0,2 bar oil pressure at Idle - 3,0 SC

[e-speedster]

Now my SC is supposedly rebuilt by a very reputable shop i San Jose ten years ago.
Been sitting in the shop for 7 years and then put to use and done approx 4000 miles in various conditions.
It performs well - no clunky funky noises - no mis coloring around crank/rods from what we can see from underneath

We've put thicker classic line oil in it - but still the oil pressure - from manometer also - reads ultra low - so low that it "should" fail any minute....

We also found that the oil pressure sender was tampered with and would always read 1 bar more than it actually was.....(look at pic)

So the question is here - can the engine be build on different specs/measurement for better performance etc?

As you can tell I am no engine guy - I heard that if you knife edge the crank and something on the end can fall out to reduce pressure? Also that an O ring or something can be missing where you hook up the oil pump?

I do not want to open the case since it is very expensive and the engine performs and looks good. Also hear excellent leak down readings on cyl compression.

At 3000 rpm with hot engine I barely get 1,3 bars....When cold 3 bars

What to do??


"device" for tampering:

[Flat6pac]

Short of cleaning up the wire, I would check the pressure sender and make sure you dont have a 0-10 bar sender instead of the one called for 0-5 bar. The bars is located along the base of the sender. Disconnect the cam oil line and then remove the adaptor that goes through the base of the sender. along the bottom of the sender, on the flats it will tell you the bar. If it is 0-5 bar, invest in a new one and see what you have.
Bruce

[e-speedster]

Good advice Bruce - but the manometer connected to the block told the same story - so I guess the pressure is off anyhow?!

[Flieger]

Good Lord, are all those resistors in parallel? That is the weirdest electrical kludge I have ever seen. Looks like a Motor Meister electrical job.

[e-speedster]

Hehe - are they located in SF/San Jose area?
I drive the car everday now just to monitor & test the oil pressure situation.....

[RSTarga]

I don't think you can accurately measure oil pressure at idle. The car should be at steady RPM and warm. If you have good pressure (more than halfway on the gauge at about 4,500rpm, you are good.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by e-speedster

At 3000 rpm with hot engine I barely get 1,3 bars....When cold 3 bars

According to Bob the Oil Guy:

"The best way to figure out what viscosity of oil you need is to drive the car in the conditions you will use. Then use the oil viscosity that gives you 10 PSI per 1,000 RPM under those circumstances." (Motor Oil 105 - Bob is the Oil Guy)

1.3 bar @ 14.7 psi/bar = 19 psi at 3K rpm. Based on what I read from Bob's site you should be at 2 bar+ at 3K rpm actual.

Still, though, looks like you may have mismatched gauge/sender.

HTH

[Eagledriver]

Oil pressure can be very low at idle, the owners manual says the low pressure light may be on at idle. You should try to get at least .7 bar per 1000 RPM. There are cam oil line restrictors that will raise your oil pressure (search on this forum). You can also use thicker oil. I use 15W-50 oil.

-Andy

[callard]

Improper pressure relief pistons will give this condition.