What does low or high oil pressure mean?

Question

Is it a measure of how much pressure is needed to push the oil through the engine? What problem is high oil pressure an indicator of? (for an average sedan)

Answer 1

Low oil pressure means you need to look at your oil gauge to make sure its working right or you need to replace your oil sending unit. Before you do that there is a device you can hook up to where the oil sending unit connects into the engine to make sure the gauge isnt bad. The device is kidna like a manual pild pressure gauge and will tell you what your car is reading. Make sure your car is warmed up when you do this, as the oil preuure will increase and decrease at different temps.

Answer 2

Oil Pressure High

Answer 3

It's more of a measure of how well you oil pump is working. If it gets really low, your motor will give out pretty quick. (ususlly if it's low that indicates it's low on oil, but it could be the pump going bad or wiring)
If it's maxed out even when the engine isn't running, you have a sensor or wiring problem. If it's higher than normal it's also probably a wiring or sensor problem, my way of checking is with an oil pressure tester (you can get one for under $30), it just screws in where the oil pressure sensor was and you run the engine. Had a Mercury that gave false high readings.
A mechanic should be able to test it, oughtta be about an hour of labor, depending on the car.

Answer 4

For the most part all of the previous answers are correct. I've had problems will oil pressure in the past and have learned a thing or two the hard way. In high mileage situations low oil pressure is usually cause by components being worn out, i.e. main or rod bearings, oil pump, and or cam bushings. in low mileage situations thinner oil will also cause lower readings. Also if your oil hasn't been changed in a long time, or if it's level is too low it can cause a low reading.
High oil pressure can be caused by a number of things also. If it's a low mileage situation, it could be from using too thick of an oil, tolerances being too tight between reciprocating parts, or even a bad oil pump, or a blockage of some sort like an extremely dirty oil filter. Usually blockages accurs in higher mileage situations unless the vehicle isn't well maintained. Oil pumps have a relief valve built into them. It's nothing more than a plunger and a spring inside of the pump that is designed to bleed off excess pressure should it occur. Most stock pumps bleed off somewhere between 60 to 80 psi. Meaning oil pressure shouldn't exceed these limits. if that relief valve is malfunctioning, you could experience upwards of 150 psi in a high rpm situation. that's enough to blow an oil filter apart. I've had that happen. Too high of an oil pressure is not a good thing either. It can actually cause increased friction on all components Modern engines are designed with only .001" clearance between rotating parts and the bearings or bushings they ride on. that's just enough room for oil, nothing else. Also high oil pressure isn't good for oil seals either they can also blow out.
I've been told by a number of automotive machine shops that 10 psi of oil pressure for every 1000 rpm is a safe bet. so if you drive a Hyundai or a KIA that never sees more than 3000 rpm, 30 psi is all you need. If you have a NASCAR engine that runs 9000 rpm all day you may want at least 85 or 90 psi.
Last but not least a faulty gauge, oil pressure sending unit or instrument cluster voltage regulator can cause high or low readings.
Hope my answer has been helpful to you.

Answer 5

This is the amount of hydraulic force used to move the oil through the engine parts. High pressure can be caused by the wrong type of oil, 50 weight in an engine that should have 5W-30, a plugged part of the oil system, sludge in oil passages or very dirty oil filter, internal engine part(s) being out of tolerance, clearances too tight on bearings or oil pump, or faulty sending unit or Gage just showing high pressure. Low oil pressure is usually a sign of worn internal engine parts but could indicate the wrong type of oil, a leak, or faulty sending unit or Gage.

Answer 6

A pump is used to 'push' oil through the engine components in order to lubricate them, mainly, the connecting rod and crankshaft bearings. These bearings have a channel grooved into them and actually allow the components to 'ride' on a barrier of engine oil thus reducing friction and increasing engine life. As the engine RPM's increase the oil pressure is increased to protect the bearings. Pressure needed is determined by manufacturer (the closer the tolerances the less pressure is needed, i.e; a race engine doesn't need as much pressure as a Kia). Very high pressure readings could indicate blockage or malfunctioning gauge. A mechanic can check pressure with a manual gauge to be sure.

Answer 7

Oil pressure is the measure of the amount of oil needed to properly lubricate your engine. Too high of a pressure means too much resistance to the flow of oil. Too low could mean that the engine is wearing out or the oil pump is wearing out. You can perform a oil pressure check to determine if you really have a problem.

Good Luck