Wondering if anyone knows what normal warm engine idle oil pressure should be for an EJ22?

 

Back story. My wagon has been ticking like crazy the past two weeks or so. Lifters ticking, fading in and out. Cold engine they didn't do it but once it got warmed up they started making noise. Not knowing the full history of this engine I figured it would be worthwhile to check the oil pressure. I was kinda surprised to find the gauge sitting at around 12 psi at idle. It picks up to around 35-40 psi by 2000 rpm, and continues to climb with higher rpm.

I checked this engine not long ago and had higher numbers at idle, but I wasn't sure if the engine just wasn't warmed up all the way, or if there was some type of problem internally that might account for the drop.

So today I tested the engine in my sedan, and got the same readings. Around 12psi at idle, climbing to 35-40 psi around 2000 rpm.

 

Should 12psi be normal? :-\

My service manual says 14 psi or more at 800 rpm and 43 psi or more at 5,000rpm and I don't see any comments on engine temperature in the oil pressure measurement directions.

Different weight oils give different pressures and older old thins out as it is used and can give lower readings than a fresh oil change.

Thanks for the info. I dug around in the FSM I have and couldn't come up with anything.

Guess I'm in the clear then.

 

 

I use 5w-30 in both engines. The sedan was changed about 7-800 miles ago. The wagon has ~1800-2000 miles on the oil. I think I'll switch it to the high mileage mix I run in the sedan after I get the head gasket fixed.

Oil pressure spec is on a warm engine.

CUt the oil change interval down to 5000 miles and see if that helps. Blu does this on synthetic, thats at 6000 miles so i change him at 5000.

Those pain meds kickin' in good today man?

I normally change oil at 3,000. It hasn't even made it that far yet.

oh hush you, your just jelouse

 

Just for giggles does your oil smell like fuel at all?

Nope. Not that I can tell anyway. Just smells like old used oil.

 

I sent in a sample for analysis so we're gonna find out what's in it on Monday or Tuesday.

Nope. Not that I can tell anyway. Just smells like old used oil.

 

I sent in a sample for analysis so we're gonna find out what's in it on Monday or Tuesday.

 

 

 

i suspect dead plants and dinosaurs.

 

Say what gauge are you using to measure this and what range. Cheap gauges are most accurate in the middle 60% of its range, sweep (20/60/20 on a 100 psi gauge) if your lucky. 1 psi off is nothing to really worry about.

Matco.

I made a video. Sadly, it hasn't gone viral yet.

 

 

 

Most any gauge of any kind is never going to be 100% accurate. That's just the nature of mass producing components. Close enough is usually good 'nuff anyway. I figure this one should be at least within 1 or 2 psi. The overall number doesn't bother me that much now that I know it should be as low as it is.

 

Listen to the lifters in the video. They gradually fade in, working up to being really loud, then instantly quiet. Like they bleed down, then blockage/check ball/whatever kicks loose and they pump back up instantly. They do this on both heads. I haven't pinned down exactly which ones do it.

Suggest you add, (or when changing oil.) a can of Marvel Mystery Oil. The product has been around since the dawn of automobiles. It has a great reputation of quieting down lifters. Available at all auto parts stores.

Just for giggles does your oil smell like fuel at all?

 

Sorry to hijack this, but I need to know... Why did you ask this? My oil has been smelling a little bit like gas lately, and since you mentioned it, my interest has now been peaked I don't have any noise coming from my engine (other than the normal sounds), but I am curious why my oil has been smelling a little bit like fuel when I change the oil. I did have a bad injector several months back, but I fixed that problem shortly after it started...

Sorry to hijack this, but I need to know... Why did you ask this? My oil has been smelling a little bit like gas lately, and since you mentioned it, my interest has now been peaked I don't have any noise coming from my engine (other than the normal sounds), but I am curious why my oil has been smelling a little bit like fuel when I change the oil. I did have a bad injector several months back, but I fixed that problem shortly after it started...

 

Fuel in the oil usually indicates excessive ring wear, or some other condition allowing compression to '"blow-by" the pistons into the crankcase.

Fuel in the oil usually indicates excessive ring wear, or some other condition allowing compression to '"blow-by" the pistons into the crankcase.

 

 

Actually the simple thing first, dont go scaring him ....... yet

 

A leaky fuel injector is the most common cause on FI cars.

Matco.

I made a video. Sadly, it hasn't gone viral yet.

 

 

 

Most any gauge of any kind is never going to be 100% accurate. That's just the nature of mass producing components. Close enough is usually good 'nuff anyway. I figure this one should be at least within 1 or 2 psi. The overall number doesn't bother me that much now that I know it should be as low as it is.

 

.

 

 

A good (not even really good) calibrated gauge can cost 300.00 or more, a great one can be 1000 (I used to buy and calibrate them for a defense contractor). SO even a 100.00 gauge, while better then a 20.00 gauge still wont be that accurate.

Actually the simple thing first, dont go scaring him ....... yet

 

A leaky fuel injector is the most common cause on FI cars.

 

Well I replaced the bad injector and have changed the oil twice since then. The first oil change I did on the car when I first bought it did not smell like gas, so it's probably related to the fuel injector.

 

Anything I can do to double check that? A compression test would probably tell me alot of course, but I don't have the equipment, or money to buy the equipment right now, so that will have to wait...

 

Thanks for the responses so far, and letting my hijack your thread

you dont need to buy a compression tester - you should be able to "borrow" (rent) one from places like advance auto, or whomever has tool rentals.

 

shouldnt cost that much.

 

now I am gonna do a little hijacking of my own - I want to put an oil pressure gauge in my 90 Lego - a really cheap one! LoL my question is, do i need to keep the stock idiot light sender (ie: T fitting), or can i ditch that and thread the gauge fitting directly in there?

Edited June 27, 201114 yr by heartless

you dont need to buy a compression tester - you should be able to "borrow" (rent) one from places like advance auto, or whomever has tool rentals.

 

shouldnt cost that much.

 

now I am gonna do a little hijacking of my own - I want to put an oil pressure gauge in my 90 Lego - a really cheap one! LoL my question is, do i need to keep the stock idiot light sender (ie: T fitting), or can i ditch that and thread the gauge fitting directly in there?

 

I think tool rentals run $25 or $30 (last time I rented one anyway) at Autozone.

And you get money back when you bring the tool back.

 

 

The dummy light switch isn't necessary if you have a gauge. Just tape/shrinkwrap the end of the wire so the light will stay off.

The dummy light switch isn't necessary if you have a gauge.

 

That's a bit risky!

Most drivers wouldn't pay attention to gauges (did I mention my wife?).

But a warning light might attract their attention.

That's a bit risky!

Most drivers wouldn't pay attention to gauges (did I mention my wife?).

But a warning light might attract their attention.

 

hehe, i fully understand your concern about the light vs gauge thing - but I am definitely a gauge person, so in my case, the light is nothing more than a waste of electrical wiring.

 

it has also been my experience (yours may vary) that most "idiot lights" dont turn on until damage is already done (ie - way too late to actually do any good) where as a gauge will give indications of problems in advance of damage being done (if, as you suggested, the operator actually checks said gauges - which i do)

 

My case in point - my 1990 Legacy has only a water temp gauge - nothing else. I recently had to replace the alternator - I had no warning system to let me know the thing was on it's way out - i didnt "know" it was going until it was done - as in all of my dash warning lights came on suddenly. Had I had a real gauge, i would have known it was going well before it completely quit on me (and yes, i AM putting in a voltmeter as well as the oil pressure gauge!)

 

Personally, i think ALL vehicles should have at least the bare basic gauges - water temp, oil pressure and voltmeter - and how to check/read them should be taught in drivers ed. Seriously - lets get back to the BASICS of driving - too many people have gotten entirely too lazy in that dept cause the car does it all for them.

Blu has a jdm gauge, its metric, but i know the numbers. If you put in the gauge, you read the gauge.

 

idiot lights really dont mean anything as people ignore them too unless they have buzzers.

If you put in the gauge, you read the gauge.

 

idiot lights really dont mean anything as people ignore them too unless they have buzzers.

 

Exactly. Some drivers don't pay attention to gauges. Others don't pay attention to anything at all. If they even notice some random light on in the dash, it gets brushed off as some random light on in the dash that will go away soon.

 

 

Anyway, was hoping to update this tuesday with some results, here we are on thursday, and I haven't got the results of the test yet. Who knew the USPS could take a week to move a 5oz package from VA to Atlanta, GA?

 

In the mentime I've been fighting with the same wonderful boot sector virus on two different computers. I'm almost ready to give up on PC's altogether.

If you put in the gauge, you read the gauge.

 

idiot lights really dont mean anything as people ignore them too unless they have buzzers.

 

and then they only pay attention because the buzzer is driving them crazy and they want to know how to turn it off...they dont care what the buzzer means, just make it stop!

 

In the meantime I've been fighting with the same wonderful boot sector virus on two different computers. I'm almost ready to give up on PC's altogether.

 

uh-oh - that doesnt sound good. possibly time for a f-disk format and re-install??

Edited July 1, 201114 yr by heartless