Just picked up a toyota land cruiser (2013). This is the first car I have owned with an oil pressure gauge. Can anyone tell me how to read it? There are no numbers on it, just tick marks (large marks at the 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 positions and small ones in between). Do these correspond to PSI values?
Oil Pressure Gauge
- Thread starter Snakeskin
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It might not be a functional or "real" oil pressure gauge. Ford still makes trucks with oil pressure gauges ... but they don't do anything.
If it has a gauge, it can accept a replacement from VDO or SW which will read something useful. You will have to replace the sender unit and add the gauge, but at least there is a spot on the block for the sender.
Basically, don't worry about the psi from the stock gauge, put in a mechanical gauge if you want to know the exact psi. Instead, look for changes in what it reads.
If it's normally in the 15 position and drops to the 10, something might be going on.
If it's normally in the 15 position and drops to the 10, something might be going on.
It's a real gauge. The answer to your question will be in your Owner's Manual...seriously...my 1990 Toyota has tick marks that correspond to minimum pressure at hot idle, at cold idle, hot running, etc....and the manual has that detail...
That detail is all I've ever needed in 240,000 miles of running. In the summer, when 4 Wheeling and the engine is good and hot, 10W30 keeps it just above the hot idle tick when idling. 5W40 keeps it a bit farther above that tick in the same conditions. (OM allows for 5W30 winter, 10W30 or 10W40 summer) Pressure is well above the running tick mark with either viscosity, so, I know that my oil pressure is correct/sufficient without knowing the PSI...and the gauge still works perfectly, 23 years later.
That detail is all I've ever needed in 240,000 miles of running. In the summer, when 4 Wheeling and the engine is good and hot, 10W30 keeps it just above the hot idle tick when idling. 5W40 keeps it a bit farther above that tick in the same conditions. (OM allows for 5W30 winter, 10W30 or 10W40 summer) Pressure is well above the running tick mark with either viscosity, so, I know that my oil pressure is correct/sufficient without knowing the PSI...and the gauge still works perfectly, 23 years later.
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its a 60K+ vehicle, I am sure the gauge is real.
Just because it's a 60k+ vehicle doesn't really make it any more likely it's a real gauge. I'm sure if you get a limited f-150 (53k), it's still a dummy gauge.
Originally Posted By: ClutchDisc
Just because it's a 60k+ vehicle doesn't really make it any more likely it's a real gauge. I'm sure if you get a limited f-150 (53k), it's still a dummy gauge.
+1
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges. Even brand new they were inexpensive trucks... especially the '99 with hand crank windows and manual locks, no cruise control, no overhead console, not even map lights. Expensive has never guaranteed "better."
That said, the digital (in the EVIC) oil pressure readout in the SRT looks pretty darn accurate, or at least on a relative-to-itself scale if its not spot-on as far as absolute PSI.
Just because it's a 60k+ vehicle doesn't really make it any more likely it's a real gauge. I'm sure if you get a limited f-150 (53k), it's still a dummy gauge.
+1
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges. Even brand new they were inexpensive trucks... especially the '99 with hand crank windows and manual locks, no cruise control, no overhead console, not even map lights. Expensive has never guaranteed "better."
That said, the digital (in the EVIC) oil pressure readout in the SRT looks pretty darn accurate, or at least on a relative-to-itself scale if its not spot-on as far as absolute PSI.
You are really looking for a change in PSI from normal. The actual PSI is not that important. If it is normally 3/4 and now its 1/4 then further checking is needed. The best way to measure actual oil pressure is with a mechanical test gauge.
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges.
It's funny how the public has been brainwashed into thinking that these dummy-gauges are working gauges. I still have a '93 super-high mileage Aerostar with the dummy gauge. My wife swears that after a fresh oil change the gauge reads higher. (It doesn't, but I just smile when she says that) Yet my '96 Cherokees have a good working oil gauge. Matter-of-fact, one of them is reading lower with an E-core filter on it than if I have a Wix on it, actually by quite a bit. I may have to get that filter off early. Yet if the Jeep would have a dummy gauge on it, I would have no idea that something is amiss.
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges.
It's funny how the public has been brainwashed into thinking that these dummy-gauges are working gauges. I still have a '93 super-high mileage Aerostar with the dummy gauge. My wife swears that after a fresh oil change the gauge reads higher. (It doesn't, but I just smile when she says that) Yet my '96 Cherokees have a good working oil gauge. Matter-of-fact, one of them is reading lower with an E-core filter on it than if I have a Wix on it, actually by quite a bit. I may have to get that filter off early. Yet if the Jeep would have a dummy gauge on it, I would have no idea that something is amiss.
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges.
It's funny how the public has been brainwashed into thinking that these dummy-gauges are working gauges. I still have a '93 super-high mileage Aerostar with the dummy gauge. My wife swears that after a fresh oil change the gauge reads higher. (It doesn't, but I just smile when she says that) Yet my '96 Cherokees have a good working oil gauge. Matter-of-fact, one of them is reading lower with an E-core filter on it than if I have a Wix on it, actually by quite a bit. I may have to get that filter off early. Yet if the Jeep would have a dummy gauge on it, I would have no idea that something is amiss.
The TJ wrangler was the last Jeep to have a real oil pressure guage. And 03/04s had them programmed to be dummy gauges if you got the PCM update, from what I understand.
@440 Magnum - I got a line ticket for my Cherokee from Chrysler. Mine was $27k new!
I do like having the real oil pressure gauge. Never verified how accurate mine is, but it's good enough for me!
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
If anything argues for it being a "real" gauge in a vehicle, its when its an older-design vehicle, not an expensive vehicle. Both my cheapo XJ Cherokees have functional (and surprisingly accurate) factory oil pressure gauges.
It's funny how the public has been brainwashed into thinking that these dummy-gauges are working gauges. I still have a '93 super-high mileage Aerostar with the dummy gauge. My wife swears that after a fresh oil change the gauge reads higher. (It doesn't, but I just smile when she says that) Yet my '96 Cherokees have a good working oil gauge. Matter-of-fact, one of them is reading lower with an E-core filter on it than if I have a Wix on it, actually by quite a bit. I may have to get that filter off early. Yet if the Jeep would have a dummy gauge on it, I would have no idea that something is amiss.
The TJ wrangler was the last Jeep to have a real oil pressure guage. And 03/04s had them programmed to be dummy gauges if you got the PCM update, from what I understand.
@440 Magnum - I got a line ticket for my Cherokee from Chrysler. Mine was $27k new!
I do like having the real oil pressure gauge. Never verified how accurate mine is, but it's good enough for me!
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