Normal Oil Pressure?

[ScottyBoy]

I have a 2001 suburban which I've had for about 3 years now. It has about 75,000 miles on it now. I could have sworn that my oil pressure would usually be around 40 psi, but lately its been around 60psi at idle and even up to 80 at higher rpms. Am I just freaking out? Or is something wrong here?

[pm26]

Your oil pressure sender could be sending false signal to the gauge. I would try to replace that first.

 

60 to 80 psi sounds a bit high. You should see about 30 psi at idle and maybe 45 psi at full speed.

[ScottyBoy]

Say the guage and the sender are both fine.... Anything else that might cause high oil pressure? and how would I check the sender?

[ScottyBoy]

UPDATE: Ok, now I checked evrything out and found that my oil was actually about a half a quart low. Funny thing is, after I added more oil the pressure dropped down to about 50psi at idle. I haven't had a chance to drive it and get down on it yet, so I don't what it will look like now at higher rpm's.

[Sinkhole]

Temperature will affect oil pressure. 1st thing in the morning your pressure will read higher than after you've run the motor and warmed the oil.

[pm26]

UPDATE: Ok, now I checked evrything out and found that my oil was actually about a half a quart low. Funny thing is, after I added more oil the pressure dropped down to about 50psi at idle. I haven't had a chance to drive it and get down on it yet, so I don't what it will look like now at higher rpm's.

 

1/2 quart low should have no effect whatsoever on your engine oil pressure.

 

Your oil sender is a variable resistor. It converts the pressure it sees to a voltage signal to the gauge. I do not see any way to test it at home. Seems to me that a calibrated pressure device would be required, along with a series of corresponding voltage readings. Just buy a new sender and be done with it. I am almost positive that this is the problem. I have replaced my share of oil pressure senders on cars, trucks, and boats.