Losing oil pressure

[qiksix]

This is on my daily driver 2003 Pathfinder. I drove around the block for 1/2 an hour before the oil light flickers and comes on, turn engine off immediately sit for 5 seconds and start engine pressure back up to 40psi drive another 1/2 hour samething. I've installed a master pressure gauge and on cold idle it has 55psi and slowly drops to about 30psi as temp rises i know all engines do, but the needle bounces 1-3psi in doing this. It will sit there steady for while and then slowly drops to zero. When it gets down to around 10-20psi the needle flucuates 5-10 psi. As i bring the rpm's up pressure comes up as it should but not so much when it warms up. Just done a oil/filer change, i'm thinking maybe clogged pick-up or pressure releif valve. Has anyone had this happen or similar or know what would cause this.
thanks

[gearhead1011]

If this problem started right after you did the oil change then I would suspect a collapsed oil filter. If it's a fram filter I would bet money that's where the problem is. If the problem was there before the oil change it may be crud in the pan blocking the pick-up. When you shut it off the stuff settles into the bottom of the pan and allows the oil pressure to increase until it has run long enough to pull any loose crap back into the pick-up.

[lively]

FRAM FILTERS --EVERY SCAMMER DESERVES ONE 8) 8)


not calling you a scammer -just-really hate fram filters :oops:

[qiksix]

No not a fram we only have ryco here in oz. Yes was happening before oil change i'll drain/strain oil see what comes out. Before oil change it would drop straight to zero within a couple of minutes. What do you guy's think of these engine flushes, a mate suggested it, i'm not fussed about them i think they could make things block up,yes/no.


Lively still trying to post pics from my other post.

[bbchevy]

How many Miles does the Unit have on it,and How long have You owned it(Mileage)Wise?

Later
G 8)

[zipper06]

Not sure what kind of bypass you have on the screw in filter adaptor, but it's possible it could be stuck open, like on chevy we always plug them, also the pressure relief spring on the oil pump could be stuck open. I know that's not what you wanted to hear but it does sometimes happen.

Zip.

[qiksix]

I think gearhead could be onto something, i dropped/strained oil there is a little crud in it, so i stuck a bit of wire through the sump plug and there's a fare bit of crud in there. i'm in the middle of flushing it out with fuel, through the dipstick as to not wash the whole engine dry of oil. So i'll know in a couple of days if this doesn't work, it looks like the sump is coming off. Thanks guy's i'll let you know how i go.

[fast75vega]

we had a ford windstar with 152k miles on it come in the shop cause the oil light was on and it was chattering bad even though it was full of oil. pulled the front valve cover off and their was a perfect mold of sludge under it that made it look like the cover was still on.... :shock: so i pulled off both covers and scraped out and cleaned them and the heads and placed them back on the motor. then ran the motor to temp and drained the oil and filled the whole motor to the top of the valve covers with kerosene and let it sits for a few days. it broke down the sludge in the motor and we drained and screened it and it was some nasty stuff... :( then i put a cheap filter and oil in it and ran it for about ten minutes and re drained it and put better oil and filter in it :wink: now the guys has over 200k on it and comes every 3000 miles for oil changes like clock work..... lol

[TheYellaBrick]

we had a ford windstar with 152k miles on it come in the shop cause the oil light was on and it was chattering bad even though it was full of oil. pulled the front valve cover off and their was a perfect mold of sludge under it that made it look like the cover was still on.... :shock: so i pulled off both covers and scraped out and cleaned them and the heads and placed them back on the motor. then ran the motor to temp and drained the oil and filled the whole motor to the top of the valve covers with kerosene and let it sits for a few days. it broke down the sludge in the motor and we drained and screened it and it was some nasty stuff... :( then i put a cheap filter and oil in it and ran it for about ten minutes and re drained it and put better oil and filter in it :wink: now the guys has over 200k on it and comes every 3000 miles for oil changes like clock work..... lol

Sure would be a whole lot cheaper than a teardown and rebuild !
I've heard of guys doing this but never had to myself.

[fast75vega]

we had a ford windstar with 152k miles on it come in the shop cause the oil light was on and it was chattering bad even though it was full of oil. pulled the front valve cover off and their was a perfect mold of sludge under it that made it look like the cover was still on.... :shock: so i pulled off both covers and scraped out and cleaned them and the heads and placed them back on the motor. then ran the motor to temp and drained the oil and filled the whole motor to the top of the valve covers with kerosene and let it sits for a few days. it broke down the sludge in the motor and we drained and screened it and it was some nasty stuff... :( then i put a cheap filter and oil in it and ran it for about ten minutes and re drained it and put better oil and filter in it :wink: now the guys has over 200k on it and comes every 3000 miles for oil changes like clock work..... lol

Sure would be a whole lot cheaper than a teardown and rebuild !
I've heard of guys doing this but never had to myself.

heard rumors about it ... but that was our first time and the customer agreed he had nothing to lose at that point to try it. i was kinda shocked at how well it worked out and has good steady oil pressure now too :) i love talking to the old geezer wrench turners.... they are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom ..... :)

[bbchevy]

If the Returns are Plugged,and all the Oil is in the Valve Covers?Your reading would be OFF on the Stick!

Its Real easy to Check?

Pull the Drain Plug,and pour a Gallon or so of Deisel in the Oil Fill,...........see WHO comes Out???


Later
G 8)

[gearhead1011]

I don't like to use any crankcase flush because if the pan has crud in it you will likely loosen up a lot more crud in the rest of the engine while running a flush. What you did by flushing the pan through the dipstick sounds like a good way to go without tearing it down. I have had a few vehicles come through my shop with this problem and pulled the pan to clean out what I could. It has always solved the problem but as more stuff works it's way to the pan the problem eventually returns. I have pulled the intake, valve covers and pan on one to clean it out and that worked but it seemed like a lot of trouble ($$) for a high mileage motor.

[oldandtired]

I would put a piece of black electrical tape over the light. :D

[qiksix]

Finished doing the flush put in some ol cheapo oil and so far so good. Been driving it to work for 2 days no oil light, when i get home check the gauge it says 9psi idle i can live with that, working on the old saying 10psi per 1000 rpm and from memory i don't think it ever had good idle psi. Probably drop this cheapo oil on the weekend for good stuff and see how it goes, still not ruling out pump or valve if it comes back. I think i'll shorten the oil changes and do a flush everytime. Thanks for your help guy's really appreciated.