hey guys my oil pressure has dropped to like 5 psi. What could be the culprit? The oil and filter are fresh so I figure it would be the oil pump or pressure regulator. How can I tell? Are they re-buildable? How much would a new one cost? Thanks.

 

Check your guage and sending unit...

My 85 used to do that crap, Id be driving and I had zero oil pressure I was like what?

So I rigged up a mechanical oil pressure guage, and when the one on the dash stopped working, Id stop real quick, get out and check the manual one, and it read fine... I replaced the sender and it made everything all better except for the loss of $50 for the Mazda sender

 

On piston engines low oil pressure is usually more indicative of bad main bearings than an oil pump (which fail pretty rarely), but I'm not sure if that's the case on rotaries...or even if they have main bearings...

 

also check your oil cooler a pin whole leak can also cause a change in the pressure. But first check the sending unit.

jr

 

I know this could get me shot in some parts, but...
Just the other day I realized that I had forgotten to check the oil in a while and I ended up being 3 qts low . (Raise Shields) But the wierd thing is that my oil pressure never looked different from normal. It's always been 30psi at an idle, and right around 60-65 while cruising. So not to hijack the thread or anything, but would you guys think that I did any damage, or just got really lucky?

Brian face hidden in shame Heston

 

probably not. If it did, you would probably be burning more oil and see it between shifts as less oil tends to get hotter. IF you have the front mount cooler, you're proably fine. Oil pan is meant to be flexible to how much is in there, which is why they hold 4-5quarts.

 

I do have the front cooler, and I haven't noticed burning anything more. THANK GOD!!!

I feel better now.

theNeanderthol - Thanks for the use of the thread man.

BrianHeston