Top Left Oil Gauge Flickering When Stuck In Traffic!

[GSXR_J 0]

Hey, so I was sat in traffic the other day and the needle in the top left oil gauge (believe its the oil pressue gauge? Correct me if Im wrong!) started to get lower and lower eventually flickering on the red box as well as bringing the red STOP light on as well. When I got out of traffic and raised the speed and consequently revs it started to raise back towards the middle.

 

Do I need to worry about this and if so how can I rectify the problem. Its seems bit worrying to see red flashing lights!

[Anteas 0]

Hey, so I was sat in traffic the other day and the needle in the top left oil gauge (believe its the oil pressue gauge? Correct me if Im wrong!) started to get lower and lower eventually flickering on the red box as well as bringing the red STOP light on as well. When I got out of traffic and raised the speed and consequently revs it started to raise back towards the middle.

 

Do I need to worry about this and if so how can I rectify the problem. Its seems bit worrying to see red flashing lights!

 

there notably unreliable replace with a new one or get a mechanial one could be right tho 4 once

[jackherer 543]

there notably unreliable replace with a new one or get a mechanial one could be right tho 4 once

 

They are unreliable but the stop light and the pressure gauge run off totally different senders so if both are saying low oil pressure its likely to be true.

 

Is the idle speed high enough?

[GSXR_J 0]

Its running around the 850rpm mark, says in the haynes it should be between 850-950mark? Not sure to increase it a little, see if that helps?

Only seems to happen when sat in traffic for a while!!

 

Want to keep things looking standard as poss so may look at replacing the standard sensor too. Does anyone know whereabouts it is? Am I right in thinking that it is in the sump?

 

Cheers for the advice guys!

[paul205mi16 4]

have you checked you have enough oil in your engine? check the dipstick?

[GLPoomobile 958]

When you sit in traffic your engine gets hotter, and that makes the oil get hotter. As the oil gets hotter, it gets thinner. When it gets thinner, the pressure gets lower (which is why you'll see higher pressure when the engine is just started and is cold). Bumping the idle speed up to around 1k rpm will help.

 

But at the end of day, if the warning light and stop light are coming on, the pressure is too low.

[boombang 2]

Most of the time I've come across this, it's down to old or crap oil that needs changing.

[GSXR_J 0]

Hey, thanks for the comments,

Just come back in tonight and was sitting quite nicely about halfway on the gauge not changing massively when sat at lights etc...

 

With regards to the oil, its between halfway and max so guess thats ok? ive just serviced it and used a decent semi synthetic oil maybe needs thicker oil perhaps?

 

Will turn up the revs slightly and maybe change the oil for a thicker variety? Will have to see what happens!

[Galifrey 1]

try a 10/15w-50 oil, they are more stable at higher temps (not thicker, just thin less)

[GSXR_J 0]

Nice, thanks!

[boombang 2]

ive just serviced it and used a decent semi synthetic oil maybe needs thicker oil perhaps?

Not Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 was it?

[GSXR_J 0]

No it wasnt but is that a tip for one to avoid for the future?

[boombang 2]

Have found it to emulsify significantly in a 205 (possibly due to breather design?) then clump in the sump, sludging up the oil pump.

[shalmaneser 26]

Not Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 was it?

 

Really? What do you recommend? I've been using Magnatec and pressure's been bang on, no lower than the middle bar even when hot and at idle (although I'm idling at about 1100 rpm ATM!)

 

Just about to do an oil change so would appreciate the recommendation.