Hello Fellow First Gens!
I need some help. My 84 is now indicating low pressure at warm idle. I can start it up and everything is normal, but when it warms (after 1/2 driving) as soon as it gets to idle (800 rpm), it starts to flirt with the last line on the gauge and the start of the red. I run 20w50 oil for summer protection which I would think would actually raise the pressure.
Here is the confusing part, I did recently change the oil pressure sender as my stock one was leaking big time. But why would it read right when cold and then get wierd when warm?
I have a chiltons and a service manual and cannot find a stock spec for idle oil pressure. Please post it if you have it.
Any suggestions?
I was thinking of buying a manual gauge to verify. I was also thinking of swapping out the switch, but I am thinking it is good.
The oil and filter are about a year old with maybe 600 miles on it. The pump itself was replaced with my rebuild in 93, but only driven 12K miles since then.
Either way, this puts a serious dent in my plans to drive this while my Camaro is down. I may have to get the brakes on the Camaro and drive that for a while...
Any help appreciated.
I have the shop manual and can't seem to find a number.
Well, finally a day when my dash wasn't doing crazy things...used to be only in the cold, now it's at random...but:
My tach seems to idle at just under 10 in P/D/N, with the oil pressure gauge just above the white line on top of the red area.
I have a 1.8, non-turbo in my '85
Thanks Wayne.
I changed the oil and it seems to be right about where yours is now. $100 is alot to throw at it for a new oil pump if I don't need to.
Still a concern, but we will see if we get any other replies to this.
Ok paul after checking my 3 manuals my little chiltons manual says for engine code J is 65 psi at 2500 rpm! Now my Very oldschool phone book chiltons(literally hardback copy does list teh J engine code for 1984 ???? for some reason but does list the 83 model same engine code 1.8 mfi turbo same specs.The 1985 model same engine code same engine shows the same.Just so you can understand this the 83 and 85 yr with the 1.8 show the same bore/stroke 3.34x3.13 and same compression 8.0.1.Even the 86 J engine code 1.8 turbo shows the same specs and same oil pressure of 65 at 2500 rpm.Ok now the fun stuff my small chiltons says 15psi at 1000rpm but it does not say for the turbo eng just 1.8 or 2.0 ohc engine.And those specs are at the minimum for the 15.That is the best I can do.I suggest running 5w30.
Well, I have a mechanical gauge on order now. Once it arrives, I will take a baseline and start plaing with the pressure spring...
Got it. The lowest it ever goes is 20 PSI at 220 degree warm idle (800 rpm).
Wayne, can you do a quick test for me? Start your car and get good pressure and then turn it off. Then turn on your lights without turning on the engine. Does your pressure gauge fall? Mine does.
Looks like my sending unit is at fault. I am still going to shim it to increase pressure for extra insurance...
Will do, but remember my dashboard has a mind of its own. Usually in colder weather everything but the speedometer/odometer is all over the place (i put the right turn signal on and the left one on the dash blinks while my tach dances to the "beat" of the light). Lately this has been happening on and off in warmer weather as well.
I check this when it's playing nice, but to be sure of what you're asking:
1. Drive car home, or to work or wherever
2. Put in park
3. Turn off key (as if i'm pulling the key out of the lock???)
4. Turn on lights and see what gauge does? (i'm thinking nothing will happen now that car is off with the key turned back all the way, but i'll do it anyway).
Thats it Wayne. Turn it off, key out or not. Then watch that gauge.
Well, after much drama I replaced the sending until with another new one. One hour of idling in the garage and we did not dip below just over the last white line.
I think we have it.
Well here I am surprised again, my gauge goes down when I do that. Kind of a slow descent, but it does go down.
