Low oil pressure?

I just want to know if this is normal for our cars or not. Last weekend I took my new R/T TT to get the emissions and safety done. While driving back I noticed that the oil pressure wasn't really that high. It was just below the mark I would assume was normal pressure range. Then when I got home and the car was idling in the garage the oil pressure had dropped to almost the bottom. Is this normal? The oil light has never come one. I haven't had time yet, but I'm going to check the oil level and I'm changing it anyways this weekend.

Also, I beat on the car a little on the way down to the emissions place to warm up the cats. I am having problems with grinding while trying to shift fast. I don't know if it me not pushing the clutch in far enough or if I have a real problem here. If I shift slower it is fine.

1) yes, the oil gauge in our cars vary quite a bit... I wouldn't worry about it unless it does not climb when you are running at higher RPMs... But if you feel paranoid, check the oil level.

2) Yes, most of our cars do that unless you have the syncronizers rebuild (and even then it depends on how fast you are "mashing gears")... Try and match revs when you shift.

Agreed, synchros are a common flaw in the 3/S. And the oil pressure guages are known to be rather unreliable. Mine always says the oil pressure is a little low but does climb back into the "normal" range as my rpm's really start to go up. Nothing to really worry about. But as said, check your oil anyway. I usually check mine every other day anyway no matter what car it is because I just dont trus the guages on cars.

Well, I'm going to check on the oil tonight when I get home. I'll just have to get used the clutch I guess. I'm used the GTC which is a cable driven clutch and has quite a bit of modulation and this Stealth doesn't.

Thanks for the help guys.

do a search for low oil pressure on 3si if you want a few hours worth of reading material. Most of our cars have an issue with it, luckily mine doesn't yet, but that doesn't mean much to me...the general concensus is most of our stock gauges really aren't accurate enough for the general car enthusiast. Aftermarket gauges are really the way to go.

Stealth316-> garage -> AWD oil change and use Redline fluids
That and start double clutching

1) yes, the oil gauge in our cars vary quite a bit... I wouldn't worry about it unless it does not climb when you are running at higher RPMs... But if you feel paranoid, check the oil level.

2) Yes, most of our cars do that unless you have the syncronizers rebuild (and even then it depends on how fast you are "mashing gears")... Try and match revs when you shift.

:iagree:

If the oil level is fine then I wouldn't worry - as long as it doesn't stay on the lowest reading.

Well, I checked the oil last night and it was over the full mark. I wonder, if the person that owned it before me used a thin oil if that would cause an overly low reading? I am changing the oil on Saturday with some Mobil 1 15w50 and I'm hoping that will correct the problem.

I wouldn't think the thickness of the oil would consufe the pressure gauge.

it wont, i use to use 20 50w and it doesnt make a difference

the guauge will only show whats really going on with the oil in the engine unless your at high rpm,s 3000 and up, otherwise it just drops

and it sounds like your blocking rings have gone bad, or are getting bad

is the grinding happening with all gears or just specific one's?

the stock gauge is garbage. I recall reading on 3si that someone was able to raise their pressure reading just by cleaning the sensor. Also, someone replaced the stock gauge with a new stock gauge and it read completely different. I wouldnt worry about it. An aftermarket gauge is a must on these cars. In case you havnt figured it out, the stock boost gauge is WAY off too. Just dont run it low on oil and youll be fine.

My oil pressure guage is completely broken... shows flat all the time (unless ive been running with no oil... hmmm... ill be right back... AHHHHHH:cwm27: )

But at least it doesnt give me a false sense of security... i check my oil most every day... but ill get it fixed eventually.

it wont, i use to use 20 50w and it doesnt make a difference

the guauge will only show whats really going on with the oil in the engine unless your at high rpm,s 3000 and up, otherwise it just drops

and it sounds like your blocking rings have gone bad, or are getting bad

is the grinding happening with all gears or just specific one's?
The grinding happens only when I'm shifting fast. I have only been up to third so far while doing that. So it did it in second and third. As for the gauge problem, this is really bothering me. Can I have a shop test the oil pressure? I don't want to spin a bearing.

My oil pressure guage is completely brolen... shows flat all the time (unless ive been running with no oil... hmmm... ill be right back... AHHHHHH:cwm27: )

It took me forever to find the lines that connect to the oil pressure and oil sensor. LOL I looked and looked and looked a bit more but couldn't find it until one day I was down there doing something else and randomly saw the two line. Hehe

I just wanted to post an update.

I changed the oil Saturday. I spoke with the previous owner and he is not sure what oil was last used as he did not own it long enough to change the oil. Seems some old lady owned it before him and I'm sure she took it to an oil lube place. After changing the oil that was VERY apparent.

First off the oil was overfilled. The next problem was that the filter was on too tight so I had to jam a screw driver through it to get enough leverage to loosen it. They also didn't lube the gasket on the oil filter. The oil was very black and not very smooth. I assume that it was 10w30 conventional. That and the fact that the oil smelled. I think it had been sheared and broke down. I filled it with about 4 1/2 quarts of Mobile 1 15w50 full synthetic. As soon as I started up the car the oil pressure went up to the normal operating range. Tomorrow when I take it down to the car wash to degrease the engine I'll see how that holds up once the car is up to operating temp.

Alright here is another update, and some more worries.

1. After going down to wash it and let the car warm up the oil pressure stayed just below the normal operating range. At idle it was about two ticks from the bottom.

2. The coolant overflow cap won't stay on and it keeps dumping coolant. The engine temp stays under the middle, but I wonder if the engine is getting too hot and that is contributing to the oil pressure issue?

3. On my way down to the car wash, when I got to the bottom of the hill from my house and turned on to the main road, as soon as I hit a bump it started making a clunking noise from the rear. There was no pattern and it increased with speed. As soon as you would hit the brakes it would go away. This continued after the I washed the car for about a mile and then it went away. I kept hitting bumps to try and get it to come back but it wouldn't make the noise again.

Any ideas?

1. that's normal for our cars. at idle the gauge reads low. when you give it gas, the gauge will rise, then fall as you let off the gas.

2. since you discovered the engine had too much oil, perhaps there is too much coolant in the engine?

3. not entirely sure. i would think it could only be a few things: (a)perhaps driveshaft? (carrier bearing, u-joints, i dunno i don't have a TT), (b) perhaps it was something in your trunk? make sure the trunk trays are secured underneath the carpet cover. make sure contents of trunk trays aren't bumping around. also, make sure the spare tire is securely fastened. these things all have moved around in my car and make clunking sounds like you described when i hit bumps. also, perhaps the exhaust in the rear isn't as secure as it should be. check the mounting points from where it hangs and their respective rubber bushings.

honestly, i wouldn't worry about it that if the noise went away, and you couldn't bring it back after re-creating the circumstances.

I am surprised you didn't get lifter tick...

I would worry about the pressure as long as it's actually off the bottom of the gauge... Mine reads lower in the scale at idle as well.

I would get a new coolant overflow cap... That said how much coolant is in there... It shouldn't be dumping fluid even with the cap off unless you have been braking pretty hard...

On the clunking: It's probably coming from the exhaust... I don't have a TT but mine sometimes makes a clucking sound when it's hot and I get it wet (usually a puddle but it depends on how much you washed under the car). It sometimes does it when I give it gas if the planets are in the right alignment (the engine torques the exhaust upwards and it can bump against the body if certain things have the correct temperature difference).

1. that's normal for our cars. at idle the gauge reads low. when you give it gas, the gauge will rise, then fall as you let off the gas.

2. since you discovered the engine had too much oil, perhaps there is too much coolant in the engine?

3. not entirely sure. i would think it could only be a few things: (a)perhaps driveshaft? (carrier bearing, u-joints, i dunno i don't have a TT), (b) perhaps it was something in your trunk? make sure the trunk trays are secured underneath the carpet cover. make sure contents of trunk trays aren't bumping around. also, make sure the spare tire is securely fastened. these things all have moved around in my car and make clunking sounds like you described when i hit bumps. also, perhaps the exhaust in the rear isn't as secure as it should be. check the mounting points from where it hangs and their respective rubber bushings.

honestly, i wouldn't worry about it that if the noise went away, and you couldn't bring it back after re-creating the circumstances.1. I just worry because it read in the normal range at idle before I left.

2. I don't think so. I kept trying to get the cap to stay on. Even when the car was off the cap would just pop off on its own.

3. I guess I need to jack up the car, get under there, and try to move some stuff around. I already checked the hatch and everything was secure in there.

I am surprised you didn't get lifter tick...

I would worry about the pressure as long as it's actually off the bottom of the gauge... Mine reads lower in the scale at idle as well.

I would get a new coolant overflow cap... That said how much coolant is in there... It shouldn't be dumping fluid even with the cap off unless you have been braking pretty hard...

On the clunking: It's probably coming from the exhaust... I don't have a TT but mine sometimes makes a clucking sound when it's hot and I get it wet (usually a puddle but it depends on how much you washed under the car). It sometimes does it when I give it gas if the planets are in the right alignment (the engine torques the exhaust upwards and it can bump against the body if certain things have the correct temperature difference).

Actually, I haven't gotten any lifter tick but I did get a knock from the head just before some of that coolant came out of the overflow for the last time last night. I think that the coolant isn't getting into the engine. I may need a new radiator cap as well?

my pressure sits 2 tics low at idle as well. I wouldnt worry about that, unless you get an aftermarket gauge and it still reads low.

about the clunking, yea, get under the car and see what you can see. Sounds like your exhaust or possibly one of your heat shields is loose? but i dont know why it would stop when you hit the brakes...unless maybe its brake-related. How worn are your rear pads? Does your e-brake work?

a little off topic: does anyone know what the brake bias on our cars is?

Here is an update and some questions. I got a new radiator cap and overflow cap. Here are some pictures of the old ones:

http://www.customcompmods.com/Images/Stealth/Cap1.jpg

http://www.customcompmods.com/Images/Stealth/Cap2.jpg

The radiator cap has some cracks on the seal and it has shrunk in one spot. Also, it is a Motorcraft cap. Anyhow, I got the new parts and I had some questions:

1. The new overflow cap has a tube on it that goes into the overflow bottle. I guess that broke off on the old cap. Anyhow, it is too long for the bottle. Should I just shove it in there or trim it to fit? I am assuming it doesn't matter, but I just wanted to be sure.

2. I have gotten some coolant mixed up and wanted to know the easiest way to make sure the coolant system is full. The overflow is filled to the brim.

Thanks for all the help guys.

trim the tube to fit, that is trim is so that it just touches the bottom of the overflow tank.

as for the coolant system, you don't have to fill the overflow tank. simply fill the system, start the car and let it idle for a few minutes, watch to see if the level changes at the fill spout (level should go down as the coolant circulates through the system). top off the fill spout with coolant, and you're good to go.

i'm not sure if the overflow tank only receives coolant, or if it receives AND puts coolant back into the system if needed.

i'm not sure if the overflow tank only receives coolant, or if it receives AND puts coolant back into the system if needed.

The overflow tank does both... When the coolant heats up it expands which forces coolant into the overflow tank (the radiator cap has a spring to keep the coolant under some pressure).

When the coolant cools down it draws to coolant from the overflow tank back into the coolant system.

I would make sure there is always some coolant in the overflow tank... The hose is mounted on top of the radiator to force the air out of the coolant system first when it heats up and draw coolant back in when you let the engine cool down.