Hi,
The oil warning (pressure warning) light flickered when coming to a stop and with engine idling after a period of highway driving. Oil was only 5k km old and is the correct spec fully synthetic (5w-30 and matching all the manufacturers requirements) etc. Level is OK.
So checked the pressures using a plug-in gauge:
cold
@idle 1.75 bar = 25 psi
@2000 3.25 bar = 47 psi
hot
@idle 0.25 bar = 4 psi
@2000 1.5 bar = 22 psi
Replaced oil and filters and re-measured, so cold is while the engine is still warm but with fresh oil in
warm
@idle 1 bar = 15 psi
@2000 2.2 bar = 32 psi
hot
@idle 0.5 bar = 7 psi
@2000 0.75 bar = 25 psi
Tested the next day, so engine really cold again
cold
@idle 1.75 bar = 25 psi
@2000 4 bar = 58 psi
So, need some advice now on interpreting these numbers. When cold the figures are all within engine specifications. Hot, they are too low.
There is no undue noise from the engine, except for the top-end tappets when idling, which I would expect with such low pressures, so I am hopeful that it is not bottom-end problems.
The oil pickup was replaced ~40k kms before and I assume that because the pressure is OK when cold then this is not causing the problem.
Does this imply that the engine is dead (main bearings worn) or that perhaps the oil pump is worn, or better still there is just a sticking pressure relief valve somewhere?
Any advice what to check / do next? Oil pump is a pig to get at behind cambelt etc, so not a quick job to pull off and check.
Many thanks
The oil warning (pressure warning) light flickered when coming to a stop and with engine idling after a period of highway driving. Oil was only 5k km old and is the correct spec fully synthetic (5w-30 and matching all the manufacturers requirements) etc. Level is OK.
So checked the pressures using a plug-in gauge:
cold
@idle 1.75 bar = 25 psi
@2000 3.25 bar = 47 psi
hot
@idle 0.25 bar = 4 psi
@2000 1.5 bar = 22 psi
Replaced oil and filters and re-measured, so cold is while the engine is still warm but with fresh oil in
warm
@idle 1 bar = 15 psi
@2000 2.2 bar = 32 psi
hot
@idle 0.5 bar = 7 psi
@2000 0.75 bar = 25 psi
Tested the next day, so engine really cold again
cold
@idle 1.75 bar = 25 psi
@2000 4 bar = 58 psi
So, need some advice now on interpreting these numbers. When cold the figures are all within engine specifications. Hot, they are too low.
There is no undue noise from the engine, except for the top-end tappets when idling, which I would expect with such low pressures, so I am hopeful that it is not bottom-end problems.
The oil pickup was replaced ~40k kms before and I assume that because the pressure is OK when cold then this is not causing the problem.
Does this imply that the engine is dead (main bearings worn) or that perhaps the oil pump is worn, or better still there is just a sticking pressure relief valve somewhere?
Any advice what to check / do next? Oil pump is a pig to get at behind cambelt etc, so not a quick job to pull off and check.
Many thanks