Low Oil Pressure: The Dangers You Need To Know About
Source: Pixabay
Your vehicle’s dashboard warning lights and signals are there for a reason. These warning lights are indications that something isn’t right with your car. As the owner, it’s in your best interest to address the issue immediately.
When you see the oil can symbol light up in your dashboard, it means that you have a severe problem on your hands.
Today, we’ve made a comprehensive guide about low oil pressure in engines, why it’s critical to resolve this issue immediately, and what you should do once you encounter this problem.
What is Low Oil Pressure?
Engine oil is your engine’s lifeblood that lubricates and protects all the moving parts. Pressure builds up while the oil flows through the engine, ensuring the oil reaches all the engine corners.
When low oil pressure occurs, the fluid won’t reach certain parts and corners of the engine, causing the metal parts to come in contact with each other. If left unchecked, the constant banging of metal parts will lead to increased friction, deterioration, and loss of power. In a worst-case scenario, the engine may break down and require a costly replacement.
The right amount of oil pressure is vital for the engine to operate optimally. Oil pressure is measured in PSI, and a PSI below 20 requires your immediate attention. When the oil pressure light comes on, it either means there’s not enough pressure or oil levels are too low.
What are the Symptoms of Low Oil Pressure?
Since low oil pressure is related to engine issues, you should know how to recognize the symptoms. Early detection enables you to resolve the problem quickly and avoid expensive repairs.
BE CERTAIN YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST DEAL
CoPilot searches your area and lets you know if there’s a better deal on a similar vehicle nearby, so you’re always certain you got the best deal possible. The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car.
Low Oil Pressure Light
The oil pressure light flashing will be their first warning sign of a potential engine problem for most drivers. Never ignore your dashboard warning lights and address the issue immediately. Pull over and stop the vehicle in a safe spot when you see the low oil pressure light flash.
Decrease in Performance
If you’re experiencing loss of power, stalling, or higher fuel consumption, your engine might not receive enough lubrication. The lack of sufficient lubrication puts a lot of stress on the engine and is one of the common symptoms of low oil pressure.
Burning Oil Smell
The smell of burning oil while driving may indicate a potential internal or external oil leak. Leakage in the engine can cause a decrease in oil pressure. When you smell a weird burning oil smell while driving, find a safe spot to pull over, stop and check your oil levels.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Overheating Engine
When there’s not enough oil pressure, the engine will operate with sub-optimal lubrication and increased friction which may cause the engine to overheat. While there are many causes for the engine to overheat, decreased oil pressure can lead to overheating.
What are the Causes of Low Oil Pressure?
The low oil pressure warning light will illuminate when the pressure gauge detects low oil pressure levels. However, this may indicate a real issue, or it’s just an inaccurate reading. Nevertheless, it helps to know the common causes of the low oil pressure warning.
1. Not Enough Oil
With insufficient oil amount, the oil pump won’t be able to generate enough pressure. Several contributing factors may affect the vehicle’s oil consumption, such as evaporation, engine age, and leaks.
Always check your oil levels and observe proper oil change intervals. If you notice apparent leaks outside the engine or oil drops on the floor, make sure the leaking component is addressed quickly.
2. Oil Viscosity
When oil viscosity is too low or too high, the system might interpret it as a pressure loss. If the density is too low, the oil generates less resistance through the engine. Meanwhile, high oil viscosity produces increased resistance, decreasing the fluid’s ability to lubricate.
If you’re using mono-grade oil, you must use the suitable grade based on outside temperatures. For instance, you should use a low viscosity lubricant during winter, so it flows easily through the system, despite the colder temperatures.
3. Engine Wear
If the low oil pressure warning still lights even after an oil change appointment and you’re using the proper viscosity, there’s a good chance that your engine is starting to wear. Oil moves freely through the camshaft and crankshaft bearings. Engine bearings are prone to wear, especially at high mileage, causing the oil to flow too easily and reducing oil pressure.
In this case, the engine likely needs to be rebuilt or replaced.
4. Blockage in the Oil Filter
Oil filters remove dirt, debris, and other contaminants from the engine oil. Moreover, filters play a significant role in maintaining oil pressure. Over time, the contaminants will build up and may result in considerable blockage in the filter.
The oil filter has a pressure relief valve that automatically opens when the pressure reaches a specific value to prevent the pressure from getting too high. If the filter becomes too clogged or the pressure relief valve stops working, it will lead to starvation of lubrication and, consequently, reduced pressure.
5. Faulty Oil Pump
The oil pump is responsible for circulating the oil to the engine’s bearings, camshaft, and pistons. With an oil pump failure, there would be broader passageways between the rotors that may decrease the flow rate, which may trigger the low oil pressure light.
THE BEST CARS FOR SNOW
Winter driving impacts young and experienced drivers alike. We’ve compiled a list of the best cars for snow, so you can get from Point A to Point B as safely as possible.
What to Do If I Have Low Oil Pressure?
Whenever you experience any symptoms we’ve outlined above, you should pull over and stop your vehicle in a safe area. Then, check the vehicle’s oil levels, or you can call your mechanic for the appropriate advice. Driving while the oil pressure light is on will shorten the engine’s life or damage it beyond repair.
Make sure that you’re always up-to-date with oil changes, and you periodically check your oil levels. In addition, inspect your engine and garage floors for leaks regularly. In general, the best approach is to reduce the risk of low oil pressure in the first place.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
