low oil pressure at idle

[Basher_12]

OK, my car is a 1998 camaro 3.8 automatic. This issue i'm having is that on a cold startup my oil pressure is good. After about 15 minutes of driving i start to loose oil pressure. I checked my dipstick and oil level is good. If i drive longer then 15 minutes, the oil pressure almost reaches zero before i have to shut it off. So what would cause me to have good oil pressure at idle when the car is cold, but not when it is warmed up. Thanks in advance

[Choppers]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

may be a bad oil pressure sending unit

[Blizzard242]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

what kind of oil are you using?

[3.4orNothing]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

oil is thicker when cold,,,as it heats up it goes thinner,hence the presure drop.

make sure to use 5_30 or 10_30 depending where you r located.

[Rangersltw]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

I am having the exact same problem and I just replaced my sending unit and am using Penzoil 10w-30.

[IwannaCamarosoBad]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

10W? Wow I use 5W30, not sayin thats your problem. Changed your oil and filter lately?

[3.4orNothing]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

10W? Wow I use 5W30, not sayin thats your problem. Changed your oil and filter lately?

do you know what the 5w or 10w stands for?????????

[Choppers]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

well i doubt oil is your problem. i use 10w40 if that matters and run 60 at 70mph and 45 and idle. Is the car running normal or does it seem sluggish?

[3.4orNothing]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

well i doubt oil is your problem. i use 10w40 if that matters and run 60 at 70mph and 45 and idle. Is the car running normal or does it seem sluggish?

now that im not that sleepy..............check your sending unit,oil of course.

40 makes you lose some power,,,if ya know what i mean.

[J Phillies]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

oil is thicker when cold,,,as it heats up it goes thinner,hence the presure drop.

that's not exactly how it works.....

http://www.upmpg.com/tech_articles/motoroil_viscosity/

[Choppers]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

i don't know man i live in florida and oil here gets hot. i have 175,000 miles on mine and have been running the same oil thickness and brand since new. so.....hmmm.....i don't think i have anything to worry about other than old worn out motor thats been ran hard and put up wet.;)

[Rangersltw]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

10W? Wow I use 5W30, not sayin thats your problem. Changed your oil and filter lately?

I changed my oil about 600-700 miles ago with brand new filter. The sending unit has the same miles on it. Any ideas? My oil cap says 10w-30 on it, so that is what goes in the car. Im using conventional Penzoil.

[Blizzard242]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

Try sticking a mechanical pressure gauge in the oil pressure sensor port and compare.

[Basher_12]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

well i'm using 10 30 oil. My car is running sluggish also. Forgot to mention that my car had overheated before blowing a head gasket, replaced the head gasket. Don't know if that would have any effect? I thought about running like 20 50 oil to see if that could help the problem a little bit. but still am curious as to what would be the cause of it

[ssms5411]

Re: low oil pressure at idle

I run Royal Purple 20w50 hear in AZ and it runs great since the weather here is always hot, oil PSI stays around 60 PSI most the time.