91z 2 8

so normally my car runs at idle at about 28-30 psi and recently just starting today the oil pressure is running really really low not in red on the guage but at about 15-20. Also it revs low but when i drive it runs fine what could it be?

z28monster

iTrader: (1)

replace the oil pressure sending unit before you get upset first mine went on me and i thought the engine was going found out it was a 20 buc sender lol...

91z 2 8

ight ill look into that is it a easy job for somone who dont know **** about cars or sohould i have somone do it for me?

dirtywhiteZ28

I'd try taking the wire off, then putting it back on but wiggling it a little up and down, before replacing the sending unit. Those connectors are made of brass and sometimes corrosion gets to the point where it has trouble making good contact.

dirtywhiteZ28

Often times mechanics try to place the blame on the gauge. If thats the first thing out of their mouth, walk away, QUICKLY, their looking to make a free buck or don't really want to work on your car.
The sending unit is probably fine, they usually don't send any signal at all if they are broken. If the diagham inside is failing it will quit working altogether in a short amount of time, if the internal resistor goes out then its like a light bulb, it won't work at all.

pandin

Well the sending unit in mine said 6 psi, with the engine cold, turned off, and setting overnite.

Changed sending unit and all was fine, as have many other people on this site.

A mechanical guage check will verify the true oil pressure.

BTW I thought all this advice was free.

dirtywhiteZ28

Yes the advice here is free and your not standing in some ones shop. If you had heard the same thing over and over at different shops like I have you would maybe understand. I don't mean that in a rude manner .
My gauge lands all over the place when I shut it off, usually it just holds the last reading but not always. I'm not discounting the fact that there may indeed be a problem with the sending unit, just make sure its not something a bit more simple, I've had three camaros do the exact same thing to me over the years and have had luck with cleaning the contact point, restoring the gauge to its proper function on all three.

pandin

Cleaning the connectors is number 2 behind turning the power off, on all electronic equipment. Unplug and plug cures many intermittant troubles.

But remember these are 20 + year old cars, and any part or thing can just die.

dirtywhiteZ28

Yea, I wonder just what he means by it revs low. I hope thats just a last lap leader syndrom kicking in after he noticed the gauge acting up or a real problem like pluged up oil filter/ or pick up screen.

Dens71TA

iTrader: (5)

It sounds normal to me. The '92 L98 I just put into a '89 IROC-Z runs about the same as yours. With GM recommended 5W30 oil in the crankcase and at operating temp it runs 15-20 PSI at 650RPM and in Drive, 30 PSI at 1500 RPM, and 50-55 PSI at 2000 RPM and beyond.

The service manual specs out 10 PSI minimum at 500 RPM and 30-55 PSI at 2000RPM.

91z 2 8

what i mean by revs low is itl rev lower then it usually dose (at 900 when warmed up) and the car shakes kinda

Tice

Where are said contact points? I'm having this problem with my 305 TPI now, and was hoping I don't have to change the sending unit... Thanks in advance.

Tice

No one?

mmyers_417

i have the same problem mine is at like 30psi when i start it and drive then at a light, in the red at zero im gonna do that thing u said with the connectors ill post back when i try it

mmyers_417

increased my idle to 1000 rpm runs alot better now and i have oil pressure was at like 750

Pierce92

So I think I may be having the or similar problem. I know very little about cars, but Im in the process of learning. But my camaro runs on low oil pressure(says the gage) almost 24/7. It sits in the middle when the car is cold-ish, but as soon as it gets warm it drops to almost zero as well. I know that oil pressure tends to drop as a car gets warmer, but it shouldnt drop this low right?

mmyers_417

na didnt work still does it idk what it could be