Oil pressure problems

90laser1.8 · #1 09-27-2006, 07:08 PM

Hello... I have as far as i know a stock 1990 plymouth laser 1.8.. and for some reason when i start it up from cold it has great oil pressure... but as the car warms up the oil pressure drops... when its running 3 grand the oil pressure is just clearing the bottum line on the gauge... it is a factory gauge... i can't figure it out... if anyone can help me please do... thank you

Killa · #2 09-27-2006, 08:22 PM

Check the sensor, it might be bad.

90laser1.8 · #3 09-27-2006, 08:44 PM

ok... i shoulda mentioned this earlier... i'm mechanically inclined... so if u could also explain how to do it that would be great also... i'm new to this type of vehicle... use to driving a 84 montecarlo.... thanx again...

Blackcrow64 · #4 09-28-2006, 01:24 AM

The oil pressure sending unit screws into the bottom of the oil filter housing. Those sending units are the sensors and they do go bad quite often. Also the other problem is that the wire clips are sometimes loose on them and can come unplugged with natural ease. Of course your problem sounds to be a possible bad sending unit.

First I would start the car and let it idle until its to operating temperature and check the gauge. If your oil pressure is lower than it should be at that time then pull the oil fill cap and see if its slinging enough oil up around on the cams and such. If it has plenty of oil slinging around in there and the gauge reads that its too low then that tells us the sending unit is in fact going bad. If there is not enough oil being slung around then that means there is a larger possible problem. (oil pump going bad, oil filter clogged, oil pickup clogged, etc.)

90laser1.8 · #5 09-28-2006, 09:31 AM

ok... i went out last night after i posted my ?... and it was of course dark... but what i could see with my flashlight is that there is oil going over the cam and everything.. and when i hit the throttle the oil sprays out the hole where the lid is... i'm just wondering if thats good oil pressure or if it should come out the hole idleing... thank you for ur help... and please keep sending more...

Blackcrow64 · #6 09-28-2006, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90laser1.8

ok... i went out last night after i posted my ?... and it was of course dark... but what i could see with my flashlight is that there is oil going over the cam and everything.. and when i hit the throttle the oil sprays out the hole where the lid is... i'm just wondering if thats good oil pressure or if it should come out the hole idleing... thank you for ur help... and please keep sending more...

During idle it shouldn't spray out of the fill hole, but since it did when you revved it that indicates that it has plenty of oil pressure. I would say the next step is to replace your sending unit.

90laser1.8 · #7 09-28-2006, 04:46 PM

ok... today i went out and bought a sending unit... and i got a new oil filter and changed the oil... the oil pressure is doing fine... but it will be even better when i put the lucas in it... that has to wait till tomorrow... thank you guys for all ur help.... i'll keep u posted.

Black99GST · #8 09-28-2006, 05:27 PM

... lucas... i wouldnt if i where you...

90laser1.8 · #9 09-28-2006, 06:18 PM

o... ok... what would u suggest using to make the oil thicker... that what everyone around here uses.. thats y i was going to.

eclipsed at 3am · #10 09-28-2006, 06:28 PM

lucas..that was probably your problem in the first place.

90laser1.8 · #11 09-28-2006, 10:53 PM

no... the oil was thinner than water... lol.. that was the prob... and the sending unit was real rusty.. i took it off and it fell apart...

Blackcrow64 · #12 09-28-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90laser1.8

no... the oil was thinner than water... lol.. that was the prob... and the sending unit was real rusty.. i took it off and it fell apart...

Yup, I'm totally the oil expert now. lol

I suggest running Amsoil with a stock Mitsubishi oil filter. Perfect combination there.

TalonEclipseMixGsx · #13 09-29-2006, 12:36 AM

I have a 94 Talon 1.8 and it runs good when started up and while im driving. While sitting at idle the oil pressure drops almost all the way down on the stock oil press gauge. So im always revvin up at the light which makes people think i wanna race. But it smokes so i put in castrol 10w30 high mileage and a bottle of that no smoke but i use a fram filter which i think might be a problem as i read some of the other threads about fram, i now switched to mobile 1 filters.

90laser1.8 · #14 10-01-2006, 07:59 AM

ya my oil pressure drops while idleing... the reason it smokes is because ur valve seals are out of it.. mine does the same thing... and as soon as u start driving the smoke stops? i used valvoline oil... with an stp oil filter.... everything is going great

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