How and Why to Avoid Low Oil Pressure?
Low oil pressure is a problem with cars that do not have enough oil in their oil pan and therefore do not have enough oil circulating around the engine. To understand why this is a problem we need to know the purpose of motor oil.
The main job for oil is to protect the moving parts inside the engine. What we mean by this is to prevent these parts rubbing against each other directly and therefore wearing each other out. Oil forms a cushion for the parts to glide on. But without sufficient pressure the oil cannot provide this protection, so instead of forming a cushion it is just pushed away. We can think of the oil pressure as providing resistance against these parts.
Oil is also needed to assist cooling the engine. As it travels around the engine it absorbs heat and then carries this heat away to the oil pan where it has a chance to cool as the car moves along. Therefore it’s important that the oil flows freely around the engine. If oil pressure is low it is more difficult to pump the oil around the engine and can result in your oil pump being overworked.
The first warning sign is the oil pressure gauge lighting up on your dashboard. When you see this it’s important to pull over, let the car cool for several minutes and then take a reading of the oil level using the dipstick. There are several reasons why the oil pressure might have dropped. The first would be the oil level has fallen too low. Oil burn off happens naturally over time and checking your oil level and topping up if necessary should be a part of your regular car maintenance checks.
Other causes are more serious and can cost more to fix. The oil pressure sensor may be faulty. It could be worn bearings in the crankshaft. Or you might have air in the oil pump or a even faulty pump. If after you’ve checked the oil level everything looks okay but the pressure gauge lamp is still on you should seek further advice, and quickly, because without sufficient lubrication the engine can rapidly damage itself beyond repair.
Tagged with: low oil pressure • motor oil • oil filter • oil pressure gauge • oil pressure sensor • oil pump
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