Miata Mailing List: November 1992, Message #36
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   From: (none)
Subject:  Re: oil pressure
   Date: (none)

In message <9211302048.AA22505@hpcc44.corp.hp.com>  On 	Mon, 30 Nov 1992 15:48:07 -0500 you said:

> owner's manual says (3.8 quarts? something like that) the pressure seems
> to be higher than i remember it being before.
Mine has never taken quite as much oil as the owners manual says it should.
It seems to be full with 3.4 qts.  The filter must only hold about a
tablespoonful of oil.
>
> The oil pressure at start up idle is about 70-75, and if i drive before
> letting it warm up at least 10 minutes, the needle sometimes come close to
> hitting the 90 mark at about 2500-4000 RPM .  After about 20 minutes of
> driving or so, the pressure stays between 25 & 65 or thereabouts
This is consistent with what I see in mine, except that the pressure at
idle when the car is warm is always *EXACTLY* in the same place, around 28 psi.
This is how I determine when the car is warm enough to rev to redline and
beyond.  The oil weight probably has something to do with this.  I always
run Valvoline Racing 20w50 non-synthetic oil, although now that I live where
winters are cold, I'm going to have to change to 10w40 for the winter.
This pressure is consistent whether I'm cruising the neighborhood and stop,
stuck in freeway traffic on a 100+ degree day, or just finishing a heat at
an autocross.  If it drops below 28, I know it's time to change the oil.


Steve Grossman
Steve_Grossman@stortek.com