Oil pressure spiking
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From: Dover, DE
Oil pressure spiking
Edit: I was able to find my Workshop Manual and I'm pleased to see that it's probably just insufficient oil. Is this the most likely cause? Also what kind of oil does everyone use? Again, I am totally ignorant to these cars and still learning.
Let me first start by saying I hadn't really gotten on my car at all until last weekend. I'm new to RX-7s and really didn't want to drive a car I knew barely anything about hard. I did though, last weekend, and now I'm noticing something new with the gauges:
Formerly, the oil pressure gauge would be just below the halfway point line (60 I believe?), and under heavy acceleration, it would jump up to just over that line. Like I said, I had never driven it hard, so I'm not even sure if this was normal. The most I would ever do is one quick run to 6k RPM as I was getting onto the freeway or something.
After a day of heavy driving last weekend, I've noticed the oil pressure gauge will now climb to much higher under acceleration. I'm talking about to the mark between the 60 and 120 (90?ish). Also, a red light has come on once or twice on top of the oil pressure gauge. I don't have easy access to my manuals right now so I can't look up what that even means. Needless to say I am very worried. I should also mention the red light has come on even under NON-heavy acceleration, just normal, slower than-the-rest-of-the-traffic-around me acceleration from a light.
Did some kind of oil pressure regulator die on me or something? Please help, I don't want to lose my new baby.
Let me first start by saying I hadn't really gotten on my car at all until last weekend. I'm new to RX-7s and really didn't want to drive a car I knew barely anything about hard. I did though, last weekend, and now I'm noticing something new with the gauges:
Formerly, the oil pressure gauge would be just below the halfway point line (60 I believe?), and under heavy acceleration, it would jump up to just over that line. Like I said, I had never driven it hard, so I'm not even sure if this was normal. The most I would ever do is one quick run to 6k RPM as I was getting onto the freeway or something.
After a day of heavy driving last weekend, I've noticed the oil pressure gauge will now climb to much higher under acceleration. I'm talking about to the mark between the 60 and 120 (90?ish). Also, a red light has come on once or twice on top of the oil pressure gauge. I don't have easy access to my manuals right now so I can't look up what that even means. Needless to say I am very worried. I should also mention the red light has come on even under NON-heavy acceleration, just normal, slower than-the-rest-of-the-traffic-around me acceleration from a light.
Did some kind of oil pressure regulator die on me or something? Please help, I don't want to lose my new baby.
Last edited by Rrail; Sep 11, 2006 at 03:57 PM.
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From: San Lorenzo, California
Rotaries burn oil in normal operation (it is injected and used to lubricate the internal parts). You must check the oil level regularly.
Your problem is almost certainly low oil level. The oil pressure should be around 30 psi at idle, 50-60 psi at 3k rpm, and go above 100 psi at redline.
Do not ask what type of oil to use! Either use what the manual recommends or you can feel free to spend hundreds of hours reading the several dozens of oil threads on the forum.
Your problem is almost certainly low oil level. The oil pressure should be around 30 psi at idle, 50-60 psi at 3k rpm, and go above 100 psi at redline.
Do not ask what type of oil to use! Either use what the manual recommends or you can feel free to spend hundreds of hours reading the several dozens of oil threads on the forum.
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