I have a '96 Camaro with the 3.8L engine... I was wondering what's considered to be too high of an oil pressure.

My needle used to read really low because the pressure sender was broken, so I replaced that. Ever since then, it reads higher than the 3/4 mark at all times, and often jumps past the top mark (120).

Is that normal? If it's not normal, would oil perssure this high cause any problems?

 

You having a faulty sending unit would be way more believable than having such a high (120) oil pressure. I would take the sending unit back for a refund saying it's reading incorrectly, and try a different brand.

 

What is considered "normal" or "optimal" oil pressure?

 

With a cold engine, somewhere in the 80 psi range (at driving rpm's) is typical. Your pressure will drop somewhat as the engine heats up. Pressure readings will change with rpm's, and 20 psi at idle can be considered "normal".
If your oil pressure really was 120, then a spun bearing would be a likely cause. But, your engine would be singing a very unhappy tune to tell you so.

 

if you have high pressure its also a sign that something is seriously wrong. probably antifreeze in the oil. your best bet is to pull the drain plug while the engine is cool. the oil floats on the water and pulling the plug will release the water. if there is water in the oil then you have a bad gasket...but the way it sounds you may be looking at a engine overhaul in the near future

 

just for referance on mine the first mark on the gage is about 20lbs second or half 40 next 60 and last mark is 80.

 

I've checked for antifreeze in the oil, and there isn't any. I've checked the antifreeze level, and it hasn't changed in the last six months or more. The oil has always been clean (except for the usual gunk that builds up between oil changes). I don't have any knocking or any error codes. The engine seems to be running smoothly.

My guage goes from 0 to 120. The redline on the guage is between zero and the first hash mark, so around the 15-20 range. That's why it confuses me when people say that 20 is normal. My idle is at the 3/4 hash mark, so around 90 or so, and at high rpms it maxes out to 120.

I've talked to people who've said that their car has been that high since they bought it new in the 90's with no problems, and I've talked to others who said that it's insanely high. Is there anybody else who has oil pressure this high? And if so, is it causing any problems in your vehicle?

 

i wonder if u got a sensor for the 80 lb gauge. if they are different that may explain it. i would be tempted to hook up a mechanical gauge to verify what the pressure is.

 

Mine is somewhat similiar, it reads the max and then flutters every once and awhile. But my oil is good, gets changed every 3000 miles and never has coolant in it. My engine is strong, but is a little noisy from the water pump because of my past coolant and overheating problem. I don't worry about it. It'll be a 'someday I'll fit it' deal.

 

If your water pump is making noise you should be worried about it.