What's your Oil Pressure at idle?

Son of Odin · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 08:44 PM

My oil pressure gauge reads exactly like the fuel gauge. There are no markings to indicate a messured psi. Now based on the fuel gauge example......

While sitting at a red light etc, engine at idle speed, engine at normal driving temp, my oil pressure gauge indicates what would be compared to a quarter tank of gass. 1/4 tank. I have no idea what psi that would be, but it seems very low. At normal driving rpm's, the pressure is anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4. I would consider around 3/4 to be normal.

Question, Is my idle oil pressure equal to yours or is it low?

Did any of this make sense?

Thanks!

Jack Burton · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Son of Odin
My oil pressure gauge reads exactly like the fuel gauge. There are no markings to indicate a messured psi. Now based on the fuel gauge example......

While sitting at a red light etc, engine at idle speed, engine at normal driving temp, my oil pressure gauge indicates what would be compared to a quarter tank of gass. 1/4 tank. I have no idea what psi that would be, but it seems very low. At normal driving rpm's, the pressure is anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4. I would consider around 3/4 to be normal.

Question, Is my idle oil pressure equal to yours or is it low?

Did any of this make sense?

Thanks!

I would say that describes my truck to a T.....Maybe a little less than the 3/4 mark for most of the time. JB

Son of Odin · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 09:42 PM

Quote:

I would say that describes my truck to a T.....Maybe a little less than the 3/4 mark for most of the time. JB

Jack, Are you also idling the same? 1/4 at idle? Thanks

Jack Burton · #4 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Son of Odin
Jack, Are you also idling the same? 1/4 at idle? Thanks

Yes sir..!!! All these gauges give a general indication of your oil pressure. Nothing but fancier (Or worse?) idiot lights. I check my oil every time I fill up for more peace of mind...... JB

Pistolero · #5 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 10:58 PM

My 2003 SR5 is just about a month old, and it scared the bejabbers out of me when I glanced at the oil pressure gauge at a stoplight in hot weather shortly after I got it. The needle was sitting at or a little lower than the 1/4 mark that you referred to in your post. I thought the engine had run out of oil and was on the verge of seizing up! After a second or two, the initial panic subsided, and as I pulled away, the needle swung up to about the 3/4 mark. I read in the manual a little later that this is apparently normal...thank goodness.

Son of Odin · #6 (**permalink**) 08-09-2003, 11:55 PM

Quote:

After a second or two, the initial panic subsided, and as I pulled away, the needle swung up to about the 3/4 mark.

That was my experience this morning. I had visions of defective oil pumps and clogged oil galleys running through my head. Thanks for the stress relief guys!

v8Toilet · #7 (**permalink**) 08-10-2003, 12:13 AM

Mine does the same and it's normal!

Stooge · #8 (**permalink**) 08-10-2003, 08:51 AM

Hate to disagree - It is not normal. The gauge should never be lower than 1/4 on hot idle. It is normal in the fact that the oil pressure is fine but the guage readings are erronenous. Have the sending unit replaced, and possibly the gauge cluster, and you'll see that you'll have 1/4 oil pressure on hot idle, 3/4 on cold idle and between 1/2 and 3/4 at highway speed. It is a myth that Toyotas have "low idle oil pressure." It is a fact that they have very inaccurate guages that can be fixed to work relatively well.

nhparrot · #9 (**permalink**) 08-10-2003, 09:59 AM

Folks see TSB EL006-03 "OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READS LOW" in the Service Bulletins Database

dsconstructs · #10 (**permalink**) 08-10-2003, 12:01 PM

There are other threads in here that discuss this oil gauge reading. I had the new sending unit intalled and it honestly made no difference in the reading on my gauge. At idle in gear it creeps down to about 1/8 on the gauge if not less than that. I read another post on another thread where someone with an 03 stated that their manual says that a reading down to 0 at idle is normal. Another member had a mechanical gauge installed to double check this. Though it would be nicer to see an oil gauge that didn't drop so low, it does appear that actual oil pressure is adequate.

peid · #11 (**permalink**) 08-11-2003, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stooge
Hate to disagree - It is not normal. The gauge should never be lower than 1/4 on hot idle.

It does not appear to be normal and it shouldn't be normal, BUT that is the way it is.

I just had mine replaced last week (Sending unit) made no difference what so ever!

I wish they wouldn't read all over the gauge but they do and it is something that is easy to live with.