Temps go up, oil pressure goes down

**karpetcm** · 07-16-2010, 08:11 PM

Well lately its been crazy hot here in southern cali, its 90's as im typing and its past 9pm. Anyway since the temps have gone up my oil pressure has dropped alot. Before letting my motor run at idle for a while it wouldnt drop below 35PSI but now its barely at 30PSI when i came home and it was kinda fluctuating going a little back and forth meaning the needle. I just went down and started it after letting it cool even though its been a few hours the motor is still hot it idled 40+PSI just a few minutes ago. So im hoping the hot weather has alot to do with it.

**0rion** · 07-16-2010, 09:29 PM

sounds like you're fine.....just keep a close eye on it. Do you have a regular pressure gauge or are you going by the dash gauge? Those dash gauges are ballpark at best on anything after the 98's.

**karpetcm** · 07-16-2010, 10:29 PM

ya just by the dash gauge only. The car runs fine and it seems like its only been doing it in the hot weather. If it goes any lower ill have one of the mechanics check it out at work and see what happens but im pretty much positive its from the hot weather. We should cool down in the next couple of days and ill see if the PSI goes to were it was before.

**Smittro** · 07-16-2010, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

sounds like you're fine.....just keep a close eye on it. Do you have a regular pressure gauge or are you going by the dash gauge? Those dash gauges are ballpark at best on anything after the 98's.

This..

Hot oil thins out so to speak and always shows lower @ operational temps than when cold.. The dash guage is stait junk imho.. I hooked up a full sweep guage @ the sending unit port on mine even tho it's a v6 because of a slight guage issue, (not going above or below 60psi @ any rpm).. Found that the dash guage just basicly shows that the oil pump is working and should'nt be counted on as accurate..

**67CamaroRSSS** · 07-16-2010, 11:15 PM

I laugh at your "90*" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

It gets "down" to 90* at night here in "The Valley of The Sun"... My 98 runs at a tad over 20psi at idle in 110+ temps and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

**karpetcm** · 07-17-2010, 08:46 AM

Im glad i put in 10-30 i think with 5-30 or anything thinner would definitly been even lower. I was shocked as to how hot it is now. Its suppose to cool down within the next couple of days and ill feel alot better.

**importhater81** · 07-17-2010, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by karpetcm

Im glad i put in 10-30 i think with 5-30 or anything thinner would definitly been even lower. I was shocked as to how hot it is now. Its suppose to cool down within the next couple of days and ill feel alot better.

5w-30 and 10w-30 are the same when hot.The 5 and 10 are cold weight ratings. Pressure should be the same with either at operating temp.