How to fix oil pressure

Most motorists are aware of the important role motor oil plays in keeping their vehicles running smoothly and efficiently, but in order for it to do its job, proper oil pressure must be maintained. If it’s too low, it can affect your vehicle’s performance and lead to engine damage.

Low oil pressure symptoms

How do you know if your vehicle’s oil pressure is low? Look for any of these warning signs.

When the vehicle’s oil pressure drops to a certain level, a light on the dashboard illuminates to warn the driver of a problem.

2) Engine noise

Too little oil in the crankcase may fail to provide adequate lubrication to all critical components, leading to clunking, grinding, knocking, ticking or whining sounds.

3) Burning-oil smell

This usually indicates oil is leaking and dripping onto hot metal surfaces.

4) Decreased engine performance

Low oil pressure decreases the oil’s ability to reduce friction and provide proper lubrication, causing the engine to work harder and resulting in premature wear and failure.

The oil’s decreased ability to reduce friction also leads to increased heat, which can lead to overheating. Engine overheating may also indicate a head gasket leaking oil into the coolant, reducing its ability to transfer heat through the cooling system.

Causes and solutions

A number of factors can cause low oil pressure.

Low oil level is the most common cause of low pressure; it’s also the easiest to fix. Oil changes are important, and between oil changes, it’s equally important to regularly check your motor oil level and top it off as necessary. It’s especially important to be vigilant with older, higher-mileage vehicles, which tend to be prone to leaks.

Wrong oil viscosity

Vehicle manufacturers recommend specific motor oil viscosities in the owner’s manual, and it’s best to stick with this recommendation. Using a lower viscosity than recommended produces less resistance to flow, and the vehicle’s pressure sensor could interpret it as low oil pressure. On the other hand, using a higher viscosity than recommended produces more resistance to flow, which could result in low oil pressure and inadequate engine lubrication. Fuel dilution can also cause issues.

What Happens if I Use the Wrong Weight (Viscosity) of Oil?

Dirt, debris or sludge in the pickup pipe

Another possible cause is the accumulation of dirt, debris or sludge in the pickup pipe from the oil pan to the oil pump. If it prevents enough oil from going up the pipe, it can cause low pressure. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil does a great job fighting sludge to keep the oil pickup tube screen clean and the oil flowing properly.

Oil-pump failure can result from incorrect installation, oil contamination, poor oil maintenance or running the engine with an inadequate oil level. Oil pumps can also wear out with time and usage. If a problem with the oil pump is discovered, it’s important to replace it.

Internal oil leak

Leaking in the vehicle’s oil passages can also lead to low pressure. Internal oil leaks can be caused by a myriad of factors, including worn piston rings and valve seals or PCV valve failure. While external oil leaks can be relatively easy to fix, internal oil leaks often require the assistance of a professional mechanic.

Engine wear

Friction and heat subject engine components to wear. When camshaft and crankshaft bearings wear down with time and use, the “holes” through which they insert can grow wider, allowing the oil to flow easier and lowering its pressure.

Oil-pressure gauge problem

The gauge itself can also be the source of the problem by providing a false reading. Like any other engine part, the gauge can eventually fail and need to be replaced.

An oil filter obstruction or blockage can also cause oil pressure to suffer. Oil filters include pressure relief valves. If this valve is damaged, oil will easily pass right through, reducing pressure. It may go without saying, but it is important to also change the oil filter with each oil change.

These issues should be addressed sooner rather than later. If ignored for too long, they can lead to serious and expensive engine problems.

Is your vehicle’s oil pressure too low? There are several things you can do to increase your vehicle’s oil pressure. Read on to find out how.

Why You Don’t Want Your Oil Pressure To Be Too Low

If your vehicle’s oil pressure is too low, it’s very likely that your engine isn’t getting enough oil. When that happens, your engine isn’t getting enough lubrication. That leads to some pretty serious engine problems.

Proper lubrication is critical to the health of the engine. Without it, serious problems can happen:

• Friction can build up which can lead to overheating. This increases the risk of cracking the engine block or blowing out the head gasket.
• Critical moving parts such as bearings and cylinder walls may not get enough oil. This can cause them to wear out much more quickly than they should. Or, worse yet, sieze.

These scenarios can be very costly. They should be resolved through repairs or improvements as soon as possible. So what can you do to improve your oil pressure? Read on.

1. Change Your Oil

Sometimes the problem is as simple as oil that’s too dirty. When your vehicle is running on dirty oil, the engine isn’t getting enough lubrication. This results in the oil pressure dropping, and the oil pump having to work harder.

This is the main cause of low engine oil pressure. Many drivers forget or neglect to change their engine oil. Check your oil and see if it’s too dirty.

If your oil still looks clean, there’s a chance your engine isn’t running on the right kind of oil. Oil differs in viscosity. If you use a type of oil that is not correct for the engine, it can affect the oil pressure. If you replace the dirty or incorrect oil with fresh oil that is correct for your engine, you may see a significant change in oil pressure while driving.

2. Upgrade To A Lifetime Oil Filter

The oil filter plays a key role in maintaining oil pressure. When a filter becomes clogged, it reduces oil flow to the engine. Disposable oil filters start clogging pretty quickly. If you want to keep the oil pressure optimal at all times, get a lifetime oil filter.

A lifetime oil filter is a reusable oil filter made out of high quality stainless steel and aluminum. It keeps the oil clean and the oil flow optimal. A quality lifetime oil filter does a better job at filtering the oil than a disposable oil filter. This helps keep the oil pressure up. We sell high quality lifetime oil filters. Some of our customers have reported an increase in oil pressure after upgrading to our lifetime oil filters.

3. Clean Out The Oil Pan

If your vehicle is older with high mileage, there may be some impurities sitting in your oil pan. Some of the most common impurities we’ve seen in oil pans include:

When you change the oil, the fresh oil runs through the pan and picks up these impurities. That means the fresh oil will get dirty much faster. If you see a drop in oil pressure well before your next oil change, clean out the oil pan.

4. Check The Oil Pump

Some engines have an externally mounted oil pump that can be easily removed for inspection. Others have oil pumps that are mounted inside the engine, and are very time consuming to access. In either case, the oil pump usually doesn’t cause problems until the vehicle is past 100,000 miles.

If you suspect the oil pump and can easily remove it, check for signs of wear and metal shavings. Also, measure clearance between the pump lobes and the body of the pump. (Some pumps use gears rather than lobes. You can also measure clearance between the gear teeth.)

5. Check The Engine

There could be a mechanical problem that cannot be solved with a simple fix. Sometimes engine bearings or other components become worn enough that the excess clearance causes low oil pressure. If you think this might be the cause, but aren’t sure, an oil analysis is an inexpensive first step towards diagnosing the problem. An oil analysis report will tell you what kind and how much of different metals are in the oil. That can tell you if you have serious problems or not.

Make Sure The Increase In Oil Pressure Isn’t A Result Of Any Issues

There are several great benefits that come with increased oil pressure. You still need to be careful, though. Sometimes a random spike in oil pressure can mean that there’s an issue within your engine. A clogged oil passageway can cause an increase in oil pressure seen at the gauge. Unfortunately, this also means that part of the engine isn’t getting enough oil.

If your vehicle’s oil pressure increases after you’ve done something to boost it, then everything is likely OK. But if your oil pressure increases after no action on your part, you may want to check your engine for any issues.