2001 S80 No Engine Oil Pressure at Idle

[Zilvis]

What grade of oil are you running the motor on ?
If the oil pressure sensor is working properly and as replaced one can presumeably assume so, I'd do a compression test to assess the motors general condition.
If she passes a compression test then my money is on the oil pump being stuffed.
Is she using a lot of oil or any signs of blue smoke?

What if she is using oil and there is sign of blue smoke?

[abscate]

I had the infamous VW turbo sludge problem in my 1.8 turbo Beetle - symptom was in summer, above 80F, I would get red oil light warning of low oil pressure. VW wanted 900 USD to drop pan, clean sludge, replace oil pump and o-rings to fix.

I bit the bullet and treated it with a Bell Engineering product on advice of another forum. It took about 6 treatments over 2 years but this year, for the first time, I have no oil pressure warning at summer temp.

I took a chance with this but it looks like it paid off. Total cost, about 50 USD for product and one extra oil change.

I did switch to full synthetic MOBIL 1 at the same time on VW recommendation, too.

[Caliwood]

Quick Tip; when performing an oil change, make sure the oil filter you use is 100% Volvo, I’ve came across in the past where I have changed the oil with stp, frame, bosh, and progaurd. All giving low oil pressure signs. The way to know if your oil filter is making a good deal is to take it off and if the filter comes out with the cap, it’s sealed correctly. If the filter stays in the motor you have the wrong oil filter, therefore you will receive low oil pressure due. It took quite some force to put my filter from Volvo on!

[SuperHerman]

I would also doubt the oil pump is shot, but it is a possibility. It is not a difficult job, but neither easy. Depending on how much time you have on hand, you can pull the pump, dismantle it and look at it to see if it is worn and the cause of your issues. If it is not, just reseal it with new parts and drive with thicker oil. If it is the oil pump put in a new one.

Although 200k is high mileage I don't think a properly maintained Volvo engine would have bottom end problems. If it suffered oil starvation - yes the bearings could be gone.

I would ask the shop that did the o-ring service what they found and saw when they dropped the pan. This coupled with a history of the car and its oil changes would provide more clues.

I would also look into whether the lower bearings can be replaced in car and how much the parts are. On some cars it is actually pretty easy and cheap, but on others it cannot be done. I just don't recall on the 2.5 or 2.9 access to the bearings from below with the oil pan off.

By the way, which engine do you have?

[June]

Is your S60 a 5cylinder? typically they idle higher as they are not as balanced as a 6. T6 should idle around 650-700 from memory.

Correct around 700, but idles up in hot weather with ac on to below 900 on the tachometer. Here is my 2004 S80 T6 one photo in park the other in drive. It is 62° here so I cannot show the faster idle above 80° outside. Ac on or off mine holds 700 rpm at low idle in or out of gear. June

[atman100]

Good Lord , what a problem. There was once a warning about a little, orange, rubber ring that seals around the pick-up tube being a source of gradual pressure loss but it sounds like you have already been there. I met a S-60 with 205K not long ago and the owner said it ran fine

[Waynefife]

The Volvo if it resent had a battery replaced
Can reset the computer memory and idle parameters
Causing idle to go to low .. now this car is drive by wire which means the module under intake must be reprogramed idle air fuel module is giving comand to read 700 rpms which is to low and will not be enough oil psi to keep car running at ilde
The computer reset will not fix this the module must be reprogrammed then this issue will go away by bringing up the idle to 800 like it is required