What is normal and minimum acceptable oil pressure?

Since installing my gauges and oil cooler my oil pressure is ~80-90 when the car is cool, but as it comes to temp the gauge stays pretty much solid at ~65-75 psi. It doesn't even move a whole lot thru the RPM range or under load.

Is this too low or fine?

 

Helm indicates that minimum oil pressure at 3000 RPM and 176F is 85 psi. But if your oil pressure " . . . stays pretty much solid . . . (and) doesn't even move a whole lot thru the RPM range, " you are probably dealing with a gauge (or oil pump relief spring) calibration issue rather than throttled oil flow due to your oil cooler. 65-75 psi is still pretty substantial.

 

Hans, Thats a good point about the relief spring behaviour.

Ry, A spacer can be added to the relief spring with the effect of bumping up the regulated pressure. All thats required is dropping the oil pan. I have an OEM oil pump sitting here. From that we should be able to guestimate the desired size of the spacer.

 

ne1;else?

 

Mine is 70-75 at cold start, at idle. The when the engine is warmed up above 150deg the oil pressure at idle drops to 25psi. Anywhere in the rev range below 4K the gauge is 70psi or less. above 4k, 70-90psi.

I'm using a Autometer Electric gauge, and a Greddy sandwich adapter, on a stock engine.

 

do you have an oil cooler of anything else in the oil "path"?

 

Factory oil cooler/warmer only. I'm also using OEM PCX filters and dino 10w30.

Are you using synthetic? May have a small pressure change between Synthetic and dino oils.

 

running dino right now as the short block is new

 

My oil pressure readings are similar to Krazik's. When highway cruising, mid-70's is typical.

Davepk: I'm interested in your idea of installing a spacer. Would it be relatively easy to put this in? Could you possibly post a picture of the stock spring setup?

 

On Karner's car with the Accusump and cooler it still reads 85 psi above 3000-4000 rpm when warm. When cold oil pressure is 90-95 psi.

UL