Normal pressure will depend on the motor. This does not repeat even when cars are new. You can line up 4 brand new cars and they could have different pressure readings. Knowing what your cars "normal" is good information. But the stock gages amd sending units are crap. Never use it for more then a dumby light. Get a real pressure gage and check it. I'll bet 90% of the work orders I have gotten that listed just "low oil pressure" by itself turned out to be issues with the gage/sending unit. But low oil pressure and a light knock or tap is not a good sign. You drop to less then 10PSI of oil pressure at the filter and your lifters will be tic'ing away.

 

its...ummm...5-30 i believe. I changed it in the summer so i think I was using a lighter oil. the motor has 183k on it, but was rebuild at 177k (i think). the operating temp seems fine, it actually may be running a bit cool. Heat barely gets warm. and the needle was moving fluidly, not bouncing. it rose when the rpms were rising above 1k

 

gorns right, are the lifters ticking at a idle when its at operating temp? if not its most likely the sensor. i believe its in the block at the back of the intake. gorn would know more than i.

 

i dont hear any ticking...is it a subtle or obvious noise?

 

The noise would go from a click, to a tap, to a clang, to a knock, to a clunk, to a boom!
If you had low oil pressure related noises, you'd hear something unusual.