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low oil pressure @ idle

10K views 29 replies 23 participants last post by  RitzRT 
#1 ·
I'm new to the dodge group having only owned a new '67. At idle after warmed up, the oil pressure drops to 16-17lbs. I've had high end cars all my life, beemers, audi and miost recently corvettes. My last corvette being a '04 C5 CE. Oil pressure this low has me very concerened. Any help here.
Thanks,
Roger c5
 
#3 ·
radguy----I get it from the digital readout on the dash. I usually go for a 28 mile sprint across the bay usually cruising at +-80. This morning when I got back the first traffic light i stopped at it went to 14lbs. When I complained to the service department last month they said it was ok. The oil pressure is ok even at 4lbs. b#^&*s Try yours after driving 2 or 3 miles and checking to see if your's reads low like mine.
Thank you,
Roger
 
#4 ·
I totally agree Roger C!!! I noticed mine yesterday reading the same, 14 -18. That is way to low, all the V-8s I've ever owned always had 28 - 32 at idle and 40+ at cruising. That low oil pressure surely concernes me, and I definately raise the BS flag on the 4lbs of oil pressure.
 
#5 ·
Ok, so it is from the stock guage. Check it with a good mechanical guage and see what the actual reading is. When I have time I will attach my liquid filled test guage and see.
 
#6 ·
My AV with its 5.3L V8 runs about 30-40.... and runs up to almost 80 with WOT runs....

my fathers 94 suburban has a 350, and at idle it is down below 20... and will come back up to 40 at cruise...
 
#7 ·
DAYTONA_R/T said:
My AV with its 5.3L V8 runs about 30-40.... and runs up to almost 80 with WOT runs....

my fathers 94 suburban has a 350, and at idle it is down below 20... and will come back up to 40 at cruise...
Remember that the engine is only using four cyllinders at idle. That may be the reason for the low reading.
 
#13 ·
You might want to check out that oil pressure from your cluster diognostics system by holding your nav and musical note buttons on the stering wheel at the same time I just checked it on my R/T and I could not get it to drop below 21psi at idle in gear or out of gear. Then I would say bring it to another dealers repair shop. You do not have to go to the same place you bought it from.
 
#14 ·
Well, as it seems, you guys are having a problem with a lower than most car oil pressure at idle. I drove a brand new R/T with 1 mile on it, and put another 7 miles on it, and I noticed the same oil pressure readings on the cluster as the rest of you. 2 other R/T's I drove kept a similar 14psi at idle. It's normal, and we haven't seen any back to the dealership with a problem or people asking about the low oil pressure. If you really want, contact DCX and find out for certain. I'm not 100% on what the actual reading should be, but with this many cars reading the same, I'd say it's normal. And about the amount of oil they hold, Chrysler states that they take nearly 8 quarts on the HEMI, but we put 7 quarts in for an oil change at the dealership, and they're fine.

Karl
 
#15 ·
Thanks to all who replied. I'm going to the dodge dealers on saturday morning and see if i can't get a tech to show me where i can install an mechanical oil pressure gauge. I'll keep all posted on the results. And the number of cylinders has no bearing on oil pressure. If anything, i think, :pray: the engine would be under less load and might possibly have higher pressure. But i just go back to my street rodding days of yore. :grin: Any dealer tech's out there?????????
Thank you,
Roger
 
#16 ·
Well, I guess my sig doesn't show up, but I am a tech at a Dodge Dealership in PA. Like I said before, it seems as though that oil pressure is normal, as the Hemi's that I've driven with the on board computer have shown the same low pressure. That count is up to 4 now.

Karl
 
#17 ·
ChargerOsix said:
Remember that the engine is only using four cyllinders at idle. That may be the reason for the low reading.
umm... no it doesn't :whistle:

it runs on all 8 at idle... it will not kick into 4 banger mode until you are going about 18-20mph....
 
#18 ·
I've now got 2000 miles on my Charger, and I noticed the oil pressure dropping to 15 psi at idle, and is around 50 psi at cruising speed. The low psi at idle got me concerned, so I stopped in at the dealer... but the service dept. isn't open on Saturday. Will bring it in to the dealer on Monday and talk to a tech.

After reading this thread though, I don't think I should be too concerned. Also, I did read somewhere that these hemis are "very oil sensitive".

Does anyone have any more info on the oil pressure at idle?
 
#20 ·
Guys,
(I did read somewhere that these hemis are "very oil sensitive"). YES!
We have MDS which requires clean oil for the special lifters that come in and out, 8cyl to 4cyl mode.
Also 5w-20w oil is not a crazy idea, it's mandatory!!, and a thinner oil flows faster through small openings and doesn't need or hold that much pressure to mantain volume.
At idle the pressures will be low, but all is good.
At these pressures has anyone seen an idiot light ?, Then the idiot light must be set at 7 to 8 lbs.
 
#21 ·
RDBRT said:
Also 5w-20w oil is not a crazy idea, it's mandatory!!
I thought I read somewhere that 0w oil was recommended...?

Can anyone confirm this? Would that lower the oil pressure even more?

When I get my SRT8, I'll check my pressure and report what I find here.
 
#22 ·
moparfan said:
I thought I read somewhere that 0w oil was recommended...?

Can anyone confirm this? Would that lower the oil pressure even more?

When I get my SRT8, I'll check my pressure and report what I find here.
The oil fill tube cap says USE ONLY 5W-20 OIL in yellow lettering..... From my reading, the SRT-8 uses a different weight oil (I don't remember what it is), but the R/T HEMI uses 5W-20. One of the guys on the LXFourms tried 5W-30 in his magnumR/T and the MDS system did not engage.
 
#23 ·
The wife had called me to let me know that the RT had stalled at a stop light with the oil light coming on after a short drive early in the morning. The wife took it to the dealer to have the computer diagnostics checked and it came back clean. This has me a little concerned.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Keep in mind that you're running 5W-20 oil which is quite thin. My R/T reads 18psi at idle when cold (just checked it).

According to the factory service manual the MINIMUM allowable oil pressure at idle is 4psi. So 14psi seems like it's well within allowable limits, especially for a hot engine.

Cheers,
 
#26 ·
Holy Thread Resurrection, Batman! :grin:


Yep. The low-viscosity oil means lower pressures. Not to worry, like Ritzy said.

Think of it as a positive attribute in this way: "thinner" oil produces lower pressures, BUT you can pump MORE OIL VOLUME (per unit time) through the same narrow passages, too.

From the Service Manual:
 

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#27 ·
All-
I work for a company that manufactures the oil pressure switch for many Ford, DCX and GM Vehicles. I'm not sure if our's goes in the Charger or not, but I'll check. In most applications, the switch is used to turn on the light and typically the oil pressure ranges from 2 - 4 psi before the light comes on. Further, I have seem more and more instances where the gage is being drive by an algorithm in the computer based on rpm or some other factors. Again, I'm not sure if this is the case with the Charger. Over the years the OEM's we deal with are purposely lowering the oil pressure to gain fuel efficiency. I'm not saying that's right, just what their doing.
 
#28 ·
I have an aftermarket oil pressure gauge in my SRT and it is within 2psi of the EVIC display. BTW.....I run about 60psi when cold and about 30 once she warms up. Also, as a side note, while driving home from Starved Rock last night, it sits around 50-55psi while cruising around 70MPH.
 
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