Low oil pressure questions/solutions

[regent]

Have you considered these two items:
1. Can you physically take a reading of the actual oil pressure at idle rpm (with a guage in place of the OP Sensor);
2. Can you look into the OP Sensor electrical circuitry - to rule out possible idle rpm vibration causing intermittent loss of contact that will seem like fluctuating signal (just throwing thoughts here after you've replaced your OP Sensor).

Bottom line: If the oil pump is delivering the rated volume of oil at rated viscosity, and the actual oil pressure is still below the minimum threshold, then the culprit will be excessive volume through (a) worn journal(s) or cam bearing(s), no? I would not expect to see this at 125k unless someone ran it without oil

[jblackburn]

Did you take the oil pan off and was there a crap ton of sludge in there?

[Skvolvo]

NoT too much sludge for an older car, Little bit of that crystal like sludge build up when I took the pan off. Had my system flushed at the shop after I redid oil pan O rings.

I have used a gauge to get the psi, that's where my reading is coming from. I had an oil leak for awhile But watched it constantly-never got over a quart or quart and a half low which is bad but not catastrophic I don't think

[jblackburn]

Nah, mine was 1.5 qt low just yesterday. It holds enough oil in there it won't do anything to it even if it's 2 low.

What kind of "flush" was done on the engine? I might try running straight ATF through it for 30-40 minutes AT IDLE to clean out any passages that may be clogged up. Then replace with a cheap conventional oil and see if it does any better.

[boosted5cyl]

If the pressure is indeed still low next step would be to check the big end and main bearing clearances with a plastigauge.

[hockey-51]

I have the same problem as skvolvo. I replaced the oil pressure switch and the o rings. Have not replaced the oil pump. The oil light seems to come on when the car is driven for about 15 minutes. Short trips to town and the light does come on. No knocking from the engine. Very frustrating and unable to travel any distance with the car. I am going to have the oil pressure checked next. Wondering if skvolvo solved his problem.

[rmmagow]

Can a bad oil filter screw up oil pressure, stuck/failed bypass valve of some sort. My old Mazda went low when some kind of bypass/relief valve broke. the valve was a spring and a plunger thing and once replaced all is well. Car is at 160K w/teenage driver and still going strong.

[Jot]

I lost my turbo due to an oil change at M@@@s the used an inferior filter that collapsed and blocked the flow of oil. They said they owner of the franchise would not talk to me. An oil pump, oil pressure guage and rebuilt turbo I an out over $1200 . The oil light came on occasionally then suddenly stayed on.

[alanjackson2011]

I have the same problem with my 2.4 V70 Turbo. Sump was full of crud and the little sleeve seals on the pipe were very brittle.

I cleaned all the sludge out of the sump and square drain tube in the sump returning oil from above which was totally blocked.

Replace all the seals and O rings with a kit from Volvo.

Full of confidence and convinced I had cured the problem, drove four miles, exactly the same.

Took it to Volvo for an opinion, told them oil pressure dropped after four miles. They reported that oil pressure dropped after four miles and charged me 200 pounds.

Has anyone noticed that the rubber sleeve seal on the pipe (in the sump) from the oil filter casing to the oil cooler does not seem the fit?

I used a kit from the Volvo dealer, and even took the sump and the kit back to them before fitting - got no sense from them.

But this seal has been nagging at me ever since.