I have worked on cars, trucks and motorcycles for years. Not as a mechanic, but because I owned it, or helping a friend. I am by no measure a mechanic. I just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos, because I have learned why things do or are the way they are, not just how you replace it. You have taught me how to replace it, what it does, why it does, and how it affects the whole system. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks Christopher I listen to the video about ten times now going over it slowly ..really enjoyed the learnings and understanding more about how oil pressure is generated
i just respect you man, i've learnt a lot from you, i don't know how to say it right, just thank you thank you very much for everything, a very useful and very much helpful information
Thanks Eric for your experience and time you put in to make these videos. Its helping me to learn enough to do my own repairs. I'm an Artist/ Entertainer...and I am NOT a mechanic. But in just the past few months, I have learned to replace a water pump, remove my air intake and replace spark plugs ( I have a Mazda Tribute 3.0) Now, I am looking at replacing the Valve Cover Gaskets because I have an oil leak, and have seen some oil on the engine, on bottom of oil pan AND in the Spark plug wells. All these challenges have given me a new found "growing" confidence that "I CAN do it"... Thanks to people like you who teach and help with videos. Thanks Bud! Steve
Excellent, Eric. One of the things I like best about your videos is that you do your best to cover the basic concepts instead of always diving straight into the minutia of details specific to certain cars or manufacturers. Next beer's on me!
Excellent vid explaining theory. As a construction company owner I often try to explain things to the guys so they understand why things are done not just how to do them. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Just amazing explanation. I appreciate how you explain things but manage to not make me feel dumb in the process. This is a talent that not everyone has and it makes watching your videos very enjoyable. Keep up the great work!
Halo Eric, i am from Africa Namibia, i don't know how to say it right, just thank you thank you very much for everything, a very useful and very much helpful information. Excellent, Eric. One of the things I like best about your videos is that you do your best to cover the basic concepts instead of always diving straight into the minutia of details specific to certain cars or manufacturers.
Finally! Thanks for a fantastic explanation. I am having a motor rebuilt right now and I can actually understand what the mechanic has told me. Keep up this great channel.
Thanks Eric I just installed a new oil pump in my 95 ram 1500 and was disappointed to see the oil pressure was between 30 and 40, but your explanation says it all. You're the best 👍BTW I have over 212,500 miles on it.
you are the only guy that' know what his talking about. I saw many videos that they recommend change sensor unit gauge etc.,, the first thing is to check if you have engine pressure.in other words don't kill the messenger first!!
Simply stated, well explained, excellent comparative - visual example ( garden hose ) excellent video. You are a natural teacher. The world turns - continues to function - because of guys like you. Thanks.
Excellent ways of explanation and very understanding using a very professional language and skills. Thank you so much for all of this hard work for the community in helping out with our mechanical needs and troubles. Greatly appreciate your kindness and love hearing you educating us. Sincerely Eddie
hey Eric, once again I give you a THANK YOU! , One of the great things I like about you is that your not afraid to say,that "your not sure about that" which in my book speaks volumes of your credibility, Way too many" know it all's" loaded on the net. been working on cars awhile now and completely lost track of the oil pressure scenario. And yes I am guilty of replacing a oil pump on a engine with wasted main bearings. Here is a trick, if you barley here a knock and you suspect a rod bearing, pull the vehicle perpendicular to a curb, drop it in gear with a warmed up engine and give her some throttle if a rod. or engine bearing is in suspect, it will definintely make it's presence audibly known. slightly risky,but if present,ya got big problems anyway. Stay the course, and be well !
Thank you Eric I have tried over and over again to replace the oil pump due to the low pressure gauge of the engine oil and now I have benefited from this information. Thank you
Yeah, I thought that if you put a bigger oil pump on the motor I would have greater volume and thus, higher oil pressure. You are the first person who has made sense on oil pressure. Thanks.
+1. When elevating a fluid, gravity is the resistance. Some cars have an oil pressure relief valve, sometimes controlled by a spring, which will open and release some of the pressure if it get's too high. If this valve fails, it will let the oil straight through without any resistance, and thus you lose oil pressure.
A quick tip.. if you have a gauge instead of a light, like Eric said low readings will indicate wear, however high readings can be a sign you need to change the oil as it it tends to thicken over its life, thick oil will make higher pressure, but overall will be less flow. Which means some of the more distant parts wont get lubricated.
Thank-you Eric the car guy from Yukon, Canada, doing a 2006 volvo s60 2.5t , and you helped me learn, respect.., low oil pressure and trouble shooted.... it was the cam seal, oil pump seal and the oil intake was clogged, used sea foam... and changed such, volvos suck..., respect
Eric is pretty much correct!!! You can have a massive pump pumping out hundreds of gallons per minute...or more!! But if there's almost no resistance, if there is nothing to put pressure against it, then there is little pressure!! A pump is used to create flow... Any restriction creates pressure. Yes, you need a pump to create volume and resistance to create pressure
Also in my experience I've found that type of oil can seriously change your oil pressure readings. I tried out royal purple synthetic oil and my oil pressure dropped to half what it is normally, the engine also made noise like it was low on oil, so I parked and swapped out for my usual Rotella T oil and wix filter, back up to 50psi around 60 before warm up, huddles around 45 all the time. Excellent explanation in the video. The engine in question is a 360 Dodge 1977 motorhome, so I have to be careful which oil I put in it. I've read that certain newer oils won't protect your older engines and eat the camshafts out of them in just thousands of miles.
Got a '94 302 just lost all pressure today, dash gauge been actin funny for months, with good oil. My mechanic told me it was the main bearings. Used your video to learn a lil bit b4 diving into a new motor. Thanks. You totally backed him.
Thanks Eric...You're my hero of the month. This video makes perfect sense. It's not the oil pump. It's the oil in the system that creates pressure. Glad I didn't listen to my mechanic, he said I needed a new oil pump ($1400). I had him replace my 2005 Tahoe with high mileage oil and the pressure is back to normal 30 to 40 psi.
Hey Eric. I have an anomaly that appears to be unique. I have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo. 4.0 liter 6 with 182k. I tested the oil pressure with a gauge tester. Cold it went to 50 psi falling to 9 psi as it warmed over therapy minutes. I have replaced the sending unit, oil pump with stock milling pump, and went to 20w 40 full synthetic. When warm it will still drop to about 10 psi at idle unless I run the AC to raise the idle. But if I shut it down for even two minutes when warm, the pump will loose prime and I need to give it a quick rev and it comes back up to 40-50 psi while driving. Engine is tight and otherwise runs great. No rod knock or lifter tic. And the previous owner had new pump installed in November.
@snappytom1013. My 4L I6 Jeep Wrangler developed something like that but not quite that bad. Engine oil just wasn't lasting for 3k miles. I had to change it much sooner. I couldn't figure it out at first. Until I paid attention to design. They had designed the thing with the exhaust wrapping around the oil pan on 3 sides, all within 2 inches of the pan itself. The oil never stood a chance. There was no heat shielding to combat it. (There was also no support at the collector connection of exhaust pipe, but that's a story of idiocy for another time). I toyed with the idea of an oil cooler, but ruled out out. I don't remember why (I haven't had/seen the thing for at least 10 years now. Got rid of it). What I did do was wrap the exhaust pipe near the pan. It helped, but was ultimately a bandaid. Wrapping doesn't last. It ended up finally costing me a lifter. I parked it and drove my truck until I could fix it. But my mom beat me to the punch. She paid no attention to her gauges and let the car overheat from water loss till the engine was severely damaged. I let her drive mine reluctantly but not without sternly saying she needed to get hers fixed fast cause mine was vulnerable. Two months later, I'm picking her up again from the side of the road where mine died. She no closer to getting hers fixed and there were no options left. She took a taxi to work. I pulled the valve cover off mine. Looked like freaking glitter everywhere. I wasn't mad. I passed that point in a hurry. I was done with it by then. Sold it.
Eric is 100% correct a pump creates flow while restriction creates pressure and it's just that simple. There's nothing else to know about pressure just that one rule that a pump creates flow and restriction creates the pressure and that applies to anything and everything not just an engine anything and everything! A car's engine is simply a glorified air pump. If you think about it, air goes in & comes back out. It just so happens that if you add exactly a 14.7:1 ratio of air to gasoline (otherwise known as perfect stoichiometric engine combustion efficiency) and then add a spark (aka heat source) and we've now created combustion turned into useable energy in order to drive the transmission to the driveshaft to the differential and of course drive wheels. Very well explained ERIC While leaving no room for the what about this or that type of questions from viewers. Instead, you made it very clear that there was no other variable to affect how pressure is created! Nothing More could be said someone either gets it or they don't and there's gonna be the people that will challenge you on any and everything possible but I can tell you're not gonna put up with that BS anyway!
That makes sense thank you. I had a oil light flicker on my honda h22a engine so i changed the oil and put 10w30 in it and it went away. The oil was black and i found small crushable black peices in the oil pan. The car sat a long time and suddenly i started it and got that flicker at very low idle. I guess its time to rebuild, the engine must have been beat on previously cause it doesnt have many miles on it. Good vid thank you
This was a very informative video! My 2002 4.3 S10 (181,000 miles) has been having issues with low oil pressure (especially at idle) and was wondering if a new pump would have resolved it. Now I realize it might be due to engine wear (luckily the engine is not knocking or making noises). May have to go to higher viscosity oil to counteract the loss of pressure.
Love your helpful video's Eric. Can you do one where you show us how to do an engine compression test on a diesel engine, I know you have done one with a petrol engine, but I know a diesel test is different? How about it? Respects and thank you from Scotland UK.
Outstanding Video!! Took 4 Semesters of Vocational Auto in High School- Never once did I get an explanation on O.P. that was nearly that good, to where I fully understood it!!!! Thanks E.T.C.G.!!!!
great insight here! I've never thought about it like that before. It's a great example of Bernoulli's Principal. But, I wouldn't say the pump has nothing to do with creating pressure. I would say the pump generates flow (volume) that is later regulated into higher pressures by restricting that flow. So, take the water hose and cut the valve off half way at the source and the pressure will slowly drop along with the volume. So a weak enough pump could certainly lower the pressure. I get your point though. The pump is most likely unrelated to low pressure problems. Metal wear is much more likely the issue. Good to know!
I used to build a lot of race motors and this man knows exactly what are you talkin about because we used to put the bearings on the crankshaft where did gauge underneath it talk it down and see what the gauge read I'm sure he knows what I'm talkin about I like him the only smog mechanic I've ever seen so far
In physics terminology: P=F/A (I.e. Pressure is force divided by area) So technically the pump creates force that based on the various clearances (which shows up as the A= area in the formula) ends up bringing different pressure levels based on level of wear in the engine parts/ clearances. Of course a worn pump makes less force which does result in loss of pressure as well. So obviously you can have perfect clearances like in a brand new engine but a failing or worn oil pump and still have low pressure.
Correct brother... mechanical engineering teaches us all that. He can't say we should forget the oil pump. There are sequences that needs to be followed in fault finding... you can't just jump up and down like a cockroach...
you are the best! your videos helped me get my Integra running like a champ. id be calling dial a ride every morning if it weren't for your videos! so many things i didnt know and now i do. thank you sir.
Eric thank you for the leaning experience that i have received, iam sure a lot of people share the same view, what gets me the most is how you explain when and why i know not every one has the same understanding on how things work and thats ok but i kow to be that when a person with annoying situation is looking for the best results it makes more sense to handle the problem at hand,ive been watching your videos for some time know and i like to say keep up the fantastic work thanks,
There are some wrong information in this video. The example with the garden hose seems to be true but it is not. if you reduce the area of the hose, according to the Bernoulli principle, the speed of the liquid will increase. The pressure will stay at 1 atm since the water is let into the air. The same principle is used at pelton turbines. The lubricating film on the bearings is a hydrodynamic lubricating film. What is true though is that this will only work with parts which are not too much worn.
I have a 2000 Chevy Suburban with 270k miles and for the last couple of years I've been experiencing oil pressure problems. However, I believe my problems may be due to a sticking oil pressure relief switch/valve. Oil pressure averages about 40 lbs at idle and increases to 60+ when I accelerate. Occasionally, it will drop to 5-10 at idle and 40 when I accelerate. If I rev the engine for a few minutes, the oil pressure will go back to normal. Would using an engine cleaner/ help with the possible sticking switch? If so, is there a particular product you recommend?
Yessir....It's called "restriction".... restriction gives you pressure... Your example with the water hose, you forgot to mention-the *volume will still remain the same* when you put your finger on the end. The amount of water coming out won't change-only the pressure will...great vid 👍🏼
Eric the Car Guy.. ALWAYS explaining things in simplest terms so that most people can understand. Hey ETCG. Not sure if you looked into it, buy after you reitire from being a tech, Auto Instructor sounds like the perfect job for you....Awesome channel
+Jim Buford When you have a gauge, it is connected to the outlet of the pump reading the pressure at that point. At idle, pump is working slowly, and pressure must be enough to move the oil around, at higher rpm, the volume of pumped oil should be more than enough to give maximum pressure reads. Most cars have only a red light, it is on when the pressure falls below a certain minimum value. (like when the engine is turned on or off). When that light flashes while driving, turn off immediately, and check the oil level. In case there is oil in the engine call road assistance and don't turn the engine on again.
Hey Eric could you do a video about motor knocks, because there is a cool little toyota corolla sr5 i want to by, but the guy said it has a motor knock and it is under powered i dont want to buy another car because this car is in my price range. Help?
I have a 94 4x4 ext cab no oil pressure will go up soon as I crank it to normal then gradually go down to almost 10 to 20 psi. iv change the oil pressure sending unit under the distributor. and it wouldnt didnt work. so I'm thinking the oil pump mabe. if anyone could help please let me know
low pressure doesnt necessarily mean your engine is worn. pressure is inversely related to oil flow. The higher the pressure; the less flow you will get to your bearings, journals vice-versa. In modern higher reving engines, thinner oils are used to supply more oil to these parts faster.
Great Video thanks for sharing the info as I was having variable oil pressure at low speeds but at freeway speed the oil gauge stayed steady around the center of the gauge!!!
Shout out to EricTheCarGuy, Andrey here. First of all, LOVE what you do. Thank you so much for being informative on all the your videos (questions asked) and giving practical options that are (of course time tested) in the zone of INTREST.
hey eric. i have a 2005 crown victoria with 370,000 miles on it. what viscosity of engine should i use ? ford says i should use 5w-20 but i have quiet a bit of miles. should i use a higher viscosity or stick to 5w-20 ?
Ford hasn't changed their recommendation when it comes to the viscosity of oil they use. they still use 5w20 motor oil. but being how your engine has so many miles as stated in his video he talks about as the clearance is get bigger you lose oil pressure. ideally if you were to use a thicker viscosity oil you should get your oil pressure better probably not 100%. but if you're not having problems with oil pressure I would just stick with the same viscosity.
370,000 miles. On 5w-20. Sounds like your car is doing well. The most important thing your oil does is prevent wear. Everything else it does is secondary. 540rat has a blog where he tests different oils for their ability to prevent wear. Look it up.. Yes adding 20w-50 might make it " sound better" but the engine will then wear quicker.
+bep2001 kumar The purpose of oil is to prevent wear. Going to thicker oil is only a deception. May "sound" better but may actually accelerate wear. The real pressure in your car that prevents wear is hydrodynamic pressure. This pressure is in the thousands of pounds per square inch. It is created by motion of the surfaces coated with oil not by your oil pump.
Thomas Burns oh your very correct. But ideally putting a thicker oil maybe would increase oil pressure but yes oil pressure is made by the outlet of the pump and your crankshaft journals etc.
Please share the answer ASAP as I have no other way to transport my son who is in a motorized wheelchair with cerebral palsy and is autistic. Weighs about 200 lbs and impossible to transport any other way except a wheelchair lift van. No sympathy just answers timme is of the essence here. Thanks
True, however the reason that MIL-L-23699 (turbine oil) and more specifically MIL-PRF-5606H (Hydraulic fluid) are used in aviation is because they are not as compressible, on top of their standard characteristics, as other fluids (which is a big deal in a T701D Blackhawk engine turning 69,000 rpm cranking 1800 shaft HP at the 5606H filled gimbal). What Eric is trying to point out is that liquid oils are not nearly as compressible as a gas. We're talking about every day consumers looking for information, not trying to confuse them by tech'ing them to death... I understand people want to show their stripes, but keep it simple and don't ruin the main point.
Dustin Wutschke bullshit its the fact they stand up to 500 deg temps and it contains anti oxidant and varnish inhibitors , the specifications never mention Compresibility , the reality is non compressible hydrolic fluids are water based bro,,, crazy i know but water is dam near in compressible under even extreme conditions and its the last thing you want in jet engine oil at 500 degF , im not tryn to show any stripes im just speaking facts not bashing Erci he is the shit we all know this im trying to share knowledge brother, your not the first to give me shit and try and dumb down the world even more....
very informative. I do not know a lot about cars and when my low engine oil light came on this really helped me understand what is going on and gave me some knowledge going into the car shop.
Thanks for this info. Always go to your videos first to troubleshoot. I have a Camry V6 1mzfe. Changed timing belt, water pump, crank bearing, 1 cam bearing, Valve covers. Cleaned out intake manifold and EGR of carbon. Oil light never came on before, now it does. Not leaking oil. Engine not making any noise. But light has me worried.
Thanks a lot for your time and staying dirty....lol...I'm dealing with the problem your talking about on my 93 Chevy 1500 and yes I will gauge the oil pressure today,I'm hoping for the best fingers crossed.Just wanted to say thanks again for enlighting us ,you just gained another follower..I'll be watching from Dallas and we'll stay dirty together.
your teaching is great i changed 1rz engine oil pump twice not knowing that it had worn out main bearings, the oil indicator went off after changing the bearings.
You were the first guy I ever looked up on TH-cam and you're sill the first go to guy every time. I wish you the best life can offer. Thanks for all the help. I just replaced the thermostat and on my test drive the oil pressure gauge was on the higher side. It was a quart low so I added too much but the gauge looked more normal just past the halfway mark. By the time I got home the gauge was all the way to the right High mark? I've had low pressure and had to add oil before but never had high pressure and had to add oil before. I've had this old 94 Ford pickup since it was one year old. It's been a great truck 265,000 miles still strong. Merry Christmas!
The Cadillac Northstar (mine is a mint condition 1996 with 115,000) only has an idiot light. I have used synthetic oil since new, and at 110,000 the oil light would flicker followed by a "STOP ENGINE" message displayed on the screen along with a fast chime. I replaced the sending unit, still had the problem, then i went back to regular 10w30, and i have not seen the oil light flicker in 3000. I just drove straight down and back between Florida and New York, and all was great.
Currently doing a Elantra bottom end full bearing replacement and all big end Cap bolts and main bearing Cap bolts; after car has done 320,000km. Decided to replace oil pump as well. Checking oil pump specifications, noticed OEM, have modified the Relief Valve Plunger. Plasti-Gauge, checking and fitting new bearing shells today, to ensure oil clearances are back in Specification, so oil pressy issues are rectified
Very good info!!! Especially since this is what you will see most all the time . Oil pumps rarely go out, but when they do you see almost nothing to nothing for oil pressure through all ranges of rpm. they u can dictate the final diagnosis if the motor is not all read seized as it is. Which will be the prominent factor in these situations. Yet a small factor to consider from what I have encountered
Bro you answered a lot of my questions in one video. I have a 1.8 liter integra gsr with no/ low oil pressure at idle after rebuilding it. Today literally today I pulled the motor to tear it apart and rebuild it to find where the gapping hole must be. Replaced the oil pump obviously didn’t help found I didn’t install a cam seal correct on the driver side behind the cam gear fixed that still don’t fix the problem so now it’s the crank and cam caps once it’s on an engine stand. And I double know I put the oil squirters back in had that issue before
awesome video. good job in explaining all the dinamics. I got a problem or need help on my vehicles I go to ur videos. always helpful. keep those videos coming an thank u. my ranger had 170,000 miles an oil Guage goes crazy at idle at times but normal pressure under throttle. my only work vehicle shop in not that advanced mechanic but not sure where to go
Oh, boy, Pressure!?!?!?! Any pump works by either creating a vacuum or creating pressure. That is how the pump moves the liquid. By constricting the fluid flow, you have the same pressure, but less fluid, so higher fluid flow. The pump is the main ingredient to create the "pressure". What is interesting is how when these parts wear, they allow oil to flow more freely. So it's not about pressure, but rather oil leaks in the components. Great view of the inside of the crank shaft. Thanks Eric!!!
Great video. I learned something new today. I was already thinking of changing the oil pump on My 95 Maxima. I've been having a problem with the oil light coming on and blinking when I stop at a light. As soon as I accelerate the light goes of. Thanks to Eric -tcg's info I need to rethink now.👍
So what was your diagnosis? I have a lexus IS350 2007 with low pump pressure, i have bought 3 different oil pumps and no change, the car starts fine, but the oil pump pressure is very low. Pls what do you advice?
Thank you very much. I could hear the name of the parts involved as my brother tried to explain to me how the engine produces oil pressure. I just really did not get it until I watched this video.
It's taken me months to find a proper understandable explanation of how oil pressure works and this guy did just that! Top work.
I have worked on cars, trucks and motorcycles for years. Not as a mechanic, but because I owned it, or helping a friend. I am by no measure a mechanic. I just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos, because I have learned why things do or are the way they are, not just how you replace it. You have taught me how to replace it, what it does, why it does, and how it affects the whole system. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
It’s nice for someone to show real appreciation for what these people do on TH-cam
Thanks Christopher I listen to the video about ten times now going over it slowly ..really enjoyed the learnings and understanding more about how oil pressure is generated
I have been a car guy for 40 plus years and you make the most sense of anyone I have listened to.
i just respect you man, i've learnt a lot from you, i don't know how to say it right, just thank you thank you very much for everything, a very useful and very much helpful information
Thanks Eric for your experience and time you put in to make these videos. Its helping me to learn enough to do my own repairs. I'm an Artist/ Entertainer...and I am NOT a mechanic. But in just the past few months, I have learned to replace a water pump, remove my air intake and replace spark plugs ( I have a Mazda Tribute 3.0)
Now, I am looking at replacing the Valve Cover Gaskets because I have an oil leak, and have seen some oil on the engine, on bottom of oil pan AND in the Spark plug wells. All these challenges have given me a new found "growing" confidence that "I CAN do it"...
Thanks to people like you who teach and help with videos.
Thanks Bud!
Steve
Excellent, Eric. One of the things I like best about your videos is that you do your best to cover the basic concepts instead of always diving straight into the minutia of details specific to certain cars or manufacturers. Next beer's on me!
Eric is cool and explains things on a relaxed way.
Excellent vid explaining theory. As a construction company owner I often try to explain things to the guys so they understand why things are done not just how to do them. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Just amazing explanation. I appreciate how you explain things but manage to not make me feel dumb in the process. This is a talent that not everyone has and it makes watching your videos very enjoyable. Keep up the great work!
Hi great vdo is there a pressure relief valve on car engines. I work on plans and they have a ball under spring pressure to adjust oil pressure.
Halo Eric, i am from Africa Namibia, i don't know how to say it right, just thank you thank you very much for everything, a very useful and very much helpful information. Excellent, Eric. One of the things I like best about your videos is that you do your best to cover the basic concepts instead of always diving straight into the minutia of details specific to certain cars or manufacturers.
Finally! Thanks for a fantastic explanation. I am having a motor rebuilt right now and I can actually understand what the mechanic has told me. Keep up this great channel.
Damn ! Called us all out on the "let me stop talking and show you"
Your the Man Eric
Thanks Eric I just installed a new oil pump in my 95 ram 1500 and was disappointed to see the oil pressure was between 30 and 40, but your explanation says it all. You're the best 👍BTW I have over 212,500 miles on it.
Eric. I like the way you break everything down to the basics. I've learnt a lot from this video. You've saved me a lot on this. Thanks
you are the only guy that' know what his talking about. I saw many videos that they recommend change sensor unit gauge etc.,, the first thing is to check if you have engine pressure.in other words don't kill the messenger first!!
Simply stated, well explained, excellent comparative - visual example ( garden hose ) excellent video. You are a natural teacher. The world turns - continues to function - because of guys like you. Thanks.
Knowledgeable and presented well- good job! Thanks Eric!
Excellent ways of explanation and very understanding using a very professional language and skills. Thank you so much for all of this hard work for the community in helping out with our mechanical needs and troubles. Greatly appreciate your kindness and love hearing you educating us. Sincerely Eddie
hey Eric, once again I give you a THANK YOU! , One of the great things I like about you is that your not afraid to say,that "your not sure about that" which in my book speaks volumes of your credibility, Way too many" know it all's" loaded on the net. been working on cars awhile now and completely lost track of the oil pressure scenario. And yes I am guilty of replacing a oil pump on a engine with wasted main bearings. Here is a trick, if you barley here a knock and you suspect a rod bearing, pull the vehicle perpendicular to a curb, drop it in gear with a warmed up engine and give her some throttle if a rod. or engine bearing is in suspect, it will definintely make it's presence audibly known. slightly risky,but if present,ya got big problems anyway. Stay the course, and be well !
Thank you Eric I have tried over and over again to replace the oil pump due to the low pressure gauge of the engine oil and now I have benefited from this information. Thank you
Yeah, I thought that if you put a bigger oil pump on the motor I would have greater volume and thus, higher oil pressure. You are the first person who has made sense on oil pressure. Thanks.
+1. When elevating a fluid, gravity is the resistance.
Some cars have an oil pressure relief valve, sometimes controlled by a spring, which will open and release some of the pressure if it get's too high. If this valve fails, it will let the oil straight through without any resistance, and thus you lose oil pressure.
Tks for that video, good job.
A quick tip.. if you have a gauge instead of a light, like Eric said low readings will indicate wear, however high readings can be a sign you need to change the oil as it it tends to thicken over its life, thick oil will make higher pressure, but overall will be less flow. Which means some of the more distant parts wont get lubricated.
best channel for automotive repairs ive seen... thanks
Thank-you Eric the car guy from Yukon, Canada, doing a 2006 volvo s60 2.5t , and you helped me learn, respect.., low oil pressure and trouble shooted.... it was the cam seal, oil pump seal and the oil intake was clogged, used sea foam... and changed such, volvos suck..., respect
Eric is pretty much correct!!! You can have a massive pump pumping out hundreds of gallons per minute...or more!! But if there's almost no resistance, if there is nothing to put pressure against it, then there is little pressure!! A pump is used to create flow... Any restriction creates pressure. Yes, you need a pump to create volume and resistance to create pressure
pretty much correct ? Da Barboza
Also in my experience I've found that type of oil can seriously change your oil pressure readings. I tried out royal purple synthetic oil and my oil pressure dropped to half what it is normally, the engine also made noise like it was low on oil, so I parked and swapped out for my usual Rotella T oil and wix filter, back up to 50psi around 60 before warm up, huddles around 45 all the time. Excellent explanation in the video. The engine in question is a 360 Dodge 1977 motorhome, so I have to be careful which oil I put in it. I've read that certain newer oils won't protect your older engines and eat the camshafts out of them in just thousands of miles.
Synthetic oil requires a different filter material. See pureoil.com
Yes! That's what Eric the car guy said also
Eric, you are a natural teacher. I love your videos!
Got a '94 302 just lost all pressure today, dash gauge been actin funny for months, with good oil. My mechanic told me it was the main bearings. Used your video to learn a lil bit b4 diving into a new motor. Thanks. You totally backed him.
Thanks Eric...You're my hero of the month. This video makes perfect sense. It's not the oil pump. It's the oil in the system that creates pressure. Glad I didn't listen to my mechanic, he said I needed a new oil pump ($1400). I had him replace my 2005 Tahoe with high mileage oil and the pressure is back to normal 30 to 40 psi.
Great video Eric, I learned something. I here stories all the time about people replacing oil pumps and still not having pressure.
Best explanation ever regarding oil pressure! Congratulations Eric 🙌🏾
Hi Erick how free should engine turn by hand with new bigend bearings
u are the best internet dad ever ;_;
Hey Eric. I have an anomaly that appears to be unique. I have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo. 4.0 liter 6 with 182k. I tested the oil pressure with a gauge tester. Cold it went to 50 psi falling to 9 psi as it warmed over therapy minutes. I have replaced the sending unit, oil pump with stock milling pump, and went to 20w 40 full synthetic. When warm it will still drop to about 10 psi at idle unless I run the AC to raise the idle. But if I shut it down for even two minutes when warm, the pump will loose prime and I need to give it a quick rev and it comes back up to 40-50 psi while driving. Engine is tight and otherwise runs great. No rod knock or lifter tic. And the previous owner had new pump installed in November.
@snappytom1013. My 4L I6 Jeep Wrangler developed something like that but not quite that bad. Engine oil just wasn't lasting for 3k miles. I had to change it much sooner. I couldn't figure it out at first. Until I paid attention to design. They had designed the thing with the exhaust wrapping around the oil pan on 3 sides, all within 2 inches of the pan itself. The oil never stood a chance. There was no heat shielding to combat it. (There was also no support at the collector connection of exhaust pipe, but that's a story of idiocy for another time). I toyed with the idea of an oil cooler, but ruled out out. I don't remember why (I haven't had/seen the thing for at least 10 years now. Got rid of it). What I did do was wrap the exhaust pipe near the pan. It helped, but was ultimately a bandaid. Wrapping doesn't last. It ended up finally costing me a lifter. I parked it and drove my truck until I could fix it. But my mom beat me to the punch. She paid no attention to her gauges and let the car overheat from water loss till the engine was severely damaged. I let her drive mine reluctantly but not without sternly saying she needed to get hers fixed fast cause mine was vulnerable. Two months later, I'm picking her up again from the side of the road where mine died. She no closer to getting hers fixed and there were no options left. She took a taxi to work. I pulled the valve cover off mine. Looked like freaking glitter everywhere. I wasn't mad. I passed that point in a hurry. I was done with it by then. Sold it.
That's why I cal him Daddy. ;)
Andiar Rohnds thank you so much for valuable information
Eric is 100% correct a pump creates flow while restriction creates pressure and it's just that simple. There's nothing else to know about pressure just that one rule that a pump creates flow and restriction creates the pressure and that applies to anything and everything not just an engine anything and everything! A car's engine is simply a glorified air pump. If you think about it, air goes in & comes back out. It just so happens that if you add exactly a 14.7:1 ratio of air to gasoline (otherwise known as perfect stoichiometric engine combustion efficiency) and then add a spark (aka heat source) and we've now created combustion turned into useable energy in order to drive the transmission to the driveshaft to the differential and of course drive wheels. Very well explained ERIC While leaving no room for the what about this or that type of questions from viewers. Instead, you made it very clear that there was no other variable to affect how pressure is created! Nothing More could be said someone either gets it or they don't and there's gonna be the people that will challenge you on any and everything possible but I can tell you're not gonna put up with that BS anyway!
That makes sense thank you. I had a oil light flicker on my honda h22a engine so i changed the oil and put 10w30 in it and it went away. The oil was black and i found small crushable black peices in the oil pan. The car sat a long time and suddenly i started it and got that flicker at very low idle. I guess its time to rebuild, the engine must have been beat on previously cause it doesnt have many miles on it. Good vid thank you
This was a very informative video! My 2002 4.3 S10 (181,000 miles) has been having issues with low oil pressure (especially at idle) and was wondering if a new pump would have resolved it. Now I realize it might be due to engine wear (luckily the engine is not knocking or making noises). May have to go to higher viscosity oil to counteract the loss of pressure.
Or it might really just be the pump.
Thanks. This video was very helpful. I'm keeping a keen eye on my oil gauge.
Eric, you really are an awesome teacher! Love your videos, man.
Glad and relieved to hear the difference of what creates the pressure..
ETCG you are exactly right, this is why the oil pump is on one end of the crankshaft, and the pressure sending unit is at the other end.
Good video, Eric. / always learn something from your videos.
thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Dude, these videos are so interesting and informative. Thank you
Thank you, Eric. This is what I was looking for. You are doing a great thing.
It takes years to gain experience,, and here someone give you knowledge in minutes.. thank you!
One of the absolute best DIY car repair channels on the Internet! This channel is my new goto!
Love your helpful video's Eric. Can you do one where you show us how to do an engine compression test on a diesel engine, I know you have done one with a petrol engine, but I know a diesel test is different? How about it? Respects and thank you from Scotland UK.
Thankyou Eric, a really good insight on how the oil system works. I certainly learned something!
Thanks a lot, Eric from 9 years ago!
Outstanding Video!!
Took 4 Semesters of Vocational Auto in High School- Never once did I get an explanation on O.P. that was nearly that good, to where I fully understood it!!!!
Thanks E.T.C.G.!!!!
Évangélise
Very insightful, I never knew it worked like that. I thought it just pumped oil to the top of and around the engine. You really know your stuff!
Good stuff very informative . LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VIDEOS .
Holy, i just learned somthing today thanks my man!
Also how to spell something lol
Eric thank you for this knowledge!!!
great insight here! I've never thought about it like that before. It's a great example of Bernoulli's Principal. But, I wouldn't say the pump has nothing to do with creating pressure. I would say the pump generates flow (volume) that is later regulated into higher pressures by restricting that flow. So, take the water hose and cut the valve off half way at the source and the pressure will slowly drop along with the volume. So a weak enough pump could certainly lower the pressure. I get your point though. The pump is most likely unrelated to low pressure problems. Metal wear is much more likely the issue. Good to know!
I used to build a lot of race motors and this man knows exactly what are you talkin about because we used to put the bearings on the crankshaft where did gauge underneath it talk it down and see what the gauge read I'm sure he knows what I'm talkin about I like him the only smog mechanic I've ever seen so far
as always, thanks Eric!!
make a video on how to replace these bearings please!
In physics terminology:
P=F/A (I.e. Pressure is force divided by area)
So technically the pump creates force that based on the various clearances (which shows up as the A= area in the formula) ends up bringing different pressure levels based on level of wear in the engine parts/ clearances.
Of course a worn pump makes less force which does result in loss of pressure as well.
So obviously you can have perfect clearances like in a brand new engine but a failing or worn oil pump and still have low pressure.
How to install the Pistons in a 302 Ford
Correct brother... mechanical engineering teaches us all that. He can't say we should forget the oil pump. There are sequences that needs to be followed in fault finding... you can't just jump up and down like a cockroach...
Excellent thought sir. Much obliged.
the pump pressure produce when ristrictid
Great explanations, very clear and easy to understand. It's not a thesis but it's reach is awesome
you are the best! your videos helped me get my Integra running like a champ. id be calling dial a ride every morning if it weren't for your videos! so many things i didnt know and now i do. thank you sir.
Great Job Sir!!!
Good old Bernouli's Principle.
The fluid dynamic principle at play here is called the Venturi Effect, just fwiw...
No it isnt
Eric thank you for the leaning experience that i have received, iam sure a lot of people share the same view, what gets me the most is how you explain when and why i know not every one has the same understanding on how things work and thats ok but i kow to be that when a person with annoying situation is looking for the best results it makes more sense to handle the problem at hand,ive been watching your videos for some time know and i like to say keep up the fantastic work thanks,
I’m sure you might not see this but for the record you are good at explaining things and I know more after watching this, thank you.
There are some wrong information in this video. The example with the garden hose seems to be true but it is not. if you reduce the area of the hose, according to the Bernoulli principle, the speed of the liquid will increase. The pressure will stay at 1 atm since the water is let into the air. The same principle is used at pelton turbines.
The lubricating film on the bearings is a hydrodynamic lubricating film. What is true though is that this will only work with parts which are not too much worn.
No it creates more pressure in the hose
I have a 2000 Chevy Suburban with 270k miles and for the last couple of years I've been experiencing oil pressure problems. However, I believe my problems may be due to a sticking oil pressure relief switch/valve. Oil pressure averages about 40 lbs at idle and increases to 60+ when I accelerate. Occasionally, it will drop to 5-10 at idle and 40 when I accelerate. If I rev the engine for a few minutes, the oil pressure will go back to normal. Would using an engine cleaner/ help with the possible sticking switch? If so, is there a particular product you recommend?
Try sea foam Flush the oil a couple times
Yessir....It's called "restriction".... restriction gives you pressure... Your example with the water hose, you forgot to mention-the *volume will still remain the same* when you put your finger on the end. The amount of water coming out won't change-only the pressure will...great vid 👍🏼
Eric the Car Guy.. ALWAYS explaining things in simplest terms so that most people can understand.
Hey ETCG. Not sure if you looked into it, buy after you reitire from being a tech, Auto Instructor sounds like the perfect job for you....Awesome channel
Eric, I understand what you are saying but how does the oil pressure interact with the gauge to produce a reading? Thanks
+Jim Buford When you have a gauge, it is connected to the outlet of the pump reading the pressure at that point. At idle, pump is working slowly, and pressure must be enough to move the oil around, at higher rpm, the volume of pumped oil should be more than enough to give maximum pressure reads. Most cars have only a red light, it is on when the pressure falls below a certain minimum value. (like when the engine is turned on or off). When that light flashes while driving, turn off immediately, and check the oil level. In case there is oil in the engine call road assistance and don't turn the engine on again.
+José Pinto Thanks Jose. It is clearer now.
Hey Eric could you do a video about motor knocks, because there is a cool little toyota corolla sr5 i want to by, but the guy said it has a motor knock and it is under powered i dont want to buy another car because this car is in my price range. Help?
I have a 94 4x4 ext cab no oil pressure will go up soon as I crank it to normal then gradually go down to almost 10 to 20 psi. iv change the oil pressure sending unit under the distributor. and it wouldnt didnt work. so I'm thinking the oil pump mabe. if anyone could help please let me know
low pressure doesnt necessarily mean your engine is worn. pressure is inversely related to oil flow. The higher the pressure; the less flow you will get to your bearings, journals vice-versa. In modern higher reving engines, thinner oils are used to supply more oil to these parts faster.
its not low oil pressure in general, its loss of oil pressure.
My thoughts exactly
Great Video thanks for sharing the info as I was having variable oil pressure at low speeds but at freeway speed the oil gauge stayed steady around the center of the gauge!!!
Shout out to EricTheCarGuy, Andrey here. First of all, LOVE what you do. Thank you so much for being informative on all the your videos (questions asked) and giving practical options that are (of course time tested) in the zone of INTREST.
hey eric. i have a 2005 crown victoria with 370,000 miles on it. what viscosity of engine should i use ? ford says i should use 5w-20 but i have quiet a bit of miles. should i use a higher viscosity or stick to 5w-20 ?
+Saber Uddin Keep using 5w-20 or check if Ford updated their recommendation. He says in another video to use the same as manufacturer recommends.
Ford hasn't changed their recommendation when it comes to the viscosity of oil they use. they still use 5w20 motor oil. but being how your engine has so many miles as stated in his video he talks about as the clearance is get bigger you lose oil pressure. ideally if you were to use a thicker viscosity oil you should get your oil pressure better probably not 100%. but if you're not having problems with oil pressure I would just stick with the same viscosity.
370,000 miles. On 5w-20. Sounds like your car is doing well. The most important thing your oil does is prevent wear. Everything else it does is secondary. 540rat has a blog where he tests different oils for their ability to prevent wear. Look it up.. Yes adding 20w-50 might make it " sound better" but the engine will then wear quicker.
+bep2001 kumar The purpose of oil is to prevent wear. Going to thicker oil is only a deception. May "sound" better but may actually accelerate wear. The real pressure in your car that prevents wear is hydrodynamic pressure. This pressure is in the thousands of pounds per square inch. It is created by motion of the surfaces coated with oil not by your oil pump.
Thomas Burns oh your very correct. But ideally putting a thicker oil maybe would increase oil pressure but yes oil pressure is made by the outlet of the pump and your crankshaft journals etc.
Please share the answer ASAP as I have no other way to transport my son who is in
a motorized wheelchair with cerebral palsy and is autistic. Weighs about 200 lbs and impossible to transport any other way except a wheelchair lift van. No sympathy just answers timme is of the essence here. Thanks
Most public transports have a wheelchair-compatible van.
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actually liquids are very compressible, im speaking from an engineering perspective the term for liquid compressibility is Bulk Modulus
True, however the reason that MIL-L-23699 (turbine oil) and more specifically MIL-PRF-5606H (Hydraulic fluid) are used in aviation is because they are not as compressible, on top of their standard characteristics, as other fluids (which is a big deal in a T701D Blackhawk engine turning 69,000 rpm cranking 1800 shaft HP at the 5606H filled gimbal). What Eric is trying to point out is that liquid oils are not nearly as compressible as a gas. We're talking about every day consumers looking for information, not trying to confuse them by tech'ing them to death... I understand people want to show their stripes, but keep it simple and don't ruin the main point.
Dustin Wutschke bullshit its the fact they stand up to 500 deg temps and it contains anti oxidant and varnish inhibitors , the specifications never mention Compresibility , the reality is non compressible hydrolic fluids are water based bro,,, crazy i know but water is dam near in compressible under even extreme conditions and its the last thing you want in jet engine oil at 500 degF , im not tryn to show any stripes im just speaking facts not bashing Erci he is the shit we all know this im trying to share knowledge brother, your not the first to give me shit and try and dumb down the world even more....
NOBOX7 troll
thanks
From a practical perspective, oils are essentially non-compressable. Realy isn't an issue till you get over 200 psi.
very informative. I do not know a lot about cars and when my low engine oil light came on this really helped me understand what is going on and gave me some knowledge going into the car shop.
Great to meet you too.
Thanks for sharing. I learned a bunch!
Every vehicle owner should watch this. Invaluable information.
Thanks for this info. Always go to your videos first to troubleshoot. I have a Camry V6 1mzfe. Changed timing belt, water pump, crank bearing, 1 cam bearing, Valve covers. Cleaned out intake manifold and EGR of carbon. Oil light never came on before, now it does. Not leaking oil. Engine not making any noise. But light has me worried.
Thanks a lot for your time and staying dirty....lol...I'm dealing with the problem your talking about on my 93 Chevy 1500 and yes I will gauge the oil pressure today,I'm hoping for the best fingers crossed.Just wanted to say thanks again for enlighting us ,you just gained another follower..I'll be watching from Dallas and we'll stay dirty together.
I think its awesome how you break down every part and the way it functions
Eric, Thanks so much for your time, I hope your channel is doing well for you financially.
your teaching is great i changed 1rz engine oil pump twice not knowing that it had worn out main bearings, the oil indicator went off after changing the bearings.
You were the first guy I ever looked up on TH-cam and you're sill the first go to guy every time. I wish you the best life can offer. Thanks for all the help. I just replaced the thermostat and on my test drive the oil pressure gauge was on the higher side. It was a quart low so I added too much but the gauge looked more normal just past the halfway mark. By the time I got home the gauge was all the way to the right High mark? I've had low pressure and had to add oil before but never had high pressure and had to add oil before. I've had this old 94 Ford pickup since it was one year old. It's been a great truck 265,000 miles still strong. Merry Christmas!
The Cadillac Northstar (mine is a mint condition 1996 with 115,000) only has an idiot light. I have used synthetic oil since new, and at 110,000 the oil light would flicker followed by a "STOP ENGINE" message displayed on the screen along with a fast chime. I replaced the sending unit, still had the problem, then i went back to regular 10w30, and i have not seen the oil light flicker in 3000. I just drove straight down and back between Florida and New York, and all was great.
Currently doing a Elantra bottom end full bearing replacement and all big end Cap bolts and main bearing Cap bolts; after car has done 320,000km. Decided to replace oil pump as well.
Checking oil pump specifications, noticed OEM, have modified the Relief Valve Plunger.
Plasti-Gauge, checking and fitting new bearing shells today, to ensure oil clearances are back in Specification, so oil pressy issues are rectified
Very good info!!! Especially since this is what you will see most all the time . Oil pumps rarely go out, but when they do you see almost nothing to nothing for oil pressure through all ranges of rpm. they u can dictate the final diagnosis if the motor is not all read seized as it is. Which will be the prominent factor in these situations. Yet a small factor to consider from what I have encountered
Bro you answered a lot of my questions in one video. I have a 1.8 liter integra gsr with no/ low oil pressure at idle after rebuilding it.
Today literally today I pulled the motor to tear it apart and rebuild it to find where the gapping hole must be.
Replaced the oil pump obviously didn’t help found I didn’t install a cam seal correct on the driver side behind the cam gear fixed that still don’t fix the problem so now it’s the crank and cam caps once it’s on an engine stand.
And I double know I put the oil squirters back in had that issue before
awesome video. good job in explaining all the dinamics. I got a problem or need help on my vehicles I go to ur videos. always helpful. keep those videos coming an thank u. my ranger had 170,000 miles an oil Guage goes crazy at idle at times but normal pressure under throttle. my only work vehicle shop in not that advanced mechanic but not sure where to go
Oh, boy, Pressure!?!?!?! Any pump works by either creating a vacuum or creating pressure. That is how the pump moves the liquid. By constricting the fluid flow, you have the same pressure, but less fluid, so higher fluid flow. The pump is the main ingredient to create the "pressure". What is interesting is how when these parts wear, they allow oil to flow more freely. So it's not about pressure, but rather oil leaks in the components. Great view of the inside of the crank shaft. Thanks Eric!!!
What's great here is that Eric explains how low oil pressure "dummy" light may not mean a bad pump. Great info.
Thank you for solving the many other questions I had pertaining to oil pressure.
thanks for clarifying things for me, enjoy your videos and there always helpful. thanks for taking the time to make these videos!!
Thanks Eric, you make the best videos about fixing cars on TH-cam
Great video. I learned something new today. I was already thinking of changing the oil pump on My 95 Maxima. I've been having a problem with the oil light coming on and blinking when I stop at a light. As soon as I accelerate the light goes of. Thanks to Eric -tcg's info I need to rethink now.👍
Oil pressure sensor brings up low pressure light to
Thank you Eric for your time and information on this subject on oil pressure , now I can diagnose my 88 Nissan Z31 !!!!!
So what was your diagnosis? I have a lexus IS350 2007 with low pump pressure, i have bought 3 different oil pumps and no change, the car starts fine, but the oil pump pressure is very low. Pls what do you advice?
Thank you very much. I could hear the name of the parts involved as my brother tried to explain to me how the engine produces oil pressure. I just really did not get it until I watched this video.
Once again, Eric explains it great. Thanks for the info man. Old video, but still worth the watch!
This video is the most useful video about oil pressure on youtube.