A car oil pressure gauge is one of the crucial mechanical parts that indicates general well-being. It is also a warning system notifying you about any car issues. Now, if you experience an oil pressure gauge bouncing at idle or during a turn, be sure there is something wrong with your car.
Failure in the oil pump, poor oil level, improper performance of oil pressure sending unit, clogged pickup screen, wrong engine oil filter, etc. are some of the culprits of erratic oil pressure gauge at idle.
Whatever the issue is, addressing the problem promptly is significantly essential. Otherwise, your car engine may be damaged permanently. I shared the possible reasons and solutions to the causes in this comprehensive guide.
Continue reading.
Is Oil Pressure Gauge Bouncing at Ideal Absolutely Normal?
Yes, fluctuation of the oil pressure gauge at idle is absolutely normal, in fact, it relies on the RPM of the engine. The oil pump and the engine are connected together. So the oil pump goes up and down faster once the engine gets activated. Moreover, lower RPM means lower oil pressure. Additionally, fluctuation is normal when the engine oil is warm or cold.
Generally, the oil pressure gauge remains low during a cold start and increases once the motor starts warming up. Regardless of the bouncing cause, the oil pressure gauge should always be below 80-100 PSI and above 5-10 PSI.
However, when something is wrong in your car oil delivery mechanism, bouncing an oil pressure gauge at idle or changing/knocking engine noise with high/low oil pressure indicates that your car has a serious problem.
Happily, oil pressure bouncing can easily be fixed. I listed the causes and solutions in the next section.
Why is My Oil Pressure Gauge Bouncing at Idle – 5 Reasons Identified
Don’t panic if you see your oil pressure gauge going up and down at idle. Learning about the causes will help you solve the problem precisely.
Here are the reasons and solutions for your convenience.
Poor Oil Level
Checking the oil level should be your first step. The pump can’t perform at its highest efficiency due to the low oil level. Thus, the oil pressure gauge remains low at idle.
Take assistance from a dipstick to learn the oil level. Remember to cool off the engine before checking. Also, read the user manual carefully while checking your vehicle’s oil level. After checking, if small quarts of oil are necessary, put it. At the same time, inspecting the oil contamination and dilution is required. In the case of black oil, replace it with your specific model recommended oil.
Faulty Sender Part
Your car dashboard displays the oil pressure gauge with the help of the oil pressure sending unit. The unit consists of a sensor that sends a report to the dashboard.
Now, a leak may appear in the oil pressure sending unit, and engine oil can seep into the side of the sensor’s electrical connection. Thus, major bouncing happens in the oil pressure gauge regardless of the RPM of the engine.
If you notice oil seepage into the sensor’s electrical connection, be sure that the problem is in the sender unit. In addition, install a universal monitoring system for oil pressure in the engine. For unstable oil pressure at idle, replacing the oil pressure sending unit will help you get rid of the problem.
Wrong Oil Filter
Have you ever noticed that your oil pressure gauge shows low reading at idle and stabilizes gradually? If the answer is yes, the reason is the wrong oil filter. Some car models have engine oil filters engineered with an anti-drain back valve.
The responsibility of this unit is to prevent oil from draining as soon as the engine is stopped. Now, when the oil filter is incorrect, draining of oil will continue even during engine off condition. At this point, if you start the motor, the oil pressure stays low for some time.
In this case, it is mandatory to check the oil filter. No other solution is available except installing the right oil filter to fix the oil dripping problem. If you own a Ford vehicle, I recommend you buy the Motorcraft FL2016 Oil Filter.
Clogged Pickup Screen or Damaged Oil Pickup O-ring
Your car oil pump will be unable to work at its best because of a clogged pickup screen or damaged oil pickup O-ring. Moreover, reduction of the engine oil pressure occurs due to the same complications.
Unrepairable or significant damage may happen to your car motor if you drive with low oil pressure at idle.
In such situations, replace the damaged oil pickup O-ring or clean the pickup screen by visiting your nearest mechanic shop.
Loose Electrical Connection
If your oil pressure gauge bumpy at idle, there might be a faulty electrical connection. However, determining the reason for an unstable electrical signal is somewhat difficult. So, I recommend you check all the electrical connections and replace them wherever necessary.
How to Read an Oil Pressure Gauge?
The oil pressure gauge displays both high and low oil levels. Find below to learn how to read the oil pressure gauge.
Low Oil Pressure Reading
The oil pressure gauge dashboard ranges between 1-100 PSI and 1-80 PSI. Moreover, a needle pointer is available in the dashboard.
When the needle pointer indicates equivalent to 20 PSI or less reading, it means the oil pressure is low or dropped.
High Oil Pressure Reading
The oil pressure is low or dropped when the needle pointer indicates equivalent to 80 PSI or more reading.
FAQ
You can still drive your car with bouncy oil pressure at idle, but the errors need to be addressed quickly. It is because a dangerous or unwanted incident can happen anytime.
On a cold start, your car oil pressure gauge reading has to be between 20 – 30 PSI. But if the gauge reads less than 10 PSI during a cold start, diagnose your car by visiting a reputable mechanic shop without further delay.
You may need to cost between $300 – $1000 to replace a faulty oil pump. New parts will cost you $100 – $500, and the labor cost can be between $200 – $500.
High or low readings in the oil pressure gauge at idle can happen for several reasons. This indicates flaws at the oil level. Moreover, it can happen for mechanical issues, damaged oil pickup O-ring, faulty sender unit, etc. Visit a trusted mechanic shop to identify the issue and solve it immediately.
Final Words
Now you know what to do when you notice the oil pressure gauge bouncing at idle. Visiting a mechanic shop is always the better option. In this case, multiple reasons are culprits, and any delay in solving the problem can lead you to expensive bills.
