simply means you have at least a few psi of pressure (six psi or so).
With the key on, disconnect the wire from the oil pressure gauge sending unit (little cannister thingie just to the right of the fan housing). I believe the gauge falls to zero, which you can see through the rear window. Ground the wire you just removed. I believe this pegs the meter. If the circuit does not have an open connection. Or is it the other way around (disconnect the wire and the gauge pegs.......ground the wire and the gauge falls to zero)? I'm not sure.
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Man of Carbon Fiber (stronger than steel) Mocha 1978 911SC. "Coco" |
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08-18-2008, 11:03 AM
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When I start it, the oil light goes off, indicating I have some pressure. For the first few minutes of warmup I saw good pressure...around 4 on the guage which struck me as high. The needle then dropped to about 1.5 and stayed there while in the driveway, no matter what rpm I was at. I then took her around the block and got up to temp (about 83C). While driving the needle stayed at 1.5 which worried me because isnt pressure directly linear to rpm? The folowing pictures are taken at full operating temp while idling and at increased rpm without any change in pressure. By the way, I checked the dipstick at this time and it showed I was at the upper limits of the "full" line. This isnt normal is it?
   
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08-18-2008, 12:42 PM
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Lacey, WA. USA
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No, it is not normal. Again, these oil pressure gauge systems are not reliable. I suspect something is wrong with your gauge/sender/wiring.
Perhaps the only reliable way of checking your actual oil pressure is to install a Borden Tube gauge onto the location where your existing oil pressure gauge sending unit is located.
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Man of Carbon Fiber (stronger than steel) Mocha 1978 911SC. "Coco" |
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08-18-2008, 12:51 PM
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Quote:
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1985 Carrera Targa in the fastest color......Black........Growing list of goodies now includes SW Chip, M&K premuffler, Sport muffler, DME update, etc. |
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08-18-2008, 01:58 PM
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Carrera
