Start up oil pressure, takes too long for the low pressure light to go out?

What about oil filter? Oil filter has a flapper valve that retains oil in all engine upper ducts, in order to get oil pressure quickly after start. I suggest to do 2 tests: after this long time with no pressure, to stop engine immediately and after 5 minutes to test it again. If time is shorter, then You can do second test: to change filter (always the best branded quality), and test again. I hope this is the only issue. I suffered this trouble once with my TDI, and it was oil filter

Regards
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
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It has a wix oil filter which I believe is a good quality one. I will change the oil and filter when I get back from a trip next week. My D1 with 300tdi builds oil pressure almost immediately regardless of temperature. I’m pretty sure I have a Mahle filter on it.
 

robbyb20

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2019
227
34
Seattle
Speaking of filters, had on wix filters for about 2 years, had a K&n one on previously and now have a mobil one filter on. I just changed out the 15w40 for 10w30. Will have to wait till tomorrow to see what what its like since I changed it after gettting the engine up to about 100f. On restart after the change, the light went off instantly but I suspect it being at that temp helped it move a bit faster.
 

Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
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Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
It has a wix oil filter which I believe is a good quality one. I will change the oil and filter when I get back from a trip next week. My D1 with 300tdi builds oil pressure almost immediately regardless of temperature. I’m pretty sure I have a Mahle filter on it.
On oil filters I will always remember Mike Smith from East Coast Rover telling me only use a landy Rover oil filter. He was working on my ‘95 D90 and ‘93 LWB Rangie at the time. Feel sure they have it made for them yet always have followed his advice. That was in 1996.
 

Flyfish

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2004
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St. Louis
It has a wix oil filter which I believe is a good quality one. I will change the oil and filter when I get back from a trip next week. My D1 with 300tdi builds oil pressure almost immediately regardless of temperature. I’m pretty sure I have a Mahle filter on it.
I think GG’s oil filter comment was more so diesel oriented. But from what tests I’ve seen, WIX is pretty solid. That’s what I use on everything.
 
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There is no difference between diesel or Petrol with this thing. Pressure indicator ligths go off with less to 5 psi. But if there is no oil in ducts it takes a lot of time to fill them, and reach these 2 or 3 psi enough to get indicator light off. Diesel and petrol oil filters have the same 2 valves inside: pressure output flapper and bypass (just in case filter goes clogged). Here http://www.landroverclub.com.ar/viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=10&t=155907 you can see inside filter parts. This black soft part (third from bottom) closes peripheral input holes avoiding oil pumped inside to return when stopped. If this part is not tight, then oil will drain.
Here are Fram and Wix filters the worsest quality you can find.

Regards
 
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robbyb20

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2019
227
34
Seattle
Anyone have a recommendation on an oil pressure gauge with the correct fitting OR the size of the oil pressure sender fitting so I put something together? The lighter oil sped up (5seconds 30s weather) but now its a bit noisier on initial startup. once warmed up its good though. May as well get some more data though.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
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Northern Illinois
What about oil filter? Oil filter has a flapper valve that retains oil in all engine upper ducts, in order to get oil pressure quickly after start. I suggest to do 2 tests: after this long time with no pressure, to stop engine immediately and after 5 minutes to test it again. If time is shorter, then You can do second test: to change filter (always the best branded quality), and test again. I hope this is the only issue. I suffered this trouble once with my TDI, and it was oil filter

Regards
This is what I’ve been thinking. What oil filer are you running?
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
Anyone have a recommendation on an oil pressure gauge with the correct fitting OR the size of the oil pressure sender fitting so I put something together? The lighter oil sped up (5seconds 30s weather) but now its a bit noisier on initial startup. once warmed up its good though. May as well get some more data though.
It’s a goofy size. I can’t remember. I’ve used an adapter that goes on in place of the oil filter before. It was a great tool that a friend had. If you find one post it up, I would buy one.
 

Disco95

Well-known member
Mar 20, 2020
51
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Portland, OR
It’s a goofy size. I can’t remember. I’ve used an adapter that goes on in place of the oil filter before. It was a great tool that a friend had. If you find one post it up, I would buy one.
I used a sandwich adapter to hook up a mechanical gauge. Haven't plumbed one permanently.


Cheers,
joe b
pdx or
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
Similar behavior as OP and others, I've been running the black Mahle OEMs. Maybe it's worth trying something different...

Cheers,
joe b
pdx or
You can usually see the check valve. It’s worth a shot to at least to inspect it. If the filter allows oil to leak down it would act like your describing
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,485
375
I went on a road trip to visit family and then another for my son’s karate tournament. Then, I either got food poisoning or a wicked stomach virus during the karate tournament. I haven’t been that sick since, well, maybe never that sick. As such, I haven’t had time to do anything with this. However, I did start it up once yesterday. The light went out after just a few seconds and it had sat for quite some time. The difference is the temperature outside was much warmer, by about 30 degrees. I still think something isn’t quite right but I do plan to see what “thinner” oil does for it. It has some drips from the oil pan and probably the front crank seal. If thinner oil mostly solves the oil pressure issue, I will put off the oil pan and timing cover removal as I have some more pressing projects. Whenever I get back to it, I will post back with what I find.
 

DiscoHasBeen

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2016
1,171
262
Indy
In my head, a lighter weight oil like 5w would build less pressure than 15w, a heavier weight. Could be 100% wrong so let us know.
Reading through most of this. The idea of the oil being to heavy really depends on how far downstream the sensor is from the pump, If the pump has to push the oil through no small amount of the engine to get to the sensor then yes, it would cause low pressure readings for a while. But, as an engine ages and tolerances become greater usually increasing weight helps keep oil pressure up. One could try like a 5w-40 to address both issues. That said one should remember the higher the viscosity the less actual oil there is in that bottle.

Any real mechanic I've known would tell you trusting that dummy light on your dash board is a fools errand.
 

DiscoHasBeen

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2016
1,171
262
Indy
The previous owner changed the oil about 1000 miles ago. It is still quite clean. I’m wondering if he put 20w50 oil in it and maybe changing to 10w30 would help?
So this is a new engine to you? A conclusion one could come to is the previous owner did put a high weight oil in to mask low pressure readings. I'd change the oil right now with what the manual calls for and see what happens.
 
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terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
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375
Well, I decided to go with Rotella 10w30 and an AC Delco filter because i had both on the shelf. It seems to have made no difference. The engine was reported as installed during the previous owners time and just before I purchased it. It was said to have 125,000 miles. The install was kind of sloppy so I will assume the pan was not taken off when the engine was installed. I’m just going to pull the pan sometime in the not so distant future, probably when it is due for another oil change. It leaks and cleaning the pan out is probably just good preventive maintenance. Maybe it will help and worst case the effort will stop the pan leaks and I can rule out sludge being the issue. Aside from the slow oil pressure build up it runs absolutely perfect and quiet. It sat for weeks between starts and fired right up with very little cranking in cold weather. I will swap in a new sensor sooner than later as well.
 

Flyfish

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2004
1,402
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52
St. Louis
Could be the sensor or just the oil pump is getting a little tired. Maybe add s Lucas heav oil stabilizer and see if that makes a difference.
 
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