Low oil pressure..?

[Magnus_944]

My oil pressure has started to fall, sometimes it is down to 1.25 Bar at idle. This stared after i changed oil and filter, befor the oilchange, and directly after it was ~2 Bar at idle. I use castrol syntetic oil 10w40 and porsche oil filter. The car is an 944na -83 with 155000 km (~100k miles) on it.

Can it be a dirty oil pressure relief valve? I read that it can cause this kind of problem.

/Magnus

[1.2gees]

Is this the type of oil you've been using?

If so, did the weather become much hotter since the oil change? Or perhaps you had to idle in traffic for a prolonged time, or extra hard driving?

Usually any one of those is all it takes to get the pressure down low, the manual says it's even OK for the idiot light to flash now and then at idle. (Mine did it once with 30 weight oil after a run on track, when I pulled into the pits)
Ahmet

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It's all the driver...
My page over1g@hotmail.com
Porsche owners Gallery.../My 944

[Mrmerlin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Magnus_944:
Hi Magnus hey it sounds like you spent a lot of money on oil ...I would recommend that you change it out and put in some 20 W 50 Valvoline Racing, along with a new filter ............and stay away from that castrol stuff it has proven itself time N time again to have viscosity breakdown after it gets hot........Stan
Ps I use the Valvo stuff in all my vehicles cept the 951 but i might change that as well it now has Moble 1, 15 W 50 synthetic

[1.2gees]

Stan, that's interesting, I was on Castrol 20w-50, perhaps you're right.

I'd love to compare other oils, and I shall if I still have this 944 in a couple of months.
Ahmet

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It's all the driver...
My page over1g@hotmail.com
Porsche owners Gallery.../My 944

[Magnus_944]

Thanks for your replies!
Stan, I didn't spend a lot of money. It was on sale when I bought it.

I'm driving rather hard so thing are getting hot, this combined with my change of water pump and thermostat just before the oil change might do all the difference. Now I have a stock thermostat and the temp is at the middle mark on the gauge, with the old (leaking) pump and cooler thermostat it was one mark lower on the gauge.

Should I go back to a cooler thermostat again? Or just change the oil to some other better brand?

/Magnus

[Mrmerlin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Magnus_944:
Hi Magnus , hey change the oil , this will save the engine bearings, Use the Valvoline 20 W 50 Racing I think you will notice a increase in the pressure and if you can get the car to run cooler then change the thermo to the lower ......Stan

[Allldi]

Ahmet is right about what the manual reads. Personally, I would leave the stock temperature thermostat in. The DME was designed with the stock temperature thermostat in mind. I use Mobil 1, 10W-30. Make sure you keep the oil level between the minimum and the maximum for regular driving. Make sure you keep the level at the maximum or a HAIR above the maximum for track driving.

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Ryan
1991 944S2 coupe

[T86951]

This is my recomendation:

My NA 86 944 uses 10w40 in the winter and 20w50 in the summer. I use Quaker State semi-synthetic. 200,000 miles on this car and it holds 5 bars at startup cold , over 4 bars at driving speed and 2.5-3 bars at idle. remember a bar on your gage is approx 15 lbs. I switched to castrol oil once and oil pressure went down bad and back oil seal started leaking bad. I switched back to Quaker State symi-synthetic and oil pressure was back up and my rear main stopped leaking after a couple oil changes. I wouldn't use castrol oil to lube a bolt and nut. I can't understand it though because they should be able to refine oil as well as anyone else but the must cut corners or something.
oh yeah I use Mobile 1 20-50 in my turbo which I only drive in the summer. great oil pressure. This is great oil!!! Yes expensive but I use expensive oil cause it it the least expensive way to care for an engine and makes an engine last.

[This message has been edited by T86951 (edited 07-06-2001).]

[Mrmerlin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Allldi:
Hi Alldi, hey the oil youtr using is good for winter I would put in the thicker stuff for the summer.20 W 50........hey there your engine bearings.............Stan