I have been getting lower and lower oil pressure readings on my '94 Q and it is bothering me probably more than I should be concerned about. Having a background in 4 cylinder Alfa's, when the pressure is dropping you begin to think the bottom end is going out. I want to drive this Q to the Chicago convention but fear the bottom end is going to give way before I get there or on the way back. Its a long walk on some of those roads in Nevada!
I installed the mechanical guage and started the car. The engine has 20-50 Valvoline Synthetic with about 500 miles on the oil change. This is what I got at full read before even moving the car.
As I drove down the street watching the guage it went all the way up to 80 psi. That is great cold oil pressure. As I came up to the stop sign the oil pressure dropped to 60 psi with the temp about 150. I pulled out on to the road for a short test drive. The pressure rose to 68 psi and held steady. I went about a mile and turned around. The pressure dropped to 48 psi at idle...normal, with full temperature on guage.
I drove down the road back towards the street but decided to go for another 3 miles and turn around. The pressure was holding around 52 psi steady. When I pulled up to turn around the pressure dropped at idle to...
This is good idle oil pressure in my book.
I drove back to the house watching the pressure. The pressure dropped again to 46-48 psi at 3000 rpm. The idle in the drive way after a 6 mile drive was...
Revving the engine to 3000 rpm steady...this is what I have for oil pressure with a full hot engine...
42 psi.
I am not happy with this oil pressure. Why is there a drop in oil pressure every time the car comes to an idle position? (drive-idle-drive-idle)
Honestly I am not that familiar with the 164 oil pump to know what is happening. The idle pressure seems perfect...hence the bottom end must be in good condition. The relief piston spring might be getting weak and not pushing the relief piston back to keep the pressure up. Does this sound logical?
Anyone have a picture of a late 164 oil pump from a Q/LS?
I checked with Alfa parts and they have a late model oil pump in stock.
How hard is it to change out the pump? Do I have to remove a cam shaft to do that?
I installed the mechanical guage and started the car. The engine has 20-50 Valvoline Synthetic with about 500 miles on the oil change. This is what I got at full read before even moving the car.
As I drove down the street watching the guage it went all the way up to 80 psi. That is great cold oil pressure. As I came up to the stop sign the oil pressure dropped to 60 psi with the temp about 150. I pulled out on to the road for a short test drive. The pressure rose to 68 psi and held steady. I went about a mile and turned around. The pressure dropped to 48 psi at idle...normal, with full temperature on guage.
I drove down the road back towards the street but decided to go for another 3 miles and turn around. The pressure was holding around 52 psi steady. When I pulled up to turn around the pressure dropped at idle to...
This is good idle oil pressure in my book.
I drove back to the house watching the pressure. The pressure dropped again to 46-48 psi at 3000 rpm. The idle in the drive way after a 6 mile drive was...
Revving the engine to 3000 rpm steady...this is what I have for oil pressure with a full hot engine...
42 psi.
I am not happy with this oil pressure. Why is there a drop in oil pressure every time the car comes to an idle position? (drive-idle-drive-idle)
Honestly I am not that familiar with the 164 oil pump to know what is happening. The idle pressure seems perfect...hence the bottom end must be in good condition. The relief piston spring might be getting weak and not pushing the relief piston back to keep the pressure up. Does this sound logical?
Anyone have a picture of a late 164 oil pump from a Q/LS?
I checked with Alfa parts and they have a late model oil pump in stock.
How hard is it to change out the pump? Do I have to remove a cam shaft to do that?