Low Oil Pressure question
 

Hi there,
I just had a rebuilt engine installed in my 86 RX-7 non-turbo.
It runs great, but at idle the oil pressure can drop to almost the zero line during idle when the engine is warm.
The oil level is full, and when at 3000 rpm the oil pressure is in normal range.
Could it be that the gauge is just tough to read? I read that idle oil pressure should be at least 15psi.
Help please!
-Matt

Do you know if the oil jets were messed with in the e shaft? If they were replaced with carb jets you will see very low pressures at a low idle.

Low oil pressure
 

I do not know what the mechanic did with the oil jets.
The engine block cracked on the old engine, so I bought a rebuilt and had it installed by the dealer. Thought an ASC mechanic would be reliable, now I doubt.
Is there a way to check the pressure without relying on the oil pressure gauge?
-Matt

Ok,
Since the engine installed was rebuilt, and installed by ASC certified mechanics, I tend to believe that the engine was installed correctly.
Step one: head to Autozone and see what the pressure reads from their mechanical gauge.
Step two: if their gauge reads proper it seems that the oil pressure sender leads may need to be cleaned...not sure how to do that! Ideas?
Step three: if that does not fix it, it seems the oil pressure senders tend to fail early and often and I doubt that was replaced in the install...so order a new sender or deal with low gauge pressure...that makes me nervous.

So...is it the electrical connections in the sender that need to be cleaned or the part that screws into the engine? Both? How do I clean em?

Thanks again,
-Matt

...you mean ASE certified right?

it's possible the front cover o-ring was installed improperly.

Definitely try the oil sender unit. You may be able to clean it out with carb cleaner or something, but head to a junkyard and pull one - way easier.
You could also verify with a mechanical gauge on the same port as the send unit, I don't recall if they are common threads to make an adapter for it.

same thing happened to a friend of mine.. 1990 GTU.. but his engine is old...the Oil pressure just randomly just Dropped one day... never came back up....//

Greetings all,
Took it to the dealer that did the engine intsall. Engine is fine and the sender is bad.
So now I need to see how long I can stand seeing my oil pressure at near zero at idle before I order a new sender.
Recommendations where to get one?

im sure there are tons of online stores that have them.... ? local auto parts store..

shouldnt the Dealer be able to order that for u..? (they r probobly over priced though)