Oil light at low rpms!???!

5w30 is what I run in mine.3.4 at 250,000 miles plus.

Do not use synthetic the rings will not seal

 

just checked my receipts. The pressure switch I have now is import direct brand. Gonna go by an ac delco and throw it on there

 

And the oil filter is wix

 

Yes they absolutely will. Synthetics are perfectly fine

 

When has that changed I must of missed it??

Has the lubricity of Synthetics been reduced to the level of petroleum based oil?? So it is no longer to slippery to not allow the rings to seat.

If you have some data I would love to read the new findings.

 

I’d refrain from driving until you know what’s up. You could be damaging, and may have damaged a brand new engine.

An engine will seem to run fine with low or no oil until it machines itself into the grave. Major damage will happen fast and may not be immediately obvious.

The 5w30 is fine. Synthetic is fine. The filter should be fine although I do use Toyota filters because they are $4-$5 at the dealer.

I would obviously check pressure by tapping into the line first. If it’s low, I’d drain the oil and check for metal. And maybe cut the filter and check there too.

Does anyone know a way to check oil pressure without starting the engine? Like turning the pump with a drill? That’s a safer way to check for pressure while not risking damage to the internals. I know you can do it on some small blocks.

 

I would love to see some data which supports the position that synthetics won't allow the rings to bed in (I assume that's what you mean). You might also offer an explanation as to why every dealership, and Toyota corporate recommend synthetic oil.

 

Cleaned the ground that the pressure switch uses. The light is barely on at idle. Wants to come on but is really dim/flickering like it wants to go away. I barley tap the gas and it immediately goes away. I ordered a new/better brand oil pressure switch(ac delco) Will swap it out today and see what happens. Waiting for oil pressure gauge to come in the mail. Ordered it yesterday. Will possibly be changing oil and filter today depending on results of the new pressure switch.

 

I hope it is a sensor or switch. Sounds like it. But oil issues make me nervous as hell. I'd hate to see a new engine roast...

Theres tons of data on oils so I won't go there. Synthetics are not extra slick or mythical or magical. What they are is better at withstanding high temps and not degrading as fast among other things like helping with engine fouling and buildup. (Dyno has detergents as well so...) That's why manufacturers extend service intervals. That and to promote lower maintenance costs. I still change oil at 5k-6k even with synthetics, that's me, and I could be wasting oil. I dunno. Again synthetic isn't mythical in it's abilities, and dyno oil isn't terrible either. They both do their jobs, but not to the effect that one will do it so well, as to be a problem. Do some digging but try to ignore the "it's magic" "it's crap" or "I'll only use x because...". Because absolutes are never absolute.

There are some real benefits to synthetic, but it costs more and you CAN run it longer generally speaking (I don't but that's just me). Dyno isn't dangerous or shitty, but it may be more cost effective, but you may change it more frequently. Dunno... Just keep the oil full and change it when you feel it's ready.

 

Is there any other weight of oil that could help the pressure? Currently 5w30

 

5W30 is most appropriate unless the engine has severe wear and is near end of life.

 

No. Thicker oil isn't a solution to pressure issues. Your oil needs to flow properly to do it's job. Too thick and it won't flow right, despite higher pressures achieved. Run what's recommended by Toyota for your climate.

Edit: Thick oil has higher sheer properties. Great for sticking to things, and great for gears with larger tolerances. That lends itself to creating a "layer" for gears to float on while in contact. Terrible for pistons. (that's an extreme example because...gear oil in an engine is just insane lol.)

Imagine chewing a very sticky piece of taffy and making your jaw muscles ache.

 

Again, these symptoms are classic bottom end issue. Assuming the switch doesn't prove to be the issue (and I hope it does), I would drop the pan and check those bearing tolerances.

 

^^^^
As stupid as this sounds I replaced mains and the oil pump in my Jeep J-10 years ago only to find out the sending unit was F’ed.

 

So would I things might have changed I could be thinking of something from 20 years ago or even longer that just stuck in my head

I can recall when mixing Synthetic and regular gear oil was a instant failure to lubricate looking at the semisolid black mess in the 5 transmissions it was mixed in 30 years ago maybe less it all seems just a few days ago.

 

Replaced the pressure switch. Seems like the light stays on more now than it did lol will change oil and filter next

 

Update: changed oil from 5w20 to 10w30 and filter from a wix to k&n. Light is GONE! Hopefully it stays that way. Thanks for all the replies!

 

All you've done is mask the symptoms; you haven't solved the problem.

 

I may be surprised if a 5-20 might have been too thin. If I feel a too thick oil will increase pressure due to resistance to flow, then I feel a thin oil could run slightly low. That said, I don’t know by how much increase or decrease is possible. But if your light was on the edge at idle, it’s possible that the sensors low pressure threshold was being tickled.

I still stress the importance of running what’s recommended for your engine. And I’d still be sure the complete oiling system is flowing properly. For obvious reasons.