How to Fix Low Oil Pressure

If the heart of a car is the engine(fen view motors), then the heart of the engine is the oil pump, which pumps engine oil to lubricate moving parts, remove residual heat and drive the hydraulics. On many older vehicles, an oil pressure gauge in the instrument cluster provided a visual indication of the actual oil pressure, typically with a 50 to 60 psi refill. Most modern vehicles, however, have eliminated the oil pressure gauge, replacing it with a simple low oil pressure warning light, which illuminates when the oil pressure drops from 5 to 7 psi.

In general, if the vehicle is equipped with an oil pressure gauge, it should never dive into the red area at the bottom of the pressure gauge. In the event that your vehicle is equipped with only one warning light, it should never come on while the engine is running. If the indicator turns red or the warning light stays on, stop driving immediately and stop the engine. Insufficient oil pressure will quickly lead to expensive engine damage.

Oil pressure depends on several critical factors, such as oil supply, oil type, engine condition, oil pump condition and weather conditions, to name a few. Here are some possible causes of low oil pressure and how to fix them.

01
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Oil supply problems
Logically, if not enough oil gets to the oil pump, the oil pump will not be able to generate enough pressure in the engine lubrication system.

If the oil level is low, the oil pump will have nothing to work with. Low oil level may also manifest as low intermittent oil pressure in high-speed corners, as the oil in the sump slides sideways and away from the oil collection tube. Simply adding engine oil may temporarily resolve the oil pressure problem, although you will still need to address the cause, such as burning oil or oil leaks. Burning oil is caused by worn piston rings, worn valve guides or valve seals, turbocharger leaks or excessive blowing. Repairing oil leaks or oil burns could result in serious engine repairs or could be something as simple as replacing the drain plug gasket.
The engine sludge gets stuck everywhere and can easily soil the screen of the collection tube, starving the oil pump and the rest of the engine. Engine sludge is caused by lack of maintenance, but last minute maintenance may not be enough to fix the problem. The engine will probably have to be dismantled and cleaned.
A defective or clogged oil filter may limit the flow of oil to the oil pump. If everything else looks fine, replacing the oil filter could solve this problem.
02
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Wrong oil viscosity
Most modern engines use multi-viscosity engine oils, most in all seasons. In northern climates, seasonal temperatures can fluctuate above 100 ° F, from summer highs, over 90 ° F, to winter lows, below -10 ° F. Multi-viscosity oils flow thin during the cold season, but they thicken with increasing temperature, maintaining adequate lubricating properties. The use of a low viscosity oil in winter improves the lubrication of the cold start but would be too thin in operating conditions of the hot summer engine, leading to low oil pressure and possible damage to the engine.

At the next oil change, it is quite possible that the recommended mixture is not available, at which point another oil may be replaced. If low oil pressure problems occur after an oil change or a seasonal change, an oil change with the correct oil viscosity may remedy the situation.
Some vehicles may specify different blends of summer and winter oils. Make sure to complete all oil change services with the proper oil before the season changes.
03
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Electrical problems
instrument panel with several indicator lights on
With so many lights, even oil pressure, we could suspect an electrical problem.
dinomite / Flickr

While many old pressure gauges were real hydromechanical gauges, the more modern indicator lights and gauges are electric or electronic. When studying low oil pressure problems, the best way to test the actual oil pressure is with an oil pressure gauge, which may be available to rent from an auto parts store.