Oil pressure

[guy_geo]

Another question.

Is the gauge on the dashbord acurate?

What should be the reading?

[Royce]

Is it accurate? Maybe or maybe not! First check your oil level! I have heard of gauges acting up but usually a problem with the oil reading is the sending unit. My motor is not stock and I have a ZX high volume oil pump so the reading may be different from yours. I usually see a reading of about 1/2 at about 2000 RPM and it usually goes up to 3/4 or a little more when on the freeway, between 2800-3500. Over that I am usually watching my mirrors more than the oil gage!

Is mine accurate? I don't know but it seems to work okay.

[2ManyZs]

In my opinion the only truly accurate oil pressure gauge is a mechanical one. I have had Z's that showed 0 at idle and some that showed almost pegged the gauge at idle. Not only is the gauge somewhat innacurate the sending unit is always suspect.

Sorry, never trusted anything electrical(especially in a car that is now over 30 years old) so the only way to find out is to take a reading of the stock gauge and then check the oil pressure with a mechanical one and see how much difference there is. You can pick up a decent mechanical gauge at an auto parts store for 20 bucks or so and hook it up temporarily and go from there. Why take a chance on ruining an engine whe you could have saved it for 20 dollars?

[guy_geo]

Well said and a good advice, but I might use the car as a dayly driver this summer, so was my point for asking that.

And yes, I usually check my oil level on my Sentra SE once a week, but I guess I will have to be more careful with my baby Z.

[peter]

I was sitting in the inspection line, and I noticed that the oil guage was reading 0 at low (8-850 rpm) idle. WHAT?!!?? heart attack time. I raced the engine and the needle came up. I failed inspection, so my mind was not on the oil on the way home.

Guess I have to pick up a mechanical guage. At 2K rpm, the needle is about a third to half.

Glad I found this thread.

peter

73 240

[2ManyZs]

Peter, you could just try a new sending unit, they have a tendancy to get gummed up with sludge for one reason or another. It is fairly cheap, however it will never be as accurate as a mechanical gauge.